Free concert raises mental health awareness in Baker Lake
Organizers plan full-blown festival in future
Ted Thomson, left, snaps a selfie from the stage at the Baker Lake community hall Saturday night. (Photo courtesy of Iqklu Killulark)
Approximately 200 youths and their families converged on the Baker Lake community hall Saturday night for a concert and square dance.
“We had a great turnout and we thank the people of Baker Lake,” said Iqklu Killulark, who chairs the newly formed five-member Baker Lake Music Festival committee.
Arviat-based recording artist Agaaqtoq, who goes by a single name, performs Saturday in Baker Lake. (Photo courtesy of Iqklu Killulark)
The free concert was the committee’s first staged event. It represented a step along the path toward a full-blown Baker Lake music festival, Killulark said.
“[It was] an awareness-raising event for mental health and to entertain the community,” she said.
The Hamlet of Baker Lake sponsored the concert, which featured performances by several well-known local acts and some who travelled 370 kilometres from Arviat to perform.
The musical lineup included appearances by Arviat artists Ted Thomson and Agaaqtoq, who goes by a single name. Local talent included Tunaalaaq Martin Kreelak and Hugh Tulurialik.
Committee members regard their inaugural event as a success, Killulark said.
“We are trying to fundraise to do a music festival, but no dates yet as to when,” she said. “And the goal is to have people attend events for free.”
Well done.
Each Community should recognize Mental Health and support. There are Root Causes and the many who walk around not knowing they have Human Conditions and Traits that require attention and people need help to break stigmas. And knkw seeking Help are strengths and worthy as you each are worthy.
Sometimes it’s its own Community Members that causes troubles for others, and many cases, even grpuped cliques target people and that itself has Mental Health Issues and Challenges. Every single person or cliques actions against another is also another form of Abuse and obvious signs there needs to be more Mental Health Awareness in Nunavut.
Very true. Guest speakers who have gotten their symptoms under control and want to speak should be encouraged to. It’s one thing to support mental health by doing a show, it’s another to show support in earnest. People with mental health issues and certain mental health disorders carry a huge stigma and often feel like a burden. Disorders like Schizophrenia don’t go away, people who have it just learn how to cope better. It would be nice to hear their stories at these types of events.
Facebook and other social media are 100% the biggest contributors to recent upticks of anxiety and mental health problems. Disconnect from your phones and reconnect with the real world.
Here’s a cool challenge between neighbors or towns.
Deactivate your Facebook, dare others to do the same. Impossible?
Heard of towns shutting off tv for a month to see who can and bragging rights.
There is life beyond the screen and FB will manage without you.😱😂