Church in Ikaluktutiak

Going to church as a youngster was not a choice because every member of our family except Dad attended 100% of the time.I still have my new testament presented to me for perfect attendance. Church was fun sometimes but mostly I was not connected to what was being said as the ritual seemed more important than the message. Another reason was the fact I was unable to sit quietly for more than three minutes.

While living in Ikaluktutiak I was drawn to the little Anglican church. I was in charge of funerals and attended every funeral and special occasion held in the church. Come Sunday church was held twice in the morning. One service was conducted by the elders in Inuinaktun, a dialect of Inultitut. I was striving to learn the local language as I used it working with my Inuk workers.

Since I knew all the hymns and some of the prayers and scriptures I attended the early service. I was the only white person and was warmly greeted. I often was invited to say a few words and welcomed the opportunity to join. Inuks have a high pitched voice range and a sorrowful wail when sad such as at a funeral. Blended together, a beautiful sound came when singing their favourite hymn, Amazing Grace. The elders held the service every Sunday without the benefit of a minister or priest. When a priest or Bishop came to the hamlet he re-concreted the elders and they carried on.

There was a small pipe organ in the church and a blind, deaf boy played on this instrument before service and after. The locals thought he had special powers and listened. The music sounded terrible, more like a cow being milked with cold hands but everyone accepted the little fellow's contribution.

I learned some Inuinaktan and quickly learned and became friends with all the ladies of the congregation as only a handful of men attended. This connect helped me with the wellness committee and the hamlet in general.

This was a far cry from church as I recalled but I was influenced and impressed how the Inuit blended their traditional beliefs with the Anglican order of service. Without understanding the language I probably came as close to god as I did when I attended church as a youngster not knowing what they were saying or trying to say.

In the Arctic my church was the great outdoors and the natural order of things where the people tried to live in harmony with the land and each other. After my five years up north I came away a better person more understanding of where I fit in the grand scheme of the universe.