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A beautiful ceremony in Baker Lake ᐱᐅᔪᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒌᒃᑐᑦ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥ

2023 graduation rings in new school year 2023ᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᔪᑦ ᓯᕙᓂᖅᓯᕗᑦ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᕋᒍᒧ
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A room full of family and loved ones celebrate the grads together. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᐃᒡᓗᕈᓯᐊᕈᓯᖅ ᑕᑖᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓚᒌᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᓕᒌᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒋᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ

Seven bright stars graduated from Jonah Amitnaaq Secondary School in Baker Lake Friday, Aug. 18.

They are Mackenzie Putumiraqtuq, Aaron Niego, Haley Hachey, Kassidy Klinger, Richard Iyago, Kimberly Ukpatiku and Sydney Kataluk.

The ceremony involved tear-jerking speeches, moody lighting and a lot of proud loved ones. Following the school reception, grads took part in a parade around the community. Then they held a feast at the community hall, followed by games, a square dance and fireworks.

The next day, grads held their dinner and prom. Many of the grads are already preparing to head south for school, while some ponder their next move. Either way, from the ceremony to the square dance, it was evident Baker Lake was proud of their accomplishments.

Unlike many schools that hold their graduation events at the end of the school year, Baker Lake holds its just before opening the doors on a new year. The grads-to-be for 2024 had the honour of serving dinner to the 2023 cohort.

7 ᖃᐅᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᕆᐊᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᕗᑦ 2023 ᔮᓐ ᐊᒥᑦᓈᖅ ᖁᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥ ᐅᓪᓗᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ, ᐊᒌᓯ 18.

ᐅᑯᐊᖑᕗᑦ, ᒪᑲᓐᓯ ᐳᑐᒥᕋᖅᑐᖅ, ᐃᐅᕆᓐ ᓂᐊᐃᑯ, Hᐊᐃᓕ Hᐊᑎ, ᑲᓯᑎ ᑭᓪᖑ, ᕆᑐᑦ ᓚᑯ, ᑭᒻᐳᓕ ᐅᒃᐸᑕᐅᔭᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᑦᓂ ᑲᑕᓗᒃ.

ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒋᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᕿᐊᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᒃᐸᒃᖢᑎᒃ, ᐃᒃᐱᖕᓇᖅᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᒃᑯᒍᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᓚᖏᑦ. ᐱᐊᓂᖕᒪᑕ ᐃᖏᕋᔭᒃᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓯᐅᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ. ᓂᕆᑎᑦᑎᓕᕆᓪᓗᑎᓗ ᐱᖑᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ, ᐱᖑᐊᕈᓗᔭᖅᑎᑕᐅᓕᕆᓕᓗᑎᒃ, ᒧᒥᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑯᐊᓪᓚᒃᑐᓂᑦ ᖁᖏᐊᖅᑎᑎᓗᑎᒃ.

ᖃᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᓂᕆᕈᓗᔭᓕᖅᐳᑦ ᒧᒥᕐᓂᖃᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ. ᐸᕐᓇᓯᔪᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᑲᓐᓂᕋᓱᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᖃᓪᓗᓈ ᓄᓈᓄ, ᐃᓚᖏ ᐊᖏᕋᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ. ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᒃᑯᒍᓱᒃᐳᑦ, ᐅᔾᔨᕐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐱᑯᒍᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᓂᒍᐃᕙᓪᓕᐊᔭᕐᒥᓂᒃ.

ᐊᓯᖏᓪᓕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᓂᖃᖅᐸᖕᒪᑕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓇᖅ ᐊᓂᒍᕌᖓᑦ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᓂᖃᓕᕌᖓᑕ, ᐊᑐᖅᐸᒃᑕᓂ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓇᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᖏᓱᒐᕐᔪᒃᑎᓪᓗᒍ. ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᓂᖃᓛᖅᑐᑦ 2024-ᒥ ᓂᕆᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᔪᓂᒃ 2023-ᒥ.

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Haley Hachey, valedictorian, sheds a tear as she listens to speeches. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo Hᐊᐃᓕ Hᐊᑎ, ᓯᓚᑐᓂᖅᐹᖅ, ᖁᕝᕕᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓇᓚᒃᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᑲᑕᒃᑐᓂᒃ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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Aaron Niego gives a look as he approaches the runway. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᐃᐅᓕᓐ ᓂᐊᐃᑯ ᕿᕕᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᓴᕿᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᓱᒡᕕᒃᑯᑦ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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Haley Hachey smiles wide while walking into the ceremony. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo Hᐊᐃᓕ Hᐊᑎ ᖁᖓᔮᖅᔪᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒌᑦᑐᓄ ᓴᕿᒃᑲᒥ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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As the ceremony ends, grads toss their hats in the air, trying not to hit the lights – a point practised in the rehearsal. From left to right are Kimberly Ukpatiku, Mackenzie Putumiraqtuq, Haley Hachey, Richard Iyago, Kassidy Klinger, Aaron Niego and Sydney Kataluk. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᐊᓂᒍᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒌᒃᑐᑦ, ᐃᓂᒍᐃᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᓇᓴᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑯᒻᒧᒃᑎᑦᑎᕗᑦ ᑕᒃᐸᐅᖓ - ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓃᖅᓴᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᓴᐅᒥᖕᒥ ᑕᓕᖅᐱᖕᒧᑦ ᐅᑯᐊᖑᔪᑦ ᑭᒻᐳᓕ ᐅᒃᐸᑕᐅᔭᖅ, ᒪᑲᓐᓯ ᐳᑐᒥᕋᖅᑐᖅ, Hᐊᐃᓕ Hᐊᑎ, ᕆᑐᑦ ᓚᑯ, ᑲᓯᑎ ᑭᓗᖑ, ᐃᐅᓚᑦ ᓂᐊᐃᑯ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᑦᓂ ᑲᑕᓗᒃ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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Kassidy Klinger puts on a big smile as she enters the room. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᑲᓯᑎ ᑭᓕᖑ ᖁᖓᔮᕐᔪᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓯᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐊᕈᓯᕐᒧᑦ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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Kimberly Ukpatiku oscillates between smiles and seriousness down the walkway. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᑭᒻᐳᓕ ᐅᒃᐸᑕᐅᔭᖅ ᖁᖓᐸᒃᖢᓂ ᐊᓐᓄᓕᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂᓗ ᐱᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋ
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Mackenzie Putumiraqtuq smiles during the walk-in. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᒪᑲᓐᓯ ᐳᑐᒥᕋᖅᑐᖅ ᖁᖓᑉᐳᖅ ᐃᓯᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᒋ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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Richard Iyago walks tentatively through the runway. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᕆᑐᑦ ᓚᑯ ᐱᔪᒃᓯᓗᐊᖁᔨᖏᖢᓂ ᐱᓱᒃᐳᖅ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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Sydney Kataluk looks toward the stage as she enters the ceremony. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᓯᑦᓂ ᑲᑕᓗᒃ ᕿᕕᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᖑᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᐃᓯᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᕈᕕᐊᓱᖃᙱᒌᒃᑐᓄᑦ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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Haley and father Ken Hachey dance together. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo Hᐊᐃᓕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑖᑕᓂ ᒧᒥᖅᐴᒃ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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Sydney Kataluk invites grandfather John Avaala to square dance. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᓯᑦᓂ ᑲᑕᓗᒃ ᖃᐃᖁᕚ ᐊᑖᑕᑎᐊᓂ ᔮᓐ ᐊᕙᓛ ᒧᒥᕐᒧᑦ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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Kassidy Klinger and Mackenzie Putumiraqtuq laugh after their square dance. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᑲᓯᑎ ᑭᓕᖑ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᑲᓐᓯ ᐳᑐᒥᕋᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓪᓚᖅᐳᑦ ᒧᒥᐊᓂᒃᑲᒥ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ




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