Gallant's Lounge

The past few days have been beyond busy. I will try to encapsulate the events as best as I can.

Gabinizing at Gabin’s

On the edge of town sits a mythical place called the Social Club. There you can find a variety of drinks with a fiery ambiance complimented by dance music and strobe lights. Great spot to have a good time. However, its true name is Gabin’s, and most people here say they are going Gabinizing at Gabin’s. Who is Gabin?

Gabin is a nickname for a man called Kevin Hatt. Gabin is basically a direct translation of Kevin in Cree. His name was mentioned to me by Trudy Bird, an acquaintance of my family who lived in Kuujjuaraapik for quite some time. (Thank you by the way) So, when I went to the Social Club, I asked for him. Linda, a new friend of ours, was working at the club and led us to him. In a decisive step, Kevin Hatt was entering his club, heading straight to his office. He was wearing a fedora, which feels like an important detail to add about his character.

I was able to have an hour interview with him. His story is one of a businessman, an extremely ambitious and risk-taking businessman at that. I will not get into it, because his story is four decades long, which could be a tedious task to write down concisely. But his overall impact on the community is irrevocably positive. He supported countless organizations and charities, he strived for healthier alcohol consumption and created a club that is a safe place for people to have tons of fun.

Although, after 42 years here, Mr. Hatt is retiring and returning to his home province of Nova Scotia . He is beloved by this community and him leaving will create a huge void with some giants boots to be filled.

The mother of all bonfires

We were baffled by the proposition. We got invited to a bonfire. What to do, what to bring? We had no clue, but, we could not refuse this chance. We were told to be there after dark, which over here, that means around 11 P.M.. After an overly adventurous nighttime hike on the rocky beach with very high ankle snapping risks, we peaked over a hill to see the bonfire surrounded by quite a few people.

Many of us felt that small tinge of social anxiety, but that feeling was thwarted the moment we were welcomed in the circle. People were drinking, dancing, partying on the beach, what you would expect from a bonfire. But so many of them told us so many stories, Cree and Inuit alike. The novelty effect of all that new knowledge kept us awake and on our toes the whole night.

Now, that evening was filled with indescribable moments. Moments that only my memory could do them justice. But when the sun rose again at 4 A.M., it was like time flew by. For this, I must thank Linda Kowcharlie and Jeannie Joy Calvin for being so welcoming, and for forging unforgettable memories. Since I am here for another week or so, I am sure more moments like these will come, and I am all for it.

The community picnic

After every Spring, when the snow melts, the trash that was accumulated in the snow throughout Winter is now an eyesore to everyone in town. So, to circumvent this problem, an event was created called the Community Picnic. The premise is simple, you help pick up trash and you get the chance to participate in a draw for some pretty cool prizes. It lasts a whole month until the last day, which in this year’s case was July 10th, where the prize winners are drawn.

At a place called First Point, which is the first bump on the coastline of Hudson’s Bay starting from the river. Seemingly the entirety of Kuujjuaraapik was here. Some games are played on the day that include children and adults alike. Challenges like finding a certain amount of pinecones in a certain amount of time will win you tickets included in the prize drawing pool. This would last the entire day.

We were offered some food like smoked fish and freshly hunted goose, but the most peculiar of all was some kind of marrow coming from the goose’s feathers. Now, I wouldn’t say that I am head over heels with this delicacy as it had a very sticky and gelatinous texture to it. But, when push comes to shove, I understand that the goose has to be eaten entirely.

The prize pool itself was quite good. The incentive to participate was real because the winnings would include things like a brand new refrigerator, a Nintendo Switch, some various cooking machines, fishing gear, a mattress, a sofa and most important of all, a brand new Honda ATV.

ATV’s, transport and sport

We were able to rent ATVs from a local. We realized early on that most of the adventure could not be reached by truck, so we knew that our ATV adventure would be wild, and it was. Three machines for 6 people, one in the back and one driving.

The first type of environment we encountered were sand dunes. These were clearly a coveted spot as there were tracks absolutely everywhere. Some were used as some kind of highway, others were clearly just skidding around for fun. Now, in terms of me driving, dreadful. The ATV were my first initiation to manual driving and it showed. But it was quite fun nonetheless.

The second environment we encountered were rocky hills. That was the hardest place to drive on by far. The tracks would twist around and giant rocks would make them bumpy and hard to maneuver. Not going to lie, I toppled the ATV on a steep turn. But, worth it considering the intriguing landscape up there.

The third and final environment was the beach. Obviously the beach is THE place to drive down because why not? Its so cinematic! The cold breeze of the Hudson’s bay would graze us into numbness, and we would just be in awe at the fun were having. ATVs are one of the main modes of transports out here, but they also are a great source of entertainment.

Housing crisis

Finishing off on a more serious note. After talking with many Inuit people here, I was faced with the undeniable reality of their housing crisis. When I say housing crisis I don’t mean the inflation of rents, I mean that there are no housing options at all.

Families grow rapidly here, and more and more housing that could accommodate them is needed. Yet, most of the apartments that are being built out here are one room studios, nothing that can support a family. The 5-bedroom houses are all taken and some families of over 6 are stuck in 3-bedroom homes.

Also, another part of that crisis is the fact that most houses are old and in a state of disrepair. I have had accounts of black molded walls, tipping foundations and complete lack of insulation. Some of these homes date back to the 1970s and they have had no meaningful renovations made on them.

The politics behind that are extremely complicated because part of the problem is associated with land agreements made by the Inuit communities. The other part is the painfully slow-moving bureaucracy. Some people may wait 5 or 6 years before having an opportunity at a new home. This will need a lot more investigating, and getting to the bottom of this will be quite a challenge.

For now, that is that. I think the daily blog posting will not be attainable considering how busy my days can get. But, when my posts do come, they will englobe every event that happened thus far.

See you soon.