AUBLUKKUT IQALUKTUUTIAMIT. HILA QAIJUQNAHIJUQ. TATKIK QULVALIGAGNAT QAUMAIVAKTUQ. TAAKHILIKTUK UBLUK TAMAAT. QUVIAHUKVIK TIKILIQMAN NUTAKKAT ALIHULIQTUT. QUNGNIAQTITINAHUAT. UPLAQINAHUATLU IQALUKTUUTIAMI. NAONAIPKUTA QINIQLUGU. UUNAGUIHIKNAHUAT ILIHAKTUT DESEMPA 18MIT UUTIKLUTIK JANUARI 6MI. INUIN QINGAUNMUN AUDLAAKNAHUAT QUVIAHUVINGMI. NAKUJUMIK AUDLAATJAVUT. ILLA INUIN NAAMMAINAQTUT HAMANI. QINIQPAKLUGIT ILANNUATIT. AJUKNAHIVANGMAN QUVIAHUVINGMI ILAIJAGAGNAT. NIQIHANIK TUNIKHAINAHUAT HAMLATKUT QUANA. ATIITLU TITIRAKLUGU HAMLATKUNNUT. NUTAQQAT AITUHIAQNAHUAT ELKSKUNNIT SATURDAY, DESEMPA 21MI COMMUNITI HAMI. NIQIPKAINAHUATLU SUNDI, DESEMPA 22MI COMMUNITI HAMILU. NAAMMAQLUHI. QUVIAHUVIKMI QUVIAHUGITI.
Navalik Tologanak/NNSL photo
Welcome to a little Christmas town of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Lately the weather has really cooled down quite a bit with wind chill temperatures already reaching -50 C.
With fresh snowfall our community looks snow white with Christmas lights hung around town all lit up for the holidays. The community is very busy getting all ready for Christmas, with people shopping, travelling and of course our school children at elementary school getting ready for their annual Christmas concert. The greatest show in town where everyone gathers together to watch our children and grandchildren perform for their best all dressed up in brand new kamiks and dresses and shirt and ties or a kaligok.
Christmas is a time of family getting together, the community gets together to play games each night at the school gym put on by volunteers from the community. Prizes are donated by local agencies, businesses and hamlet.
This year the games will be held beginning Dec. 23 to 30. The volunteers will meet to set up a schedule and to work along with the recreation co-ordinator Frances Oduro.
The Santa Claus parade is scheduled for Dec. 14 and that begins at 1 p.m. Also on Dec. 14 is the Last Chance Christmas Bazaar to be held at Kullik Ilihakvik gymnasium.
Dec. 21 Santa comes to visit where he will be giving out gifts for the children at the community hall in Cambridge Bay sponsored by Ikalluktutiak Elks and also on Dec. 22 the famous pancake breakfast will be held at the Luke Novoligak Community Hall.
Christmas games with prizes and great food is to begin Dec. 23 and ending Dec. 30. Food hampers will be given out also to those in need and you need to sign up for this in order to get a hamper according to Frances from Department of Healthy Living. Make sure to get names in. Contact Frances at the Hamlet office.
So there are plenty of Christmas festivities happening in the wonderful town of Cambridge Bay. In the past games were held outdoors on the ice but now they are held indoors.
In many communities across the North, games, dancing and feasting are still held all hours, but with many dedicated volunteers and residents the tradition carries on.
Homemade gifts such as new kamiks, mitts, parkas were given, now today you buy gifts from the stores but today Inuit still sew for their families and that tradition carries on from generation to generation. Check out notices around town and have a safe holiday everyone. Stay warm everyone. Santa Claus is watching you. Merry Christmas.
God Be With You Son.