Hopedale Department of Health and Social Development in partnership with Language Culture and Tourism started their National Indigenous People’s Day Events on Monday, June 19.

On Monday they had homemade cardboard box cabins, and traditional dress up for ages 12 and under, 13-49, and 50+.

On Tuesday they had a booth set up of sewing patterns, washable traditional face painting, painting/crafts, Inuktitut bingo, a kid’s corner, and home remedies.

Wednesday, they held their community bbq.

Today, Thursday June 22, there will be a homemade traditional coat showcase. They must be made of garbage bags, and tape.

And tomorrow, there is a community feast to end the event. They will also announce the contest winners for the best tasting smoked fish, best tasting sanamajut, and best traditional drawing for ages 12+. It must be one submission per person, and all submissions can be passed in tomorrow, June 23, no later than 4pm.

Every community on the north coast held their annual National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration yesterday.

In Nain the Nunatsiavut Government were in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Development with the National Indigenous People’s Day event.

The event took place at the Jeremias Sillitt Community Centre due to poor weather conditions.

They had entertainment and performers done by the Beardos band, square dancing, Inuit games, Throat singing, Singers, and much more.

Prizes were won for best traditional dressed, individual Inuit games, and door prizes.

The Makkovik Nunatsiavut Government, Makkovik DHSD and the Makkovik ICG held their community Indigenous People’s Day at the arena at 4pm.

They started off with a parade at 4pm, with vehicle decoration, games, door prizes, music and food and a fire pit.

Traditional dressed were entered into a prize draw, traditional foods as well as wieners and marshmallows were served.

The community of Rigolet in partnership with RICG, NLA, and Kirkina House also held their National Indigenous People’s Day event yesterday.

Started at 2pm located at the NetLoft they had speeches, flag raising, step dancing, children’s and adult games, a meal of caribou soup, and some door prizes, with a grand prize of a round trip for one with Air Borealis.

The Department of Health and Social Development posted all the winners on Facebook, you must pick up your items as soon as possible.

The Department of Language, Culture and Tourism, with the Nunatsiavut Government held a virtual contest for National Indigenous People’s Day.

The contest was for the communities of Nain, Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik, and Rigolet.

Shirley Jararuse is the Language program coordinator for NG.

Jararuse said there were 21 participants along the coast who participated in this event.

2 names were picked out of a bag, and the winners were Peggy Andersen, and Lovey Ford from Nain.

The winners get to choose a $150 gift certificate from Franks, or a gas certificate from Woodwards.

Everyone who participated in this event will receive a free T-shirt.

With the videos that were submitted, they will make an online video and reveal it once done.

Jararuse would like to thank everyone who participated in this.

The Canadian Vessel Moncton Arctic deployed a ROV that reached the sea floor and began it’s search for the missing sub at the site of the Titanic.

The French Vessel L’Atlante has also launched an ROV in the area.

The crew had only a four-day oxygen supply when the vessel launched around 6 am local time Sunday and it is expected to expire sometime this morning.

National Geographic editor Kristen Romey says there are some variables at play with available air.

COVID-19 has claimed another life in Newfoundland and Labrador.

That is according to the latest numbers uploaded to the province’s COVID dashboard, for the period of Sunday, June 4 to Saturday, June 17 this year.

During that timeline there were 17 hospitalizations, with 4 of those critical care.

Laboratory confirmed case counts remained low as well, with most days seeing fewer than ten cases.

Food First NL works with communities in Newfoundland & Labrador to ensure everyone has access to affordable, healthy, and culturally appropriate food.

We spoke with Josh Smee the CEO of Food First NL.

He says right now they are in partnership with the Nunatsiavut Government, NunatuKavut and Sheshatshiu Innu Nation.

Food First NL is a provincial, non-profit organization that collaborates with a network of 300 like-minded organizations and individuals to improve food security in NL.

Click here to find out more about this project.

This is the first year all Nunatsiavut Daycare centers will be in operation all year-round for programming, and the first year to operate during summer.

We spoke with Lorraine Dicker the Acting Administrator for the Nain Pigutsavik Daycare Center.

There are 8 toddlers in the toddler room, 16 in the preschool room, and they currently have a waitlist for the preschool room.

Dicker says right now they have 10 staff members working.

Their summer hours of operation are from 8:15am to 4:15pm.

We also spoke with the Suguset TigikKuk Daycare operator in Makkovik, Darlene Harris.

Right now, they have 9 children registered.

Harris says they have 2 childcare workers, and they have another job posted for a casual position.

If anyone is interested in applying, you can call the daycare center at 923-2385.

They are also on summer hours, from 8:30am to 12 noon and 1-4pm.

To register your child/children you can get a registration form, children must have a MCP card and a copy of their immunization record.

We will be in contact with the Postville, Rigolet, Hopedale and Happy Valley Goose Bay daycare centers once available.

The Nain RCMP and the Nain Department of Health and Social Development held their annual Bike Rodeo yesterday from 3-5pm.

There was also a Community BBQ with hot dogs and hamburgers provided by DHSD.

We spoke with Corporal Pyne with the Nain RCMP detachment. He said this was the 2nd bike rodeo he’s involved with.

About 80-100 children showed up from kindergarten to grade 6.

Bikes were purchased with donations from Local businesses, the local Northern store, home hardware, Budgells equipment sent a cash donation, Nunatsiavut government donated $500 towards Bikes.

There were prizes of 6 Brand new bikes and DHSD also had 3 more.

They did not offer engraving services this year.

There are activities ready to go for the upcoming National Indigenous People’s Day for Nain tomorrow, Wednesday, June 21, 2023.

The events are taking place at the Nain’s playground from 3-6:30pm.

The start of the event will begin with an opening remark by Roxanne Barbour, and a lighting of the Kullik that is set up in the tent by Maria E. Merkuratsuk, along with a prayer by Johannes Lampe.

The Nain Brass Band, Nain Moravian Choir, Beardos, Little Drummers, Throat Singers, Solo Performances, and square dancing will be performing in the event.

Food will be served starting 4-6pm, and Inuit games at 5pm, and cake cutting will be by Boaz Bennett and Laura Millie.

There is also a Traditional Dress up, and prize draws in the end.

The closing remarks will be by Roxanne and Rutie Dicker will announce the winner for the Traditional Dress up, and Jenny Oliver will announce the prize draws.

Gerald Asivak is the Minister of Health and Social Development for Nunatsiavut.

Asivak gave us an update on mental wellness and healing, and a few touch ups on a few other topics from day 1 in the assembly sitting.

Click here to hear the full details.