The Tyme has come

KIRSTEN MURPHY

Times have changed since Bryan Pearson began Iqaluit’s annual spring celebration in 1965.

The first Toonik Tyme had an operating budget of $700. This year’s event was backed by $37,500 in public money.

Though Pearson is happy the tradition has survived, he is not particularly pleased with what he sees. The longtime resident and former mayor said the event has become too long, too commercial and too expensive for his liking.

Pearson remembers when all the events were free, politicians and musicians came to town, and pies, not cash payments, were handed out as prizes.

“We kept it as simple and native as we could,” he said.

But nearly 40 years after Iqalungmiut named the first Honorary Toonik, the April event still draws the community together, whether for big cash prizes or just a little tea and bannock.

For Crystal Jones, recreation coordinator for the City of Iqaluit, Toonik Tyme 2003 was an exercise in creative thinking.

A visible presence at most of the 40 scheduled events, Jones relied on her eight-person Toonik Tyme committee, her cell phone and 70 core volunteers, including inmates from the Baffin Correctional Centre and the Youth Correctional Centre who helped set up events.

The organizing committee tried to select events appropriate for people of all ages, both Inuit and Qallunaat. “There’s such a wide variety of people in the community. We wanted to have a little bit of everything for everyone,” Jones said.

Whether to watch softball on a frozen lake or worms slither down people’s throats, residents and visitors alike turned out in droves to offer their support.

“An event like Toonik Tyme brings people together. We get to show off our different cultures in the community. It’s a unique festival. It gets people out and involved and brings out community spirit,” Jones said.

Next year, Jones hopes events are held in a consolidated area to avoid a common criticism this year that venues were spread all over the city.

“Overall, attendance was great at every event. I’ve heard the interest was waning in the past couple of years but I think that interest has been rejuvenated,” Jones said.

The three most popular events — the Fear Factor challenge at the Royal Canadian Legion, the Giant Bingo at the Nunatta campus residence and snowmobile races — drew packed crowds.

Fear Factor, based on the popular TV series, was sold out. When the Legion was filled to capacity, people were turned away at the door. As a result, many missed out on the chance to watch the gross-out spectacle live.

But Jones said the organizing committee is already planning a new location for next year’s worm fest — with any luck, a venue that will permit children.

Under B for Bingo, about 350 ink-dabbing enthusiasts paid $100 for a crack at a $10,000 grand prize. At press-time, organizers were still tabulating the amount of money raised.

Glenn Higgins, president of the Iqaluit Minor Hockey Association, succeeded Mike Ferris as the Honourary Toonik. But the Toonik Tyme beauty pageant was cancelled after two unrelated deaths in the community.

On April 11, a 14-year-old boy died after a being injured in a snowmobile accident. The following day, a four-year-old girl was killed after she was struck by a sewer truck. Neither incident was connected with Toonik Tyme activities.

About 250 people from Montreal and Ottawa, as well as Nunavik, Igloolik, Grise Fiord and Pangnirtung, flew to Iqaluit for the week, according to the Iqaluit Visitor’s Centre.

Johnny Oovaut, mayor of Quaqtaq, was one of those visitors.

Oovaut came to support his community’s hockey team but made time for music and snowmobile races.

“It was great. My only complaint were the [hockey] referees,” he said with a laugh.