National Aboriginal Day, June 21, offers lots to do

The line-up for the June 21 National Aboriginal Day concert in Iqaluit features a popular folk group from Greenland, the NAIP Kids Team, who will perform with other musicians and singers, at 7 p.m. at the Nakasuk Elementary School. Admission is free. (PHOTO COURTESY OF ALIANAIT)

Protesters will be out again in Ottawa and many other Nunavut communities to protest the high cost of food in the North. (FILE PHOTO)

Members of the Iqaluit RCMP detachment celebrated National Aboriginal Day in 2011 by holding a lunch-time barbecue in front of the new headquarters building they share with the Nunavut RCMP’s V division. This RCMP member, neatly attired in a bear suit and red serge, greeted visitors and directed traffic. (FILE PHOTO)

On June 21, National Aboriginal Day, in Nunavut, you can eat barbequed hot dogs and burgers, protest in a demonstration against the territory’s high food prices and, if you’re in Iqaluit, take in a concert featuring Greenlandic folk singers.

You can start your National Aboriginal Day celebrations with members of the RCMP.

They’ll be holding their annual open houses on June 21, with many detachments also hosting barbeques (Contact your local detachment to find out when and where the BBQs are taking place, the RCMP advises.)

The open houses are also “a great opportunity for members of the public to talk to RCMP staff about community-based service delivery, opportunities, their experiences and career options in the Force,” the RCMP’s V Detachment said in a June 20 statement.

In Iqaluit, you’ll find RCMP members grilling hot dogs and hamburgers in the detachment parking area, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

In Rankin Inlet, the detachment will host a BBQ of hot dogs and hamburgers, starting at 3 p.m. in front of the co-op store.

And Cambridge Bay’s open house will start at noon at the local detachment, where hot dogs and hamburgers will be served — that is, “if the plane gets in on time.”

If you want to join a June 21 demonstration against high food costs:

• in Iqaluit, meet at Northmart from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. where Becky Kilabuk, who is helping organize the protest, will help keep things orderly and make sure everyone gets heard.

• in Kugluktuk, go to the community park at 6 p.m. for a peaceful protest and community rally. The Community Women’s Group is also organizing a “Feeding our Families” pot-luck feast at the campground in town, with organizers asking people to bring their favorite country food dish to share;

• in Pangnirtung, Coral Harbour, Clyde River, Igloolik and Ottawa, you can also join similar food cost protests. In Ottawa, the group working on the protest will meet at the Bronson Centre to compile slogans for their signs before heading over to the Centennial Flame on Parliament Hill at 1 p.m.

You can learn more about the protests on the new website for “Feeding My Family,” which says “if we stand together as one, with one voice, and one message, we will make a difference to our children and our children’s children.”

On June 21 you can also enjoy some culture:

• in Iqaluit on June 21, there will be a pre-Alianait arts festival show starting at 7 p.m. at Nakasuk School — with free admission for all.

The concert features a popular folk group from Greenland, the NAIP Kids Team, along with local storyteller Laakkuluk Williamson-Bathory, singer-guitarist Terrie Kusugak and Kulavak throat singers Kathleen Merritt and Nancy Mike.

Merritt says her and her singing partner Mike have the connection needed to put on a good throat-singing performance.

“Anytime we can, we perform together,” she said. “As younger Inuit we like to play around with throat-singing, and so we like to merge different songs together, or even create our own sounds, we like to make it more theatrical, rather than just a competition.”

In Ottawa, other events are also planned for June 21:

• Sharon Johnston, the wife of Governor General David Johnston will visit the Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre at 230 McArthur Ave, which offers programs to Inuit children and youth from birth to 13 years of age and their families. She will join preschool children in a kindergarten classroom and meet with children participating in the Head Start program.

• Tungasuvvingat Inuit is inviting Inuit with their family and friends to celebrate National Aboriginal Day from noon to 3:30 p.m. at 33 Quill St. with a BBQ, drumming dancing and games

Is your community also hosting a National Aboriginal Day event we should know about? Let everyone know by posting a comment at the bottom of this story.