They said what? Our quotes of the year for 2016

“Adrian, I have a story to tell you.” That’s what Sammy Kogvik of Gjoa Haven began to say to the Martin Bergmann’s Adrian Schimnowski. Kogvik’s story led directly to the discovery of HMS Terror, the second of Sir John Franklin’s two doomed vessels to be located by searchers. (FILE PHOTO)

Senator Dennis Patterson, pitchman for seal meat: “Upon eating the fresh cooked seal meat, I almost immediately felt powerful warmth surging through my blood vessels like molten metal…” (FILE PHOTO)

Filmmaker Zach Kunuk with collaborator Ian Mauro in Berlin this past February. This is how a film industry cocktail party sounded to Kunuk: “Everyone’s talking and the room sounds like walruses, a herd of walrus. You can’t make out what anybody’s saying.” (FILE PHOTO)

Words: the tools we use to tell our stories, day after day, week after week.

Many of our favourite words are those our sources use to speak to us and to you directly — in quotes.

So here’s a collection of our favourite quotes of 2016, lifted from the pages of Nunatsiaq News.

Genuine party animals

“Everyone’s talking and the room sounds like walruses, a herd of walrus. You can’t make out what anybody’s saying.”

—Igloolik filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk describes a film industry cocktail party in Berlin last February.

One bite and you’re the mighty Hulk

“Upon eating the fresh cooked seal meat, I almost immediately felt powerful warmth surging through my blood vessels like molten metal, warming my hands and feet and giving me energy and a great feeling of well-being… Power food, I thought. And it is.”

—Sen. Dennis Patterson, in the Senate, extolling the virtues of seal meat.

Take a ride on a roller coaster

“Emotions going up and down. I get angry, I get happy again. Holy cow.”

—Jerry Natanine, former mayor of Clyde River, on Nov. 30, the day the Supreme Court of Canada heard his community’s seismic testing case.

Lessons, for life

“Everything that’s been embedded in us can be replayed over and over again. It’s embedded in us. It’s in our hearts.”

—Nunavut Sivuniksavut student, at the NS grad ceremony in May, reflects what he learned.

Where art thou?

“My father, my dad, where is he? Where is my father?”

—convicted murderer Peter Kingwatsiak on the day of his sentencing, bemoans his father’s absence.

An old friend remembered

“People will remember him as a humble person, an ordinary person that people can relate to. A down-to-earth person—that’s what I think of my buddy John.”

—Peter Irniq reflects on the passing of former MLA John Ningark.

Home is where, when you go there, they have to take you in

“It was a decent homecoming. It was special and overwhelming. After the reception I received I decided this is a good place for me to live.”

—the late Bryan Pearson, two weeks before his death, on his final return to Iqaluit.

Life is hard, lesson #12,879

“How come I’m in jail again? When am I ever going to get my own house? I’m going to fucking kill you. I’m going to kill you. When am I going to get my own stuff?”

—a distraught Nunavut man charged with sexual assault, attempted murder, theft and breaking and entering, vents during a bail hearing.

Understatement of the year?

“I have a lot of work to do to regain their trust and respect.”

—Nunavut MP Hunter Tootoo, ex-cabinet minister, ex-member of the federal Liberal caucus, on what he owes constituents, following his admission that he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a junior staffer.

Suspicious minds

“Even though it’s a murder, they say it’s a suicide.”

—a delegate at Pauktuutit’s pre-Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women inquiry consultation, expressing her lack of faith in the police

Denial no more

“Attitudes of indifference that have characterized Canada’s response to suicide in Inuit Nunangat must change.”

—Natan Obed, the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

Tears of rage

“A police officer made racist statements. Mr. Prime Minister should be doing something about that.”

—Speaking on Parliament Hill, Sytukie Joamie of Ottawa reacts to the infamous online comments made by Sgt. Chris Hrnchiar of the Ottawa Police Service.

Cradle to grave

“We’re going to be living here and we’re going to be buried here”

—Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna, expressing his displeasure at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s indefinite ban on oil and gas permitting across the Arctic.

And what a story it was

“Adrian, I have a story to tell you.”

—Sammy Kogvik of Gjoa Haven to Adrian Schimnowski, director of operations on the Martin Bergmann research vessel. Kogvik’s “story” let them directly to the location of Sir John Franklin’s long lost second ship, HMS Terror.