2 - Inuvik Sunrise Festival

INUVIK SUNRISE FESTIVAL

In Northwest Territories, Canada, two degrees (200 kilometers / 120 miles) north of the Arctic Circle, you will find the town of Inuvik. Known as the Land of the Midnight Sun, Inuvik boast 24 hours a day of sunlight during the summer for approximately 56 days, making a short growing season relatively productive. The flip side, is that there are approximately 30 days of polar night - where the sun stays below the horizon for more than 24 hours. This occurs Dec-Jan. I arrived in Inuvik at the end of December, but it wasn't total darkness for the entire day. The polar night is something I will be tracking next year and will post daily photos. This is the amount of light at about 3 pm on the 31st December 2014, just as it was about to get dark.

To celebrate the return of the sun, Inuvik holds a Sunrise Festival, usually the first weekend in January (so I have been told by a local but wikipedia will tell you differently!). This year (2015) it was the second weekend, as the first weekend (including Friday night) fell on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th January and the sun was not yet back (technically it arrived on the 6th, but it was cloudy, here is the extent of the sun taken on my phone camera through my office window on the 7th January 2015). The sky glows amazing shades of orange pink and purple.

Each year the festival reportedly gets bigger and better, the last three years being much improved over previous years. Below is the schedule of events for 2015.

I did my best to attend all the events, and to take photos. It was very cold, so the photos aren't the best quality - who wants to get frostbite trying out different settings on a new camera!

DAY 1 - FRIDAY EVENING

I was determined to try out the local cuisine, despite being vegetarian for almost 20 years. My thinking was if its harvested from the local area (and therefore not factory raised or pumped full of hormone, antibiotics etc) I would try it. So off I went after work to "A Taste of Inuvik". Having lived in a big city (Vancouver, BC) and attended events there, I was initially disappointed. There were only a few tables with local foods. But really, what do you expect in a town of only 3,400 people. After trying the food I was no longer disappointed.

One table was catering to Aboriginal Elders and tourists, offering free samples of local traditional foods. I explained I had been in town less than 2 weeks and they gave me samples. I didn't eat the bannock, a traditional bread as I'm gluten intolerant, but I did try caribou dry meat (very dry), dried whitefish (very fishy), fresh cooked whitefish (pretty good) and berries (yummy). In respect to true Aboriginal harvesting, I didn't waste any, I took it home for my dog to finish!

Next up was caribou stew with chunks, and caribou chili with ground (mince), and home made crispy corn tortillas with caribou meat, cheese and salsa. That was all very yummy, the meat was very tender.

There was a table selling fish cakes and soup, but they were sold out by the time I got there (and I was there not long after they opened). There was also free salads: potato salad, macaroni salad and pasta salad with ham.

 The event was held at the local elementary/high school gym. The schools are joined in the middle by two gyms, with a removable wall. one half was used for the food, the other half for performances.

With special guest Justin Trudeau (a politician)

Then there was drumming (and singing and dancing) - see the two little guys? They did a really good job keeping in time with the beat!

The hand motions tell a story

Then it was time for people to join in and give it a try!

After the drumming there were the jiggers - think country dancing in school UK people, or period (think Pride and Prejudice) formal dancing. There was also a live band.

I left after this, but there was a chance for people to join in the dancing, and competitions.

DAY 2 - SATURDAY

The day started out extremely cold, waiting down at the boat launch for the ski-doo parade. Unfortunately there were only a few participants, but there was a stunning sunrise over the ice road on the Mackenzie River. There was a pancake breakfast earlier, but I didn't go. It was supposed to be really good.

Then to the park for ice sculpting and hot chocolate

This is what they have to start with

Then in to the Midnight Sun Complex for the Arctic Market - a gathering of local artists and crafters. I got there just as it opened, so it wasn't very busy. This was rather disappointing - soup, knitting and crocheting, Parks Canada, some breads, gloves and boots, carvings and jewelry. And my poor camera wasn't happy going from the cold outside to the warm inside.
*2020 EDIT this has since expanded greatly

 

I didn't go to the lantern workshop, I was told that was just the providing of supplies, and the parade was only a few people.

The ice sculptures at Boot Lake were amazing, my photos are not too good, again it was too cold to play with camera settings. But there was a fire and hot chocolate and tea to keep people warm.

*2020 EDIT This is now located down at Twin Lakes

Traditional donut

Muktuk (whale skin and blubber) and dried whale. They actually tasted ok, a mix of fish and meat flavours.

Hula Hoop dancers promoting energy efficient LED lights

 Then it was across the road to the gold course for the bonfire, then over 20 minutes of fireworks. Alot of people parked on the highway and watched the fireworks from the warmth of their cars - but the fire was sooooo warm, and they missed the firefighters!!!

*2020 EDIT it was sooooo could this year I watched from the car - and I can say it is totally NOT as good an experience

Then it was off to the Igloo Catholic church for a concert that was broadcast live on CBC's Saturday Night Blues.

The church is amazing, there will be more photos in another blog focusing on Inuvik buildings

A local resident Abe Drennan

Jim Byrnes

SUNDAY

At Boot Lake there was a tent selling breakfast (bacon or sausage English muffins with cheese, tea, hot chocolate and coffee). You could have a go at dog sledding with the white huskies, and meet Henrik the reindeer herder and Adjub the reindeer. A reindeer is a domesticated breed of caribou, and they shed their antlers every winter.

A muskox pelt

My favourite huskey (and the biggest), Jaeger.

Henrik in traditional costume feeding Adjub lichen

You get to meet the reindeer

This is all on the frozen lake

It was an exhausting weekend, but so much fun!. I definitely recommend the visit, There are companies that do all inclusive trips, or you can book your own - you can fly or drive, and there are several hotels here to stay at.

Up North Tours
Arctic Chalet Dog Sledding

Click here to check out the photos from my journey from Ontario to Inuvik!!!

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