‘Inuk Met Gala’ celebrates cuisine and unity

Canada’s sovereignty depends on Inuit leadership and partnership, says Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, in a speech Monday that kicked off his organization’s annual gala in Ottawa.

Tapiriit — billed as a celebration of Inuit cuisine and culture — drew a crowd of 600 to the National Arts Centre. With emcee Jessie Frasier joking that it is the “Inuk Met Gala,” Tapiriit was a who’s who of politicians, business executives and artists.

Obed took the opportunity to advance ITK’s goals within the context of Canada’s renewed focus on Arctic defence.

“When the world is thinking about the Arctic, when other nation-states are making overtures about our homeland, we are the ones that need to partner with the Government of Canada to ensure that this country remains united,” Obed said.

Among those listening to Obed’s speech were Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty, Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree and Nunavut MP Lori Idlout.

Representatives from the four Inuit treaty regions and the organizations that form ITK’s board were present as well, along with a number of senators and ex-politicians including former Nunavut premiers P.J. Akeeagok and Paul Okalik, and former NTI president Aluki Kotierk.

Obed called on the federal leaders to continue to help support the creation of Inuit Nunangat University. ITK has raised more than $200 million for its construction, he said. The goal is for the university to be operational by 2030.

“It takes a room like this and all of your collective interests and power to push the Government of Canada into these spaces that are just logical to me,” Obed said.

Nunavik singer Beatrice Deer led the evening’s entertainment with three sets of live music.

After performing songs from her own repertoire, Deer welcomed her parents to the stage. Her dad Robert Deer played the guitar and her mom Eva Deer played the accordion.

Beatrice Deer stepped away from singing to assemble over 20 attendees on the floor, partnering men with women and putting them through a dance that left some looking sweaty.

After a break, the Beatrice Deer Band returned for a final set of popular cover songs from the likes of Jimmy Eat World, Shania Twain, Chappell Roan and Donna Summer.

Between live sets, DJ Esso, who is Natan Obed’s brother Seth Obed, spun tunes.

Attendees reconnected with friends, networked and tried on a wardrobe of sealskin clothing at a photo booth.

The star of the show was the food, which included a selection of Arctic char, caribou and beluga.

Chef Ethan Angnatok of Nain, Nunatsiavut, led of the culinary portion of the evening. He worked alongside Inuit chefs and the National Arts Centre’s kitchen staff to make sure everyone was well fed.

“It’s enough to bring a tear to a grown man’s eye,” Angnatok said when asked about how he felt as the evening unfolded.

“Just seeing everybody enjoy food that I grew up eating, and that so many of us grew up eating, and having the opportunity to showcase food like that at an event of this scale is just wonderful. It’s unbelievable.”