Monthly Archives: July 2007

Every summer, Inuvik’s Sir Alexander Mackenzie primary school boards its windows to protect against vandalism.

It’s a pretty dramatic move, but vandalism rates are high in Inuvik. (As you can imagine, glass is also expensive to replace.)

Walking by a garage today, this dog seemed to say “don’t try anything funny.”

This Yukon mountain resembles a rhinoceros. If it’s not already called Rhinocerous mountain, someone needs to change it immediately.

Why build a bridge when the Mackenzie river is frozen six months a year? During the summer months, people can use the Louis Cardinal Ferry, which is free.

It takes people across to Tsiigehthic.

Here’s a photo taken by Sarah Earley, on the Yukon side of the border. I think it gives you an idea of the Dempster Highway scenery size!

I’m swatting mosquitoes in an ocean of moss.

The 12-hour drive from Inuvik to Dawson City is beautiful.

There is only one building the whole way(Eagle Plains gas station and bar), and the rest is all natural valleys and mountains.

On July 20, there were a few brave cyclists attempting this route, with packs and water bottles.

This hawk was riding the air currents outside Tsiigehthic on July 20.

Interesting to think that birds have better vision than humans. What does their world look like? Do they see every individual pebble, tree leaf and blade of grass, even at a great height?

Dawson City — home of the music festival which happened July 20-23 — is a really picturesque town. Everything seems to have the Gold Rush, Klondike feeling you’d expect. There are Stern Wheeler boats shored on the river, and bars are called “Saloons.”

I hear the town council (or Parks Canada, not sure) is involved in keeping the town looking ‘authentic,’ by regulating architecture.

The town only has 800 residents in the winter, but thousands of people visit every summer and the shops come to life.

(Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to grab a banjo, some bacon, a sturdy donkey, a coffee pot, some beans and go panning for gold in the mountains.)

Here’s a blurry but interesting shot, from last weekend’s trip to Dawson City. (He moved quickly, as you can imagine.)

This fox is very, very thin!

Hey, it’s band practice — Peter is just goofing around with an old snowshoe.

Interesting photo: I found the top image of a modern guy with Inuvialuit-style lip plug piercings while doing a Google image search.

Interesting to ponder: What if people had kept the traditions going? Would a new generation of Inuvialuit men look like this today? And who is this guy?

[Note: I certainly do not encourage anyone to seek out the source website. It's very graphic and is not "family friendly" at all, so be warned.]

If a black bear appears looking for food — like the one pictured here — I think few people would call it a nuisance.

Maybe Steve Irwin would. To everyone else the word is terror.

Driving the unpaved Dempster Highway means lots of dust.
A fundraising charity carwash is always appreciated.

A toddler has fun with decorations, at Paulatuk’s recent high-school graduation.

(A quick note: The hit counter has now reached 5000 visits since March 21, which is very surprising!)

Here’s Inuvik Mayor Derek Lindsay — a friendly guy and a fan of military history — riding in the Canada Day parade. He’s very involved in the Inuvik Legion Hall, which is Canada’s northernmost.

When I mentioned my Dad is a military historian in Ottawa, Lindsay said “bring him up here! We could have a ‘question-and-answer night’ at the Legion.”

These purple flowers are everywhere these days. Interesting how species lay dormant under the arctic ice…

Big box containers are essential up north.

They are often loaded from trucks onto boats, and in some places like Paulatuk, the barges deliver about twice a year.

…so you better order what you need in advance!

Parents in Inuvik have three choices when their children enter preschool. Should the children learn English, French, or Inuvialuktun?

Here are some photos from the Inuvialuktun class.

A few weeks ago, Inuvik welcomed a tattoo artist. He was visiting the region and agreed to do some commissioned work out of a friend’s home.

Usually the closest parlour is in Whitehorse.

The Inuvik Food Bank has this note written on the front door. Is it really mean graffiti, or a reminder of tougher times?

The bank is currently open Wednesday nights, and must stretch available donations. The limit is one grocery bag per family per two weeks.

World-renowned scientist, author, environmentalist, CBC television icon, and Greatest Canadian nominee David Suzuki was in Inuvik today.

He said he was planning to visit the Ivvavik National Park in the Yukon, and stopped here along the way.

Why let good photos go to waste? Here’s some snow Inukshuks from Tuktoyaktuk.

Here’s a view of traditional Inuvialuit piercing, courtesy of NWT archives. (Two stone or bone plugs in lower lip.)

I don’t often post links to articles online, but I think this feature turned out well.

(For those living in NWT, it appeared in July 2 edition of News/North. Sorry I didn’t realize you needed a subscription! It’ll be online in the free archives soon.)

Little joke about population density here. It would take a long while for zombies to shimmy up the Dempster Highway.

Traditional language is indeed everywhere, including all government signs.

The Inuvik Fire Department uses this dummy, “Rescue Randy,” for exercises.

He’s obviously seen some action over the years.

This is the Kivallik News, produced by Northern News Services in Nunavut.

Looks like traditional writing is alive and well!

I must glance at this thing several times a week. Can you imagine a northern spelling bee?

Random dog walking around with a prize. I think he wanted to play fetch.

(by the way, the post title is a reference to LOL CATS which is the dumbest thing ever. That is all.)

Seen at the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre in Inuvik. I don’t know whether these are two different spellings, or two different dialects within Inuvialuktun.

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting Inuvik’s finest “southern rockers,” the Beaver Trappers, playing the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre last week. (We play old-style country music)

Seen on Canada Day. This can’t be good…

After our band played Ingamo Hall on June 29, these two guys — Derrick Thrasher and Paul Rivard — played a note-for-note reproduction of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” on my electro-pad drums and guitar.

Here’s Inuvik’s Canada Day dunk tank. All it takes is a well-placed baseball…

Here’s Dennis Allen dancing with his son on Canada Day, at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex. Dennis is a great blues player!

Hey, maybe I’ll start posting cartoons here now and then. Plenty of funny stuff happens up north!