Photo: Nunavut loses respected elder from Cambridge Bay

Cambridge Bay lost a beloved elder Sept. 27: Mary Kilaodluk, 72, seen here drum-dancing at a 2008 Kitikmeot Inuit Association feast. Kilaodluk “was a friend, a colleague, and an integral part of our lives,” the Kitikmeot Heritage Society said in a Sept. 28 statement. “For over a decade, Mary worked closely with us to share her knowledge about the past and fulfill her vision of having younger generations of Inuit become strong in their culture. Mary taught by example, committing her own life to the revitalization of drum dancing and traditional sewing so that she might bring it back into the lives of others. Even in later years, Mary provided her community with a model of how to age with wisdom, grace and humour. Our condolences go out to all of Mary Kilaodluk’s family and friends.” Cambridge Bay hamlet councillors started their Sept. 28 meeting with a minute of silence to honour Kilaodluk. (PHOTO BY JANE GEORGE)