Attima Hadlari remembered for his dedication to people of Kitikmeot
Longtime KIA and NTI member died Oct. 27
Attima Hadlari addresses an audience at the B2B Gold site at Goose Lake Mine, in September. Hadlari died in Edmonton on Oct. 27. He had been elected vice-president of economic development with Kitikmeot Inuit Association this past spring. (File photo by Arty Sarkasian)
Kitikmeot Inuit Association is mourning one of its longtime members, Attima Hadlari, who died in Edmonton on Oct. 27.
“Today, wherever the sun is shining in the Kitikmeot, it is shining in memory of a great man,” KIA president James Eetoolook said in a statement released Thursday.
“Whatever role Attima filled with the KIA, or any other organization, he not only brought his invaluable knowledge but he also brought with him his great sense of humour and his dedication to his people and the land.”
Attima Hadlari inspires a young boy to get up and join him during a Kitikmeot Inuit Association community feast in Cambridge Bay in fall 2017. (File photo by Jane George)
Hadlari, who was KIA’s vice-president of economic development, was first elected vice-president of the association’s board in 2012.
He was also a long-serving member of the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. board of directors and served on NTI’s Inuit social and cultural development advisory committee and infrastructure and housing advisory committee.
Hadlari was a founding president of the Red Fish Art Society in Cambridge Bay.
“Attima’s passing is a monumental loss for Cambridge Bay and the territory. His positive example and influence will not soon be forgotten,” the art society posted on its Facebook page Oct. 28.
An athletic man, Hadlari mastered the sealskin whip and coached and officiated for young athletes participating in traditional Inuit games, many of whom turned to social media in memoriam over the weekend.
Hadlari and his wife, Elisabeth Hadlari, operated Hadlari Consulting, offering cross-cultural training, Inuit language training, interpretation and translation among other services.
He worked as an interpreter and translator for Nunavut’s legislative assembly, beginning in the mid-1970s. He also served in the first Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit, a group of non-governmental members with expertise in how to apply Inuit traditional knowledge throughout the government, from 2003 to 2005.
“The department appreciates his contributions to language and cultural revitalization efforts in Nunavut,” said Jeannie Arreak-Kullualik, assistant deputy minister in charge of IQ for the Department of Culture and Heritage, in an email.
Nunatsiaq News was unable to reach the Hadlari family for this story.
Yes he will be missed by all and I and his cousin Zita will miss him very much too. He was always friendly and had a great sense of humor. He would call me jokingly cousin and of course he and my spouse Zita would always tease each other.
Little Pants we hope you find peace and happiness where ever you may be now.
Shane and Zita
I got accepted into the Social Service Worker Program at Nunavut Arctic College in Cambridge Bay, NU in 2019 and attained my Bachelor of Social Work first degree. I later accepted to teach the program upon graduating. During this time, I have met Attima and his family who welcomed my family and provided us with a lot of tradition knowledge and guidance. Someone who has brought laughter and unwavering support. For people like him, it made my time spent there a memorable experience. I am thankful I got to learn from him and his family. Before he went to Edmonton, he visited us for the last time, I am glad we got to tell stories, laugh but we still of course couldn’t beat him in a game of crib! Rest now Attima, thank you.