Thanks for help with Joamie’s drum dance festival

For three days, April 11-13, the sounds of drum beats and traditional Inuit music filled the air at Joamie School when we held our first drum dance festival. Wht started out as a good idea several years ago became a reality thanks to the staff and students of Joamie School, their parents and numerous community organizations.

Together we worked hard and had fun raising funds through bannock sales, noon our dances, a cake walk, cookie-grams, a garage sale and popcorn and a movie. Many, many thanks to parents and staff who donated items and baked.

Thanks you to Neevee Hanson and Lesley Serkoak for coordinating the school’s fund-raising drive. I would lso like to thank my VP, Eelee Higgins and Opah Picco for helping all of us learn traditional Inuit songs leading up to the festival.

Thank you to Maggie Gordon, Oolootee Peter and Lena Ipeelie for preparing the feast and coordinating the bannock sales. hank you Jane Tagak for compiling the festival songbook.

Putting Inuit Quajimagaturqagit ideas into the actual practice takes many hours of planning and lots of money. I am so grateful to the Joamie School Family and to our sponsors for making this DrumDance Festival happen, mat’naluavik.

I would like to thank the following elders who passed on their traditional knowledge to us: Silas Aittauq and Winnie Ikinilik of Baker Lake, Silas Illungiayok and Elizabeth Nibgoarsi of Arviat, Ollie Ittinuar and Berndette Saumik of Rankin Inlet, Peter Putulik and Elizabeth Aglukka of Repulse Bay and Celestin Ekidjuk and Ikaluk Juralak of Iqaluit.

Our festival sponsors donated through discounts and with financial assistance: Iqaluit District Education Authority, Candian North, Calm Air, Tukisiniarvik Society, Rotary Club, Dept. of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, Nunavut Teacher’s Association and Arctic College.

Thank you to Ed Picco, Minister of Education, for showing interest and moral support in this project. I am hoping the visiting elders will go to other schools in Iqaluit next year to share their talents in drumming and singing.

David Serkoak
Principal
Joamie School