Skip to content

Tea Talk: Celebrating our Nunavut Arctic College grads

2604teatalkNAV1web
Navalik Tologanak/NNSL photo April 20 was a beautiful day to celebrate for some of the college students at the Kitikmeot campus in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Back row from left: Tina Okhina - Cambridge Bay, Kakak Mercer - Rankin Inlet, Vanessa Totalik - Taloyoak. Front row from left: Annie Oyakyoak - Cambridge Bay, Pauline Pauloosie - Taloyoak, Anna Wolki - Taloyoak, Shauna Angulalik - Cambridge Bay, Kean Niptanatiak - Cambridge Bay. A few students were missing as they left early before the group photo was taken, congratulations also to those not pictured: Isabel Aaluk - Cambridge Bay, Sandra Analok - Cambridge Bay, StephanieAngutialuk - Kugaaruk, Annie Agligoetok - Cambridge Bay, Leanne Villebrun - Cambridge Bay, Clarissa Koblogina - Cambridge Bay, Helen Mautaritnaaq - Baker Lake. Some will continue further on in their studies and some have graduated and are moving on to their new careers! Tuesday, April 20, 2021.

HALUUQQURUT IQALUKTUUTIAMIT. INUIN NAAMAINNAQTUT. HILA ALIANAQHIJUQ ALAAPPAQNAIKMAN. QAPALAQIINNAQTUQ KIHIMI. ILGAATIT PUIGUKTAILURIT. APUTAIJAQTUT QUANAQIVAKTUT APIVALAAKMAN NUNAKPUT. QINIQPAKLUGIT NUTAQQATIT ANIILIQQATTA.QUUJAQNAQHIJUQ APQUTIT HAMANI. QUANA HAVAKTAUVAKTUT. QUVIAHUKPIAKTURUT INIKTIKMATA INUIN ILIHARIAKHIMAJUT IQALUKTUTIAMI. NAGUJUMIK AUDLAATJAVUHI. ILANI TAKUNIAQTAFFI HUMILIKIAK. QUANA TAIMAKGNITNAFFI.

IQALUKTUUTIAQMIUTAT ULAPQINIAQMIJUT MAI 14-24, 2021. MAQPIRAQ QINIQLUGU NAUNAIPKUT HULINAHUAT QANUQLU ULAPQINIAKTUT. QUANA TAPKUAT INUIN QABLUNAATLU IKAJUQPAKGAMIQ ILLA.ANGNAT MIQHUJAQPAKTUT KALIGUKHAKNIK. PINNIQPIAKTUT ANGNAT MIQHAIT.
NAAMAKLUHI ILLA. AJUQNAQMAN ILAIJAGAGNAT. AKHUUKPAKLUHI. TUHAKPAKLURIT TAPKUAT DAAKTIITLU MUNAQTAIT TAMNA AANIARUT PINGMAN HULI. HAKUKIKPALAAKMAN. UAQATTAQLURIT ALGATIT IVJAGUTIT ATUQATTAQLUGU ANILIRUVIT.

Welcome to spring weather for folks in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Yes, spring is on the way here on the island and the warm winds, sun and daylight are a welcoming experience after a long cold winter. More daylight means hunters and fishers can spend more time out on the land or at their cabins for spring – and soon summer, soon everyone will be getting wind tanned and brown. Kids are playing out longer as it is more comfortable when the weather is warmer, but being Inuk it does not matter for many children, no matter how cold it is, they still want to play outdoors. Only up in the Arctic do you see kids in all seasons carrying icy slush from the stores. Down south it is considered a cooler drink with ice so you can cool off from the hot weather.

One-year-old Margaret Ember Rhys Paolingnak Pigalak of Cambridge Bay, out enjoying spring weather on a warm evening April 20. She is wearing goggles as it is so white out this time of year, to avoid snow-blindness. Navalik Tologanak/NNSL photo

Soon our school children will begin heading out on the land during school hours to enjoy fun activities with their classes and teachers and Elders outdoors. Make sure to encourage your children to always wear sunglasses this time of year so they do not get snow-blind. Also when travelling on the ice and ocean please always check for safety as some areas may have already started melting. Be safe everyone.

Congratulations to all our graduates from the Kitikmeot Campus of the Nunavut Arctic College who attended courses from across Nunavut in Cambridge Bay. A graduation and recognition ceremony was held on April 20 at the brand new campus building that just opened. It was a great day of celebrations for the students who graduated and will continue their courses for Career Development Practitioner, Fur Design and Production, G.R.E.A.T. (Getting Ready for Employment and Training) Program, and the Social Worker Program. Due to the pandemic a short ceremony was held with limited guests invited and of course their families. It is always a pleasure to have our dear sweet Elder Kakolak Avadluk light the qulliq and say an opening prayer.

Our MLA Jeannie Ehaloak, Mayor Pamela Gross, Campus Dean Fiona Buchan-Corey and all the instructors were all in attendance for this special evening. Quana and congratulations to each of the students to managed to work hard and stick with their courses during this pandemic. You each of you made it through this difficult time. Quana to each of the dedicated instructors who stood by their students without giving up. We are all so proud of you all. Quana and have a safe journey home and we enjoyed having the students and families from out of town stay with us in beautiful Cambridge Bay.

Vaccine clinics continue to held at the health centre by our public health nurses, please phone and check when you can go in to get your vaccines. Stay well everyone. Quana to our hard working nurses for keeping us safe and to all who practice safety during the pandemic. Stay well everyone, Wash your hands and wear your masks. God Be With You Son.