Published 2:27 pm Wednesday, August 12, 2026 HALUUQQAFFI IQALUKTUUTIAMIT. INNUIN NAAMAINNAQTUT. TATKIKHIUT NUTAAK ATULIQMIJAVUT. INNUIN HUMANGITTUT. QAJAQTULIQPAKTUT TARJUMUT UPALIQPAKTAIT IKLUKPAITNUT UMINGMAKTUMILU KINGAUNMILU HUMILIKIAK TUPIITLU. ILANGIT TUKTUHIUKTUT INNUINLU IQALIQIVAKTUT TUNIJAKHAK NIQIKAKVINGMUNLU. TINGMIAKKUT AGJAKTAUJUT IQALUIT NIUVIKTAUJUKHAT UNGAHIKTUMUNLUUNIIT NIGIVIIT AKUIKTUJUKTUT HUMILIKIAK. APKUTIT IQALUKTUUTIAMI HANAQIJAUVAKTUT HIUGAKMIT. ANURIRAALUK ILANI. NIPALIQPAKTUK MIKIJUMIK. QILAMINNUAK UMIAQJUAN TIKINNIALIQMIJUT TAMAJANIKLU NIQIHANIKLU NIUVIKVIINUNLU AKHALUTITLU IKLULIUQTUKHANILU HUNAMIKLU AKUIKTUKTUT IQALUKTUUTIMIUTAT. ANGIKLILIQMAN IQALUKTUUTIAK IKLULIUKTUT TATPANI NUTAAMI. IILLA INNUIN NAAMAINAQTUT. Welcome to Cambridge Bay, land of the Innuinnait on Victoria Island. It has been a very busy summer with our commercial fishermen out at the lakes and rivers nearby. The fish plane is busy flying in and out of the float plane dock up at the river, hauling fish from fishing camps. Residents of Cambridge Bay are busy camping, boating, hunting and fishing out on the land. Boating season is busy when the waters are safe to travel on. Lately, we have had winds making it difficult to travel out to the mainland, Umingmaktok and Bathurst Inlet and camping spots either on the island or mainland. Usually in August berries are ready to harvest. Akpiit, blueberries and blackberries are picked mainly at the mainland, as there’s not much berry picking on the island. There are a few caribou hunters out on their boats and using ATVs. Fishers are out fishing for Arctic char, and lately this summer there people are finding more whitefish in their nets. You can see many residents out casting at the river and out at gravel pit. Some favourite fishing spots are Kitigak River, Ferguson Lake, Starvation Cove and many other well-known fishing spots and camps. Many Innuit are busy making dried fish, and a few making dried meat from caribou. Traffic going towards Gravel Pit, mostly known as Akolailgok, is always busy with residents heading to their cabins all along the coast on the island, with people going fishing and harvesting during the winter months. This year spring came early, with early ice break up, summer came a little earlier also, so the nuna (land) filled with Arctic flowers blooming. People even saw different colour flowers and different kinds of birds they have never seen before. Many cabins are being built out at Gravel Pit. You can see a few tent frames. Life was always like this in the early days, where our Elders had their camps with families setting up camps together. In August it will be time for ships, barges and sailboats to arrive into Cambridge Bay to bring in the annual sealift supplies, including food, to stock up the warehouses and shelves at our stores. Many new vehicles probably coming in too, along with heavy equipment, fuel supply and building supplies. It is just like Christmas in August and September when the barges come in. A few cruise ships will also come visit our beautiful community. Local artists can showcase their products. Every year long ago, our carvers would be busy carving beautiful pieces to sell to tourists, our mothers and grandmothers had hand-sewn products to sell. Today with a lack of soapstone available to carvers, there are fewer carvings being made. We hope a good supply of soapstone will be available locally so more carvings can be produced by our local artists. In the old days, there were carving workshops available for use, even a snowmobile workshop, where residents were able to carve with equipment available to use. There is a need to bring in a supply of soapstone for carvers. In Greenland, there were carving centres where Elders and carvers worked together to produce the most beautiful carvings. All finished products are then put on shelves to display their work for sale. At the old Co-op store, in the back, there used to be a sewing centre where our mothers and grandmothers would sew all kinds of products. It was a place to go sit and talk with our Elders and have a cup of tea or coffee. Today, you need funding to go get a supply of soapstone, and it’s not possible for some residents to travel and pick up soapstone and transport it back to the community. The good old days are missed. Have a great summer everyone. Be safe when out travelling by boat or on the land. Drive carefully. God Be With You Son. Papa Labrie has joined you. My Love to Taylor.
Cambridge Bay Tea Talk: Ships are coming, and we need soapstone for carvers
