The Nain CARE will be holding Nalujuit Night again this year although it will be a little different with social distancing due to the pandemic.

It will be held in front of the Illusuak Cultural Centre where there is more space for people to spread out and social distance.

The Nalujuit will arrive from the ice around 7pm tomorrow, January 6th and the Nain Brass Band will play a few tunes when they arrive.

There will not be any hand shaking with the Nalujuit at this time and there will be no pictures taken posing with the Nalujuit. People can still take videos and photos from far.

The Nain CARE will be handing out treat bags to the children around the Illusuak then they will Parade around town with the Nalujuit so that people could attend can see the Nalujuit from their windows or outside of their house.

A big thank you goes out to Haynes General Store, Dorman’s Puffin Snacks, Northern Store, Franks, Quick Stop, David Dicker, Melissa Mercer and Latonia Hart for their generous donations of treats for Nalujuit Night.

Also a big thank you to our Brass Band and Nalujuit who make this event much more special.

Once again, a nice way to end our Christmas Season and Happy New Year everyone from Nain CARE.

The Nalujuit Night in Hopedale will be a regular event with COVID-19 precautions of social distancing.

The Happy Valley-Goose Bay presents Nalujuk Night 2021 from 6-7pm only.

It will be held at the DHSD Parking Lot at 14 Corte Real Road with special COVID precautions such as:
– You cannot leave your vehicle
– Walk-ins will be served behind a table
– Photos can be taken from a distance only
– Nalujuit will pass candy bags through vehicle window

Due to COVID restrictions Makkovik will not be celebrating Nalujuit night.

Tomorrow is one of the last Days of our Traditional Christmas Season, Old Christmas Day, Nalujuit Ullunga.

Gordon Obed of Nain remembers the tradition of this day and night, and mostly about when he was growing up.

He says today is different than those years past, especially this year where we are all impacted by COVID-19.

Obed added that in the past, the Nalujuit would always go in their mothers house, and now she’s gone, the Nalujuit continues to go to his home each year ever since.

Stay tuned AtjiKangitut today to hear Obed talk about what his experiences were then and how it is now.

OKâlaKatiget Radio contacted the Community Freezers to find out what they have in stock for its beneficiaries.

In Hopedale, they have moose meat, chicken, cod fish, turbot, vacuum sealed smoked char, and regular char.

In Postville, they have scallops, crab legs, moose meat, cod fish, salmon, and char.

In Nain they have char, chicken, and scallops, and they will be expecting more moose meat sometime this week.

In Happy Valley-Goose Bay, they have partridges, moose meat, scallops, crab legs, eggs, butter, and turnip. They are also expecting potatoes at anytime.

We were unable to get information from local community freezers in Rigolet and Postville and will be announcing once it becomes available.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP is seeking assistance from the public in locating 16-year-old Quinton Pone who has been missing since the evening of January 2, 2021.

Pone was last seen in the area of Royal Street in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and was wearing a black jacket, grey pants, tan colored boots and a black hat.

Police are concerned for his wellbeing.

Anyone with any information on the whereabouts of Pone is asked to contact Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP at 709-896-3383 or contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (TIPS is 8477), by Secure Web Tips at www.nlcrimestoppers.com, or by downloading the free and secure mobile app. Search the App Store for “P3 Tips”.

Electronic tips submitted to Crime Stoppers are encrypted, entirely confidential and completely anonymous.

The OKâlaKatiget Society has a full time Radio Producer employment opportunity, needed immediately.

Under the supervision of the Senior Radio Producer, the Radio Producer prepares news, current affairs for daily broadcast on the Society’s radio network.

The salary will be dependent on qualifications and the position will run until filled.

Applications should be forwarded to:

OKâlaKatiget Society
P.O. Box 160
Nain, NL A0P 1L0

You can call our office at 922-2955 and our fax number 709-922-2293.

Applications can also be sent to Arlene.ikkusek@oksociety.com.

The province is reporting ONE new confirmed case of COVID-19. The new case is travel-related.

As of this morning, the province has now vaccinated 1,785 people.

The new case is a male, between the age of 20-39 in the Central Health region.

Contact tracing is underway by Public Health and anyone who is a close contact will be advised to self-isolate.

The province has ten active cases.

This means 374 people have recovered from the virus.

One person is in hospital due to the virus.

To date, 73, 282 people have been tested.

Member of the House of Assembly Lela Evans has major issues she is dealing with for her constituents.

MHA Evans says that Transportation and Health issues are of major concerns, including electricity bills and the vaccine against COVID-19.

We will be speaking with MHA Evans later in the AtjiKangitut Program to find out more about the issues she is working on.

Today, Thursday, December 31, Newfoundland and Labrador has no new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The province has 17 active cases. There has been one recovery in the Eastern Health region since yesterday meaning 366 people have recovered from the virus.

One person is in hospital due to the virus and to date, 72,527 people have been tested.

Tomorrow, Friday, January 1 is New Year’s Day. Because of the recognized statutory holiday, the Department of Health and Community Services will not be issuing its daily public advisory and the online pandemic data hub will not be updated. These activities will resume on Saturday, January 2.

During the holidays, Public Health is reminding people to strictly adhere to the orders of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

People must remain vigilant and follow all Public Health measures to protect themselves, their families, and their communities from the spread of COVID-19.

Public Health has prepared guidance on holiday activities. Holiday events or gatherings should be planned in accordance with Public Health guidelines.

In Alert Level 2, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians should continue to practice good infection prevention and control practices.

People are reminded that COVID Alert is available for download free through the Apple or Google Play app stores. Public Health is encouraging people to download the app to help reduce the spread of the virus.

For the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19, please visit www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19.

OK Radio will be on air today, Thursday, December 31 from 1-3pm.

OKâlaKatiget Radio will be airing the Memorabilia Service in Nain this evening at 7pm. Taiguivik.

There will be no Watch Night Service in Nain tonight.

OK Radio will air the 2021 New Years Church Services at 10 am and 5pm closing service.

On Sunday, January 3, 2021 we will air the 10 am Church Service and Carl Sonnichsen’s Sermon.

There will be no Sunday afternoon show due staff shortage.

We will be back on air on Monday, January 4 and Tuesday, January 5, regular shows from 1-4pm.

Wednesday, January 6 Nalujut Day, we will air the Church Service at 10am and 5pm Closing Service.

We will be back to regular work hours on Thurs. Jan 7, 2021.

The Nunatsiavut Department of Health and Social Development is in the process of implementing a plan that would see all eligible residents in each of the five Labrador Inuit communities receive the COVID-19 (Moderna) vaccine starting the week of January 11.

The first shipment of the vaccine is expected to arrive in Happy Valley-Goose Bay in the coming days. As it needs to remain frozen, the vaccine will have to be shipped to each of the five Inuit communities using specialized containers called Credo Cubes. Labrador-Grenfell Regional Health Authority is currently awaiting arrival of these containers.

DHSD is responsible for delivering public health services, including administering the vaccine, to all residents in Nunatsiavut. The vaccine will not be made available to individuals under the age of 18, or to those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have allergies.

While it is not mandatory to receive the vaccine, the Nunatsiavut Government is strongly urging all eligible residents of the five Labrador Inuit communities to do so when it becomes available.

“We continue to work with all relevant authorities to ensure we are able to deliver the vaccine as quickly as possible in a safe and efficient manner,” says Nunatsiavut’s Health and Social Development Minister Gerald Asivak. “Although there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel, we still have a way to go before the threat of COVID-19 passes. Even if you get the vaccine, you should continue to follow all public health protocols, including practicing good hand hygiene, wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing of at least two metres from those outside your immediate households.”

The vaccines will be administered in one community at a time. Further updates will be provided as they become available.