Postcards from the Northern Tour: Kugluktuk

Jan 15, 2007

Strong cross-winds and nearly minus 50 degree Celsius temperatures couldn’t thwart the team’s much anticipated touchdown in Kugluktuk Thursday.

John and the team were greeted at the tiny airport by Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik and many community members. School children wore traditional dress and performed traditional drumming, dancing and singing.

After muskox burgers for lunch at the Jimmy Hikok Ilihakvik Elementary school, some kids were very excited to recognize VANOC’s Lara Mussell-Savage. The grade seven students met Lara when they travelled to the 2010 Information Centre in Whistler in October 2005 to build a traditional inukshuk as a gift for VANOC with rocks they brought all the way from Nunavut (read the story on the Aboriginal Youth Cultural Sharing Day for more details). At the assembly, VANOC was delighted to present the school with a donation of lacrosse equipment as a thank you for their journey to Whistler.

The rest of Thursday was filled with a tour of the town, a trip to the elders’ centre for some bannock and tea and a community square dance. The team was delighted by the elders who played the drums and sang – telling stories of their songs and answering all of John Furlong’s many questions. At the dance, the team was entertained by square dancers of all ages. The elders have no worry about this tradition carrying forward in this community – it’s tough to get the youth off the dance floor! The whole VANOC team participated in the square dancing and all enjoyed the lesson.

After a farewell pancake breakfast on Friday, there was an exchange of gifts. John presented the Premier with a Vancouver 2010 flag and, in exchange, John received a gorgeous carving of a polar bear from the Premier who spoke kind words about John being a true friend of the people in the Far North. 

Following the breakfast, talented young athletes (many of which were past Arctic Winter Games competitors) performed a demonstration of traditional sports, including the two foot high kick, the one foot high kick, the finger pull and the head pull. These sports require no special equipment, but much athletic ability. Two athletes from the group will be going to the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse to compete in table tennis. 

The weather won out on the group’s quest to find inuksuit in the wild. However, the team received numerous small, hand-made versions from kids in the community which VANOC will cherish for years to come. 

 As our team heads home, many thanks are owed to everyone in the north who helped us make this tour a great success. Vancouver 2010 is excited to see and share so much enthusiasm for Canada’s Games!