Final Exams & Summer Plans

The last two weeks were about administering and marking final exams.  My Grade 9 guitarists had it easy; they were only required to play a piece or a few famous guitar riffs (melodies).  For extra marks, several students performed in front of the class.  The Grade 10s had the most work: a theory test and a performance test.  My Grade 11s had to write a two hour English exam in two parts.  The first part was an essay based on the film Stand & Deliver.  The second part dealt with short stories, poetry, and advertising in media.  Most were able to complete the exam in 90 minutes.  And finally, my senior musicians (Grade 11 & 12) just had a performance test to complete.  The performance tests analysed my junior & senior students' abilities to play scales, selected repertoire, and clap rhythms.  My junior percussionists also had to perform several rudiments (the percussion equivalent to scales).

            

When all exams are completed, the teacher is presented with the important task of marking them fairly and adding the mark to the student's overall grade.  Calculating a student's overall grade is a task that requires patience, objectivity, and math.  I spent quite a lot of time going through the calculations and making sure that they were correct.  The last step is to enter all the marks into the school's computer database.  An optional step that I followed is writing a comment in the Comments Section for each student.

            

After exams, the school year was pretty much over for students.  A sports day was held on June 14, and many students & teachers ventured up to the new hockey arena to play soccer.  The rinks had been dried and replaced with green astro-turf.  From what I heard, the competition between teachers & students was intense.  I stayed at the high school to finish inputting my final marks into the school database.  The topic of sports came up again on June 18 in the manner of a sports/athletics award ceremony.  Chosen students received awards for being the best players in soccer, basketball, badminton, and weight lifting. 

            

Over the summer months, Inuksuk High School will be one big construction zone.  The main office, teacher's lounge, cafeteria, library, main foyer, several classrooms, and four main stairwells are being renovated.  I think the outside structure is being repainted as well.  In order to prepare for this, staff have been moving resources and equipment to the areas that will remain untouched.  I made sure to wear plain clothing rather than my formal attire.  You name it, we moved it: tables, chairs, papers, books, posters, photocopiers, etc.  I think I may have added some muscle to my arms.  The selected rooms now look barren & empty.  When I come back in late August, the school may look like a completely different building (more on that later).

            

To celebrate the end of the school year, a year-end staff party was held at a pub called The Elks on Saturday (June 16).  The event was organized as a pot luck and many teachers brought a variety of snacks, dishes, and desserts.  I sampled many dishes and they were all delicious.  It was a little weird walking back to my apartment at midnight because there was still daylight. 

On Sunday (June 17), I jumped at the opportunity to play the new Kawai baby grand piano that was recently shipped to St. Jude's Cathedral.  It felt great to be able to touch a grand piano once again.  For the last 5 months, I have been playing on electric pianos & an electric organ.  The piano sounded great considering that it was tuned by Don Côté, the tuner who looks after the pianos at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.                      

            

The northern communities of Nunavut have been receiving a lot of media attention since the beginning of June because of recent protests over high food prices & expired foods.  In Iqaluit, people are fortunate to have the choice of buying food from three outlets.  That isn't the case for the smaller, more remote communities.  Most of them just have one store, typically a NorthMart.  As I explained in one of my previous posts, NorthMart is like the WalMart of the north.  With only one place to go, residents are forced to pay the prices. 

            

The most expensive items on sale seem to be healthy foods and other necessities.  True, it does cost a little more to airlift food to the north but the prices appear to go beyond shipping costs.  It also doesn't help that unhealthy foods (ex: junk foods) are always cheap and prominently displayed for customers.  As with expired foods, the problem is that several stores are selling them to make money, putting peoples' health at risk.  The most vulnerable are children and the elderly.  I think I may have bought expired fruit once or twice from NorthMart.

            

Not everyone in the north are privileged and have a high paying job with the Nunavut Government like me.  Many live from paycheque-to-paycheque and others barely get by with social assistance, food bank, hunting, and selling Inuit art (carvings, clothes, paintings, etc).  Thus, many cannot afford to regularly buy what is required.  To bring this matter to light, territorial-wide protests were held on June 9.  Several Inuit even protested on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.  The next protest is scheduled for June 21, on National Aboriginal Day. 

            

Leesee Papatsie, an Iqaluit resident, took to the Internet and created a Facebook Group called 'Feeding My Family' with the hope of achieving mass awareness.  Since its creation at the beginning of the month, the group has over 20,000+ members (I'm one of them), and has been mentioned by several high profile newspapers.  Members use the site to debate what needs to be done to solve the issue, and post pictures of items on sale (high price shown) and their grocery bills.  I think the picture of a 24-bottled water package on sale in Grise Fjord takes the cake: $104.99.

            

With the issue now in the spotlight, I can only hope that NorthMart and other food outlets in the north come to their senses and lower prices for healthy foods.  As I read on an Inuit protest sign several days ago, "You're killing the North."

            

The weather has taken a turn for the better with warmer temperatures and clearer skies.  The snow has finally stopped falling, having its last laugh on June 8.  People are walking around wearing shorts and t-shirts.  There still is the occasional winds but they're bearable.  As for the sun, it doesn't disappear.  When 'night' arrives, the sun is always setting.  It's a challenge to fall asleep because my body is accustomed to going to bed when it's dark outside.  Now, it's confused.  To make the transition to REM sleep easier, I take Gravol and face away from the window in my bedroom.

            

Looking ahead, I will be taking a break from the north and spending the summer months in Ontario.  The bulk of it will be spent in Toronto, going to summer school for teachers.  I was accepted for a music course at the University of Toronto and completing it will make me qualified to teach music in Ontario.  I'm flying out on June 23 so my next post won't be until mid-August.  Have an awesome summer and I will see you all in the fall!   

The Reopening of St. Jude's Cathedral

In 1970, an army of volunteers constructed St. Jude's Anglican Cathedral, a white-igloo shaped spiritual home for Christian parishioners in the town of Frobisher Bay (now known as Iqaluit).  Its inner walls were adorned with hand-made wall hangings and Inuit religious art.  For the next 35 years, the establishment would serve as a tourist attraction, town landmark, and of course, a place of worship. 

            

All was well until November 2005 when the cathedral was extensively damaged by fire.  In the early stages of the police investigation, the cause of the fire was determined to be arson.  It would later be added that thieves set the church ablaze while trying to steal a narwhal tusk cross.  Rather than 'close the book' on St. Jude's, the Anglican diocese decided to rebuild the cathedral. 

            

Over the next seven years, several fundraising campaigns would be organized across Canada to raise the necessary $8 million for construction.  I remember participating in one of these fundraisers in Ottawa, back in 2007.  The event took place at Christchurch Cathedral and was organized by Garth Hampson, a retired RCMP officer who performed and sang with the RCMP Band.  At the time, I was a percussionist with the National Capital Concert Band.  Conducted by Stanley Clark, the NCCB performed a variety of pieces for a nearly sold out crowd.  Visiting Inuit students also took part in the concert by performing throat singing and drum dances.               

            

Until the new cathedral was built, English & Inuktitut members worshipped at the nearby Parish Hall.  With every passing day, the new cathedral slowly rose from the ashes.  The white-igloo shaped design would remain, but this time, the structure would be more fire resistant and could accommodate 420 people.  The original cathedral could only seat 210.

            

The reopening ceremony took place on Sunday, June 3rd, at 10am.  It was a cloudy day but the sun could still be seen shining through the clouds.  I arrived at the cathedral at quarter to 10 and it looked like I was the first one.  What I didn't realize was that the cathedral was already full.  After several more minutes, a crowd had formed around the front entrance.  What stood out from this crowd was the long line of visiting priests (male & female), ministers, and bishops.  The local media & CBC Radio were also on site to record & report the event.

            

The bilingual ceremony (Inuktitut & English) began outside with the blessing of the cathedral.  Then the long procession of clergy entered the building singing a hymn.  Once they were all inside, we were informed that the cathedral was full and that any late-comers could see the ceremony through a live-televised-feed at the nearby Parish Hall.  I decided to enter the cathedral anyway.

            

The cathedral was definitely full of people.  It felt like the entire town was present. A brand new narwhal tusk cross hung on the wall behind the altar.  The Premier and town mayor were sitting somewhere at the front.  Many worshippers had their smartphones & cameras out, photographing & filming the entire event.  Three TV cameras and three microphones were strategically placed around the hall.  My face would be captured on film several times.  The electric organ was successfully moved from the Parish Hall and placed on the left side of the altar.  The choir would also sing from this position.  

            

Standing at the back, I noticed that the cathedral looks a lot bigger on the inside.  This is most likely due to its igloo design.  I also took note of the many fire sprinklers in the ceilings.  If a fire ever breaks out, it will be quickly extinguished.   

            

I was glad that I wasn't the one playing organ because I would have made too many mistakes.  It'll still be a while before I acquire the necessary skills to perform for a very large gathering that includes the local media.  The organ player was Mary Piercey, the music teacher I am replacing until next January.  She did an excellent job playing the required hymns and supporting the choir.  The choir was led by Dr. Anne Dolloff, the University of Toronto professor I had met back in February.  It was a long day for Mary, Anne, and the choir singers because another long mass was scheduled in the late afternoon.  Their day would not end until after 11pm.   

            

I didn't stay for the entire Mass because it was too long for me.  There were a lot of speeches and presentations, making the mass last 4 hours.  The sermon alone was 40 minutes!  I guess it was because it was a bilingual ceremony, meaning many things had to be said twice.  The communion also took a while because of the large audience, and many visiting clergy were given the opportunity to comment on the successful completion of the seven-year project.

            

Another highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the first fully translated Inuktitut Bible, using Inuktitut syllabics.  Before, only several passages and chapters had been translated.  The translation took 34 years to complete.   

            

When the ceremony concluded at 2pm, attendees were treated to a large community feast, featuring many traditional Inuit dishes.  Naturally, there was caribou, char, and seal meats.

            

With the cathedral now 'open for business', I guess I will no longer be playing in the Parish Hall.  I will also have a choice of either playing the electric organ or the new baby grand piano that was shipped from Ottawa.  I think I'll alternate between the two.   

Graduation

By the end of May, there was barely any snow left in town.  Only Frobisher Bay and the distant mountain ranges were covered with patches of snow.  Unfortunately, the disappearance of snow has revealed more than just the brown ground and grey rocks.  Like in every urban centre in the world, proper waste disposal is a challenge.  Despite a city's best intentions, litter can still be found lying on the streets and sidewalks, and unfortunately, Iqaluit is no exception.

            

To make the area around the high school more pristine, a cleanup was organized at the end of last week.  Garbage bags and plastic gloves were handed out to all teachers & students.  Classes were equally divided among the four sections of the school: my class was assigned the rocky hillside behind the school.  I was surprised by the large amount of litter that had accumulated in the area during the winter months.  Much of it had been hidden between the large rocks.  Battling strong winds, we picked up a lot of discarded rubbish and filled many black garbage bags.  As a reward, hotdogs, ice cream, and juice boxes were served at the cafeteria.

            

The highlight of last week was senior graduation on Saturday, June 2.  The class of 2012 comprised of 50 grade 12 students.  The grads had been preparing for the big day since the start of the academic year.  They have had their pictures taken, white grad gowns fitted, invitations sent out, valedictorians chosen, and found dates to the prom.  High school staff were also preparing for the big day by setting up the gym, ordering food & decorations for the after-ceremony reception, selecting an MC & guest speaker, and determining which students will receive awards.  Several teachers also volunteered to supervise the prom.

            

The ceremony was scheduled to begin at 1pm but staff and grads were required to be at the high school at 12:15.  As I walked towards the school on that bright sunny afternoon, I noticed that the Fire Station was holding another fundraising car wash.  Just like the last time, there was a line of mud covered cars waiting to be washed by energetic firefighters.

            

There were quite a number of vehicles parked in front of the high school when I arrived.  Upon entering the building, there was a lot of activity happening.  The grad students were walking around in their white graduation gowns, their faces full of excitement, letting everyone & anyone know that they were graduating.  Teaching staff were formally dressed, a sight I found a bit surprising because I have been used to seeing them wear casual clothing.  Since all the male teachers were wearing dress shirts & ties, I no longer stood out.  Similar to the grads, the teachers & staff also wore specially made gowns but these were black with colourful stripes.  The male version resembles a hooded sweatshirt, called a silapak.  The female version is more elaborate, reaching down to the knees and having a larger hood, as if to carry a child.  This gown is called an amautiq.  Wearing my black hooded silapak, I joined the rest of the teaching staff on the main stair case for a year end staff photo.

The ceremony began with a procession into the gymnasium, led by the teachers.  The gym was packed with families, friends, and guests of the grads.  As the teachers took their seats, the grads walked up the centre aisle in successive pairs.  Each pair received a loud applause from the audience.  In front of the stage stood a table with a lighted quilliq (oil lamp).  The quilliq is a crescent shaped cup of carved soapstone, filled with oil from blubber or seal.  The Inuit used the quilliq to heat their tents, melt snow for water, cook food, and dry their clothes.  It is now used for ceremonial purposes.  Next to the quilliq lay a silver tray.  Before walking up the centre aisle, the grads were each given a red candle to light from the quilliq and place it on the tray.  This ritual is known as the Lighting of the Quilliq.  Afterwards, the grads took their seats on two assigned bleachers, located on both sides of the quilliq.

            

The Master of Ceremonies was Joanna Awa, a well known Inuit reporter who has been working for the CBC since 1984.  She has also worked as a radio announcer and producer.  She welcomed everyone to the graduation ceremony and called up Reverend Mike Gardner to do the Invocation.  The Honourable Eva Aariak, premier of Nunavut, spoke after Invocation, talking about the importance of education and at how proud she was that another one of her children was graduating high school.  The Keynote Address was given by Andrew Morrison, a former student of Inuksuk High.  He is well liked by the student body due to his happy & energetic personality.  

            

A valedictorian is a title given to a student who gives a student-oriented speech at a graduation ceremony.  For this ceremony, there would be three valedictorians.  Margo Crawford spoke in English, Geneva Noble spoke in Inuktitut, and Brittany Masson spoke in French.  All three ladies did a great job sharing their memories of high school and thoughts about the future.

            

It wouldn't be a graduation ceremony without awards and there were a lot of awards to give out.  Fourteen to be exact.  The first one was the Inuksuk Arts Awards.  Linda Grant, the arts teacher, and I presented the awards to the lucky grads.  The other award categories were: Badminton, Inuktitut, Robotics, Quilliq's Wise Woman, Northern Properties, and the Principal's Awards, just to name a few.

            

Taking a break from focusing on the graduating class, the next part of the ceremony was called 'Grad's Dedication To Parents'.  If it wasn't for the love and support of their parents, the fifty senior students probably wouldn't have graduated.  As a way of saying thank you, each graduate was given a flower to hand to their parents.  Let's just say there were several tear-jerking moments in the crowd.   

            

Finally, the most important moment came: the handing out of diplomas.  The graduates lined up in front of a staircase leading onto the stage and waited for their names to be called.  Many parents & friends moved to the front of the seating area, eager to take photographs with their digital cameras.  One by one, each student walked across the stage with a smile on their face, and walked off with a diploma in their hands & a heightened feeling of empowerment.  When all the diplomas were handed out, the fifty graduates threw their white top hats into the air.  If I had known earlier, I would have snapped a photo.  When I graduated high school so many years ago, we threw our top hats after the ceremony.   

            

Of course, Terry Young, the principal, concluded the ceremony with a speech of his own.  In his closing remarks, he reflected on the many students who have graduated under his leadership and how he's kept in touch with many of them.  He also gave important advice to the current graduates on how to proceed beyond high school, be it university, college, or the workplace.  When he concluded his speech, the ceremony officially came to an end and everyone headed to the cafeteria for reception. 

            

Reception consisted of a variety of desserts and juice boxes.  I ate two pieces of a chocolate cake which was delicious.  I also engaged in small talk with the teachers, several parents, and students.  Apparently, the ceremony was one of the shortest they ever had: 1 hour & 45 minutes.  In the past, they have had grad ceremonies that have lasted up to 3 hours!

            

The prom was also happening at the high school, but in the main foyer square, starting at 8pm.  The centre square had been cordoned off with tall black and red curtains.  Hundreds of glitter covered balls hung from the ceiling above the makeshift dance floor.  Large black cutouts of people dancing were attached to the curtains.  The small stage was decorated to look like a Hollywood movie awards set.  At the base of the stage stood a life size mannequin dressed in a tuxedo behind a makeshift podium.  On the podium sat a guest book, most likely to be signed by the 50 recent graduates.  The entire setting was put together by the art students and I must say that they did a really good job. 

            

I wasn't present at the prom but I heard that there were no problems and that everyone had a good time.  Even though the prom ended at 11pm, cleanup lasted until midnight.  Even though it was the middle of night, there was still light outside.   

            

In conclusion, I would like to personally congratulate all the students who graduated last Saturday.  Completing high school is a huge achievement that opens many new doors, be it university, college, or the workplace.  Just remember that learning is a lifelong experience; it doesn't end at high school.

795 ACR

The day had finally arrived; Saturday, May 26, 2012.  The 42nd Annual Ceremonial Review of 795 Iqaluit Squadron.  An ACR parade is a year-end event designed to showcase what the cadets of the squadron have learned throughout the regular training year.  Every squadron/corps in Canada organizes an ACR of some kind for parents, friends, and visiting guests before the beginning of summer.  I have participated in several ACRs when I was an army cadet but this would be my first air cadet ACR as a civilian instructor.

The parade was scheduled to begin at 1300hrs (1pm) but cadets & officers were required to be at the cadet hall for 0900 for setup and practice.  For setup, several areas of the cadet hall needed to be prepared to host guests.  Obviously, the drill hall was the first item on the list.  Cadets swept the parade square with brooms, placed chairs along the wall where the podium was located, and surrounded the perimeter with blue curtains.  Officers setup the microphones and awards tables.  Many plaques and small trophies would be handed out during the parade. 

Next were the numerous static displays.  The largest display was the CF-5 cockpit in the storage garage next to the drill hall.  The commanding officer, Captain A. Chubbs had managed to save the large aircraft piece from the scrap yard several years ago and it has been used as a teaching aid ever since.  Visiting guests would be allowed to sit in the cockpits, safely assured that the ejection seats were no longer operational. 

            

The other static displays were located in the two classrooms upstairs.  Tables and chairs had been moved to the walls to let people walk freely.  After the parade, several cadets would sit behind the displays and answer any questions from visitors.  The displays showcased: the model rocketry, biathlon, and fencing clubs; various air cadet uniforms & the air force rank structure; and past & present photos of the squadron.  The display I liked the most was the airport diorama because it displayed models of various types of commercial aircraft.  The largest model is the Airbus A380, the 'double-decker airplane' as I call it.   The model was given to the squadron as a gift when the aircraft was flown to Iqaluit in 2006 for cold weather tests.  I was a mild model enthusiast when I was growing up.  Mild because I always had trouble gluing the pieces together.  Now I just buy premade models.

           

The rest of the morning was devoted to parade rehearsals & team practices.  With the five team demonstrations scheduled in the middle of the parade, the ceremony would last around two hours.  When it came time for lunch, we all headed over to the Legion Hall next door.  Even though I had been living in Iqaluit for the last 4 months, I had yet to step into 'The Legion'.  The Royal Canadian Legion Hall serves as a restaurant, bar, and karaoke nightclub for members.  And judging from the stories I've heard, it seems that everyone in Iqaluit has a legion membership.  On weekends, the establishment hosts a morning brunch buffet and I have to admit that the food is quite good.  There're various fruits, vegetables, fish, meats, desserts, and drinks to sample.  Eating the prime roast beef reminded me of the brunch buffet at Wilfrid's, an expensive restaurant at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa.

            

After lunch, the cadets & officers returned to the unit and changed into their uniforms. Parents, legion members, and guests began arriving around 20 minutes before 1300 and took their seats in the drill hall.  I would alternate between sitting and standing because I wanted to document the event with photographs and short videos.     
              

The parade began with the falling in of the squadron and marching on the Colour Party.  Next came the arrival of the Reviewing Party, consisting of the squadron's commanding officer, guest reviewing officer, and legion representative.  Every ACR has a guest reviewing officer and the GRO this year was Lieutenant-Colonel D.P. Townsend.  For the General Salute, a recording of the national anthem was played over loudspeakers.        

            

Lt.C. Townsend joined the Canadian Forces in 1985 and graduated from Royal Roads Military College in Victoria, BC, in 1989, with a  BSc in Physics & Computer Science.  For the last 4 years, he has been project director for the Chinook and Griffon helicopter fleets.

            

The cadets were inspected by Townsend, the squadron's commanding officer (CO), Captain A. Chubbs, and the Legion president.  The inspection only took a few minutes because of the small size of the squadron (est. 25 cadets).  Several of the younger cadets looked rather nervous, having never been talked to by a high ranking officer.  I have participated in parades where an inspection can take up to 20 minutes.  Thankfully, there is a cadet band that plays several tunes to keep the audience from falling asleep.

The inspection was followed by a march past.  This drill movement requires the squadron to march past the podium, giving an eyes-right to the reviewing officer.  Cadets with parade positions are required to salute.  Although it may look odd in an enclosed area, a march past is done as a form of respect. 

            

It wouldn't be a military parade without speeches and awards.  Thankfully, there were only three speeches and all of them were kept short.  The speakers were: Lt.C. Townsend, Cpt. Chubbs, and the president of the Legion.  In short, they each congratulated the cadets for a well put together parade, and thanked the parents for coming out to support their kids and the cadet movement.  As for awards, there were a lot to give out.  Most of them were top cadet awards in various categories.  Several cadets even received multiple awards.   

            

The first demonstration was the drill team, exhibiting proper standing & marching drill, and maintaining group discipline on parade.  Their finale included the use of the .22 rifles.  Next came the Colour Party demonstration which was pretty much the same except the team had to march with flags and rifles. 

            

As for music, there were three demonstrations.  One of my grade 10 clarinetists is learning how to play the bagpipes in cadets.  She was asked by the CO to perform a few Irish tunes on the ACR and she accepted.  For added assistance, her civilian instructor, dressed in traditional Irish clothing, played along with her.  They played 'Maple Leaf Forever' and 'Scotland The Brave'.  Next came my two senior trumpeters, Sgt Moss and Flight Corporal Niego-Akavak, who played two classical pieces.  And the last musical demo of the parade was of course, the drums.  My three female drummers (two snares, one bass drum) marched out in a line towards the centre of the parade square.  After halting and facing the audience, they began their short drum feature.  Despite a few mistakes, they kept it together and received a round of applause at the end.  As they marched off with grins on their faces, I hoped their  performance had attracted new percussion recruits for next year.

            

One of the key cornerstones of the cadet program is the promotion of physical fitness.  The sports team put on a short demonstration for the audience, showing them what kind of sports the squadron engages.  These include: soccer, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball.

The last team demonstration was the fencing team.  Fencing is a combat sport where opponents duel with bladed weapons.  The objective is to score the most hit points by 'touching' your opponent with your sword.  For safety, fencers wear all around protective clothing.  In cadets, the choice of weapon is the foil, a light thrusting sword.  With this blade, you can only score points with the tip.  For the demonstration, the cadets displayed standing & attacking positions, and a typical fencing duel.

            

With the demonstrations out of the way, the squadron reformed on the parade square for the Advance In Review Order, General Salute, and the Departure of the Reviewing Party.  For the General Salute, a recording of God Save The Queen was played over loudspeakers.  Before the Reviewing Party departed, they enlisted the help of the audience to give the cadets on parade one final applause.  When the cadets were dismissed, the festivities moved to the upstairs classrooms where the static displays were located. 

            

In my view, the ACR was a success.  I am proud of my trumpeters & drummers for putting on well received performances.  I was also impressed by the other team demonstrations.  The fencing demo got me thinking about the time when I attended a summer fencing camp at Carleton University when I was just a kid.  Maybe I should give fencing another try?