Igloolik celebrates arrival of Nunavut Quest mushers

The last day of Nunavut Quest is always filled with excitement as mushers and their support teams get ready to arrive at the final destination.

This year’s route took the group across an approximately 500-kilometre trek from Pond Inlet to Igloolik.

Snowmobiles stop just before Igloolik’s bay on Wednesday. The group finished Nunavut Quest to great fanfare and celebration. Final results will be announced during the Quest closing ceremonies. (Photo by Shanshan Tian, special to Nunatsiaq News)

Wednesday was another beautiful spring morning for travel, and perfect for outdoor celebrations.

While sunny, blue-sky days with little to no wind tend to be too hot for the dogs to travel for long distances, the final length of trail to Igloolik was relatively short — about 40 kilometres — across smooth sea ice.

The morning meeting was held earlier than usual, at 8:30 a.m., with elder Quvaqtaa Charlie Inuarak going around the camp calling out “Qimuksiqtiit!”

It was determined that mushers and dog teams would leave first. Support teams and officials would leave shortly after everyone is ready. Snowmobiles were to take a wide berth and an alternate trail to avoid distracting the dogs.

Mushers left at 10 a.m. with a shotgun start. This is a tradition for Nunavut Quest. On the last day of the race, instead of starting according to the previous day’s order of arrival, each one minute apart, all dog teams leave at the same time.

Official Peter Piari Oolateeta stood in front of the mushers, counting down “10, 9 , 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… GO!” and waving a Nunavut flag to signify the start.

The support crews watched eagerly as dog teams departed simultaneously. A few teams ran into each other and had to untangle lines amid the chaos and as the mushers fought to take the lead on the trail.

When the support crews and officials approached Igloolik, elder Quvaqtaa Charlie Inuarak instructed how he would like to see the snowmobiles parade to where everyone would be waiting for their arrival.

First, in a line as the group first appeared on the ice around the corner. Then in a single-file line as the snowmobiles paraded into the bay.

Members of support teams could be heard shouting in excitement and celebrating with each other. The energy in the air was undeniable, a sense of accomplishment and pride in Inuit culture. Many were seen wiping away tears of joy.

Down on the ice in Igloolik there were games, drum dancing, throat singing, bannock and tea, organized by the Nunavut Quest Igloolik committee, hamlet recreation department and Artcirq, which had built a qaggiq (large igloo).

Warming tents were available for elders and youths. Students from Ataguttaaluk Elementary School and Sivuniit Middle School made cards and posters for the mushers.

The bay was packed with people greeting, hugging, and cheering for the arrival of Nunavut Quest. Children were playing and some were even skating on the outdoor rink playing hockey.

As each musher arrived, they were hoisted up in the air to celebrate their accomplishment of completing the Quest. Regardless of which order they arrived in on the 9th day of the race, or which community they were from, the pride and cheers were equally as loud.

Hometown heroes from Igloolik, Jinneal Nanuraq Uttak (#1), Joshua Qiliqti Ivalu (#7) and Isaac Irngaut (#5) arrived first, second and fourth, respectively.

The games continued long after the last musher arrived.

The welcoming activities and celebrations will continue over the next few days. Final results of the race will be revealed Friday evening at the closing ceremonies.

Day 9 order of arrival:

1. Jinneal Nanuraq Uttak (#1)
2. Joshua Qiliqti Ivalu (#7)
3. Lee Inuarak (#6)
4. Isaac Irngaut (#5)
5. Donovan Qaunaq (#4)
6. Tom Naqitarvik (#2)
7. Daniel Inuarak (#3)
8. Aidan Qaunaq (#8) 
   

   Igloolik celebrates the arrival of Nunavut Quest’s first musher Wednesday by hoisting him up on his snowmobile. (Photo by Shanshan Tian, special to Nunatsiaq News)