1. Gerald & John Towtungi 2. Graveyard 3. Maryanne Tattuinee

I had numerous interviews to obtain during this visit. The photographs had been taken on earlier visits and some elders I had already drawn.
My luck for the week was excellent because with the poor weather, most elders remained in town. Plus I discovered a few more I had not heard of and was able to spend some time with them.

Aug. 19/Wed.
I arrived at the extremely busy terminal in Rankin Inlet on a cloudy, rainy afternoon. Bert Dean was there to pick me up.
Bert introduced Arsene Panniuq to me by reminding him I was the artist who had drawn him several years ago. He grinned as he pretended to box with me. At 90, I was very impressed by how spry he is.
Bert dropped me off at his old house where daughter, Ashley, and fiance’ Jeff are living. That is where I would be staying for the week.
Saw Veronica Tattuinee and set up appointment with her mother, Maryanne, for Thurs. 10:00am at the Sugar Rush café.
During my afternoon walk I dropped in at the local CBC radion station and spoke briefly with Selma, the station producer, (I had drawn her mother, Rhoda Karetak) and Betty Autut, (had drawn father, Silas Qiyuk).
I determined at supper that I would eat well during my stay. Ashley is an excellent cook.
At 7:00pm I walked across the street to visit Rose Ussak. Lilian, her oldest daughter, came over and interpreted during my interview. Rose, 86, still has plenty of energy.

Aug. 20/Thurs.
As the sun was doing its best to burn its way through the cloudy morning haze, I crossed the street to the Sugar Rush Café to meet Maryanne Tattuinee. She arrived with her daughter, Veronica, to interpret. After our interview I photographed Maryanne outside in the light overcast.
Lunch time Bert arrived with Joe Savikitaaq Sr. and Alden (from Iqaluit), all Resource Officers. It made for an interesting lunch, hearing their stories.
Early afternoon I strolled down towards the Kivalliq News. I met Charmaine Amarok. She told me of her father, Tony Amarok, 82 and still very active. I promised her I would look him up.
At Kivalliq News I found Darrell Greer in the process of packing for a 5 week holiday. I was introduced to Erica, his 26 year old replacement, from Grand Prairie, AB.. Darrell dropped me off at Tony’s house, so I would know where he lived.
I returned home in the light rain then phoned Teresa Amarok. Several hours later she pulled up on her ATV and we headed to Tony’s house. I photographed Tony Amarok first because I didn’t know how long the light would hold. Teresa did a fine job interpreting for us during my 2 hour interview with her father. When I mentioned Tony looked very much like John Adjuk, from Whale Cove, he stood up suddenly, reached across the table and shook my hand. He said they were cousins.
I walked for an hour that evening in the low light till the drizzle began and followed me home.

4. Tony Amarok & Teresa 5. John Hickes and Page Burt's Dogs 6. John Hickes - Proud Dog Owner

Aug. 21/Fri.
I was wandering downtown when Sam Tutanawak picked me up. We talking about our artistic experiences and then at his house he played a song he had written inspired by my work collecting stories about the elders. I enjoyed it immensely. Sam told me it would be on his 2nd CD.
1:00pm found me at Pauline Kolit’s house. Her son, Pierre, interpreted for my interview. Pauline broke her leg 1 year ago and her health has suffered since.
I walked home under a bright sun and blue sky. Bert dropped me off at the home of Raymond Ningeocheak and with the help of granddaughter, Lucy, I interviewed him.
While heading home I was picked up by Jimmy Qiyuk. After telling me about 88 year old John Towtungi, he took me over to John’s house. John was working on a motor on his coffee table when I convinced him to come outside for photographs. He was born on Baffin Island, then moved around the Kivalliq region before settling in Rankin Inlet.

Aug. 22/Sat.
It has rained all night so the overcast morning was no surprise.
Mid-morning I trotted several streets over to Moses Aliyak’s house. I spent 2 delightful hours listening to stories of his life with Angie, daughter, interpreting.
That afternoon Bert dropped me off at Noah Paniyuk’s red, two story house. Noah, 44, is the youngest of Arsene's family. When I queried about being out on the land, at pre-school age, with his father, he replied, ‘No matter when, I always felt safe.’ Later Noah and I were driving from the large docking area to a small one on the other side of town. He spotted ex-senator, Willie Adams high on a trailer trying desperately to pull up an antennae. After we assisted him, Noah introduced me. Noah had been trained by Willie, who was an ex-electrician.
I was walking near the RCMP detachment when I heard dogs down at the shoreline, barking loudly. I hurried down and noticed it was feeding time. Soon John Hickes tapped me on the shoulder and invited me inside the enclosure with him. John knows his dogs. He was delivering newspapers by dog team, at age 10, for the military in Churchill. His 52 dogs are fed every 2nd day. Page Burt, his partner, came from the far enclosure where she was feeding the older dogs and introduced herself.
At supper, Ashley, Jeff and I were joined by Bert and his 25 year buddy, Glen, a Wildlife Officer now living in Iqaluit. We watched U.F.C. fights for 2 hours because he and Jeff are big fans.

Aug. 23/Sun.
Under a light cloudy morning I walked up to the graveyard. It is beautifully situated on high ground with a magnificent view of the Hudson Bay.
While home reading I noticed the rain didn't last. When it cleared I climbed the hill where a floodlight at one time operated. It is one of the loftiest spots in Rankin so I took some photos, hoping to create a panoramic effect later on Photoshop.
I was meandering north along the shore street, then up hill, past Nanuq Lodge, when Page ran out and inquired if I had a card of Jenny Tootoo. Amazingly, I did have one right in my camera bag! I followed her inside and signed it to a premature baby named, ‘Robin.’ Born 4 months early, it was decided to give her strength by naming her after Jenny Tootoo, an Inuit custom. Page and John Hickes then invited me for supper that evening.
At 4:00pm Ashley and I drove to Bert’s home on the other side of the community. He and Glen were busy putting hardwood flooring in the bedroom. Leslie, Ashley’s younger sister, dropped over from next door. She was due to deliver in 8 days. Glen entertained us with stories from a gun accuracy camp he attended in the U.S. before Bert dropped me off at the Nanuq Lodge.
Before supper, John gave Ken, (friendly fellow, ex-Bank President and now head of an Investment Group) and me a taste of muskox jerky. It was almost too good! Also attending was a military surveyor, I believe, from Nova Scotia. Page Burt is a biologist who works for the Parks Department. The conversation was very lively over a ham and goose supper.

7. Panoramic View of Rankin Inlet - Continually Expanding

Aug. 24/Mon.
Bert dropped me off at the terminal early.
We landed briefly in Arviat then on to Churchill.
One hour outside Winnipeg we experienced some real turbulence, the worst I have ever gone through. It was a little nerve racking and there was a sigh of relief when we finally landed at 2:00pm. We were also late because of a 80 mph headwind.
Thank you to Bert, Ashley and Jeff for putting me up for the week.
Thanks so much to the friendly people of Rankin Inlet.
Thanks once again to Calm Air for the flight arrangements.