In Nunavik, one man’s dancing just to stay alive

Inukjuak social worker hopes to break a new record April 2 by dancing for 123 hours and 15 minutes straight. (PHOTO COURTESY OF DENNISDANIEL.ORG)

Schoolchildren from Inukjuak pose in front of Earl Daniel at the community centre, where the local social worker has been dancing non-stop since March 28. Daniel’s dance-a-thon is aimed to bring awareness to the high suicide rates among Inuit rate and promote health living. (PHOTO COURTESY DENNISDENNIS.ORG)

(Updated April 3)

Earl Daniel loves his life.

And the Inukjuak-based social worker convinced Inuit in his home community of that this week when he danced for more than 123 hours straight to raise awareness of the high suicide rates among Nunavimmiut youth.

The six-day dance-a-thon was to promote Daniel’s “I love my life” program. But to maximize attention, Daniel also sought to beat his previous multi-day dancing record, one recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.

And he succeeded, buoyed by the support of his community – and the world, tuned in to a live stream of the dance-a-thon – who watched Daniel dance through until 5:40 a.m. on April 3.

The 48-year-old, better known as “Ole George,” first set up a cordoned-off area of the community centre March 28, where he began dancing to reggae and other Caribbean-inspired music.

He continued to dance day and night, taking 20 minute breaks every four hours.

Friends and community members came to visit regularly; on April 2, residents organized a parade to the community centre, where they held a feast to encourage Daniel in the last stretch of his dance-a-thon.

But dancing isn’t Daniel’s usual tool for promoting change in the communities he has worked in – the social worker is known for long-distance walking.

Daniel, who is originally from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, has walked thousands of miles in West Indies, but is planning his next major journey in Nunavik later this month, when he plans to walk from Inukjuak to Ivujivik.