Nunavut heroes honoured for bravery, community service

The Commissioner’s awards ceremony was hosted at Pond Inlet’s Attakaalik Community Hall April 15, Pictured in the back row, from left, Junior Rangers; Cst. Higgins; Hon. Edna Elias, Commissioner of Nunavut; Joe Enook, MLA for Tununiq; Mayor Charlie Inuarak; Sgt. Titus Allooloo and Junior Rangers; middle row from left, Junior Rangers; Mr. Qiliktee (on behalf of his mother Appia Qiliktee); Lizzie Simonie; vacant; Sheati Tagak; Jessie Peterloosie; Nathan Ootoova and Junior Rangers and front row from left, Isaac Qiyuapik, Regilee Ootook; Rhoda Pewatualuk; Gamailie Kilukishak and Ookookoo Quaraq. (PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF NUNAVUT)

Some of them saved lives. Others gave their time enriching the lives of people in their communities.

The Commissioner of Nunavut, Edna Elias, recently awarded a number of bravery, volunteer, community service and youth recognition awards to Nunavummiut in Kugluktuk and Pond Inlet.

In ceremonies held in both communities earlier this month, 13 Kugluktuk residents and 11 Pond Inlet residents were awarded the territorial honour, the office of the Commissioner of Nunavut said in an April 20 release.

On April 8 in Kugluktuk, Elias handed out bravery awards to two recipients: Wayne Magaknak and Calvin Pederson, who, in August 2012, helped pull canoeists ashore after they had fallen into a local river.

The same day, volunteer and community service awards were handed out to:

• Musician A.J. Pigalak, who leads the music group “The Boys Downstairs,” including members Gustin Adjun, Shawn Kuliktana, Dettrick Hala, Kevin Klengenberg and Scotty Tologanak. The group plays at community events and festivals, promoting healthy living through dance;

• Educators Maria and Attila Csaba for coaching sports and promoting extracurricular activities for the students at the Kugluktuk high school;

• Anglican minister Paul Williams for his work towards improving the well-being of the community. Williams also collected an award recognizing his late wife, Nowyah Williams, and the contributions she made in Rankin Inlet;and,

• Helen Bolt for following her late mother’s footsteps and teaching square dance to the community.

“It is very good to see youth being honoured,” Elias said in the April 20 release.

“Volunteerism needs to start at a young age. They, in turn, become and are role models.”

At an April 15 ceremony in Pond Inlet, 11 more Nunavummiut received awards — many of them elders.

• Nathan Ootoova for rescuing Jacobie Maktar when they were younger;

• Jessie Peterloosie for saving a 12-year-old boy from drowning;

• Sheati and Leah Tagak for providing country food to the community over the years;

• Appia Qiliktee for volunteering to organize numerous social events;

• Lizzie Simonie for her volunteer and fundraising efforts for different community groups;

• Isaac Qiyuapik, a 70-year old elder, for volunteering since 1995 as the local radio announcer;

• Regilee Ootook for her work as a caregiver through her life;

• Rhoda Pewatualuk for her work providing support to families in difficulty;

• Gamailie Kilukishak, who received a special skills award for a 1946 search, in which he and his father, Qajaakuttuk, were successful finding a group of missing people; and,

• Ookookoo Quaraq, who received a long service award for his 50 years as a member of the Canadian Rangers.

The Commissioner of Nunavut visited Kugluktuk April 8 to hand out awards. Back row from left, Gustin Adjun, Attila Csaba, Mr. Pederson (on behalf of son Calvin Pederson), AJ Pigalak and Rev. Paul Williams and front row, from left, Cst. Jean-Luc Bedard, Dettrick Hala, Premier Taptuna, Maria Csaba, Mrs. Pederson (on behalf of son Calvin Pederson), Hon. Edna Elias, Helena Bolt, Shawn Kuliktana and Mayor Ryan Nivingalok. (PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMISSIONER OF NUNAVUT)