At AGM, Nunavik org honours late singer Charlie Adams, acts of bravery

The late Charlie Adams sits next to his wife Elsie in a photo taken by Charlie’s friend George Lessard, who visited the couple at the ­Montreal General Hospital in 2004. (FILE PHOTO)

While corporate business mainly filled Makivik Corp.’s annual general meeting last week in Kangiqsujuaq, those at the gathering also took the time to honour several Nunavik Inuit.

In Kangiqsujuaq, Elsie Adams, the widow of the late singer and songwriter Charlie Adams, received a special lifetime award for her late husband’s contributions.

Adams died five years ago at the age of 55.

A pioneer in the development of recorded Inuktitut pop music, Adams played at numerous music festivals throughout the eastern Arctic over his 30-year career. He also toured in the United States and in Europe.

As a singer and guitarist, Adams was always generous with his talents. His most famous song: the cheerful “Quviasupunga” (I’m Happy).

In July 2004, Adams suffered a near-fatal accident when a car drove over him while he lay in a Montreal alley, and he never fully recovered from his injuries.

A video tribute to Adams was shown before Elsie Adams accepted the award, which reads, “thank you for all of your beautiful songs that touched our lives and the inspiration they bring to Inuit today and tomorrow.”

Those singled out for Makivik bravery awards included:

• Sandy Kauki, nine, of Kuujjuaq, who rescued his friend Andrew Gunn Watt in August, 2011 after Watt, who doesn’t know how to swim, slipped into a creek which leads to the Kokosak River;

• Joadamie Inukpuk, ten, of Inukjuak, who last summer helped Qatjakaa Aupaluktuk out of the Inukjuak river to safety;

• Louisa Annahatak, Sarah Annahatak and Winnie Grey, all of Kangirsuk, who helped Jimmy Annahatak out of a burning cabin up the river from Kangirsuk. Annahatak is still receiving treatment for his leg from an injury caused by the fire;

• William Tuukak of Kangiqsujuaq, who saved Minnie Alaku from drowning in a lake on Nov. 12, 2012 after she lost her snowmobile in the lake outside Kangiqsujuaq; and

• Noah Elijassiapik and Simeonie Ohaituk of Inukjuak. On July 14, 2012, Elijassiapik managed to rescue Jessica Qumak from the Inukjuak river. Ohaituk then performed cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, with success, on Qumak.