HALU INUIT. IKALUKTUTIAKMIUTAT NAMAINAKTUT. ILIFILI. NAMAKPAKLUHI ILA. AYUKNAK ILAIYAGAGAT. IHUMALUKPALAKGUIKLUHI. AYUKNAKMAT. ITKAUMALUGIT ILANUATIT NAGUYUMIK. NUTAKAVUT PIUGUKTAILUGIT. AVALIGUMIK NAGLIKHAKNIAKMATA. INUTIAKLUHI ILA. AKHUKPAKLUHI. TAMAPTA ILA ILAIYAKPAKTUGUT. PULAKPAKLUGIT ILANUATIT. PIKATINUATITLU. HAVAKATITITLU. ILANUAVUT MUNAKTAUYUT GUTIMIT. TETUGIAKPAKLUHI. ANIKPAKLUHILU. HILA NIGLALIKTUK UKIUKHAK TIKILIKMIYUK ILA. TUKTUHIULIKTUT INUIT. UMIAKYUAT TIKIKATAKTUTLU AYAKHUTIK TAMAYANIK. NUTANIK AKHALUNIKTUK IKALUKTUTIAK, QUANA INUIT AKUIKTUKPAKTUT. NIUVIKVIT TAMAYANILIKTUT NIKIKHANIKTUTLU QUANA. INUIT NAMAINAKTUT ILA. NAGUVAKLUHI. INUTIAKLUHI. PITAKPAKLUGIT ILATIT ILANUATITLU. AVALIGITUTIT. PIKPAGIYAUYUHI.

Let's celebrate life and enjoy what we have, especially with family and friends, and also those who have passed on before us. Oh life is good, especially when you have family and friends.

I am always thankful for my son and daughter Tologanak and Kingnektak. They are my pride and joy, and soon I will celebrate my first grandchild. Oh I can't wait to be a grandmother! They say it is worse than your own child, that you just love them even more. What a feeling! I hope all you grandparents-to-be will know what I am talking about and to those who are already grandparents, your life is so important to them and their parents.

I remember when my late parents, Johnny and Rosie Tologanak, became grandparents they were so proud. Today if they were alive they would just go nuts for all their grandchildren! Niviuktulikhutik akhutak.

With Inuit when a child is named after one of your parents or siblings or relatives we spoil them so much and watch over them. Their ways of doing things still lives on; I know that because my late brother Avakana has a namesake named after him and guess what? The child named after him even plays guitar and does artwork and is very talented that way, like my brother was. It's almost like reincarnation or something like that. We will always have this tradition and I don't think it will ever go away. Keep up the tradition and our family names will live on. May God bless our loved ones.

Getting chilly

It's starting to feel like winter is here. It has snowed a few times now. That cool air is a reminder that there is no more summer, and all our students are back at school again. But it is always fun to go back to school and meet your new teachers and some new school friends.

Most of us from the smaller communities and camps, we all know each other, we all grew up together. I know when I see my schoolmates with kids and grandkids it is so nice to see. I think it just makes life complete that way. Otherwise life would be so boring. Yes, school is busy and so are the teachers and all the parents - making breakfast, lunches and suppers on a regular schedule again. No more sleeping in, except on weekends.

Kiilinik high school is so busy, with its new principal Mike Simms and vice-principal Patti Bligh and all the old and new teachers. All our students were so busy going to school with their heavy backpacks, probably homework! I remember homework too, but it was not as much as they get nowadays. We as parents are always proud of our kids going to school and furthering their education.

Today we have Nunavut Arctic Colleges in most communities where adults can take courses and they also have upgrading for those who did not completely finish their grades and courses. They even teach traditional and cultural ways of Inuit. We have so many opportunities nowadays. So exciting.

Good start to the day

The breakfast program for the schools has started and it is held at the Kiilinik high school cafeteria 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. with volunteers headed by Leslie Payette. They have a balanced, healthy diet. This year, as usual, sports are very, very popular, like basketball, soccer and hockey. And there is also guitars! About 50 of them have been ordered in total - guitar lessons and playing and practising is held after school and during lunch hours, so when you walk into the Kiilinik high you hear guitar music. Maybe we soon will have a Canadian Idol and a band for Cambridge Bay. Way to go kids, keep it up with all that fun stuff going on in your school! You make us happy, when you're happy.

There is also throatsinging teachings with Tanya Tagaq Gillis - our Canadian star! Wow! Drum dancing is taught also after school. There's still time to sign up for all these fun after school activities, so please go ahead. It makes me wish I was still a teenager in high school with all this good, positive stuff going on.

There is ongoing Innuinaqtut Language Development classes with language instructors Brenda Sitatak and Bella Rose Eyegetok along with the assistance and expertise from AOPAK. There is also sewing, and other cultural development.

Every morning O' Canada is sung in Innuinaqtut in the main lobby of Kiilinik high. Please feel welcome to join the students and staff every morning at 8:45 a.m. anytime. There's so much fun, positive care, love and respect in every corner of Kiilinik high. The kids are nice, young people, well behaved and polite to their peers and community and so full of energy; these young adults and delightful to watch! Remember Sept. 19 for Education Awareness night at the gym. There will be a Nunavut-wide principals conference on then so come and join in the celebrations with presentations, awards, food, dance and entertainment. Celebrate!

Barges unloading

The barges are arriving stocked up with goodies for our community. The stores, both Northern and Co-op, are getting in their supplies for the winter. Even Christmas toys are arriving now, too. Ikaluktutiak Co-op is building a new warehouse right next to the store, so there will be more room and it will be easier for the Co-op staff to get their supplies for the store.

Happy belated birthday to our tiguaks Jolene and Tiffany. Enjoy your days and many more. We love you two very much, from Mom, Dad, brothers, sister-in-law, nephew and nieces!