Culture Takes Centre Stage at Arctic Winter Games Cultural Gala

One of the beloved highlights (and a hot ticketed item) of the Arctic Winter Games is the Cultural Gala. The Gala is a show celebrating culture, creativity and the spirit of the North. This year there are nine contingents participating over the two night event, including Team Nunatsiavut who were part of the Gala for the first time. At the opening night on Thursday, many honoured guests were in attendance, including the Commissioners from all three territories: the Honourable Adeline Webber (Yukon) the Honourable Gerald W. Kisoun (Northwest Territories) and the Honourable Eva Qamaniq Aariak (Nunavut).

The printed program for the Cultural Gala provided a meaningful guide for each contingent’s performance. The two hour show opened with Team Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) with their Ikaarsaarneq (“Cross Over”) performance.

“Greenlandic cultural identity, spirituality and transformation is explored through the young performers’ own voices and movements. Each character represents different aspects of humanity, nature and the spiritual world — Arnaq (woman), Angut (man), Nanoq (polar bear), Tulugaq (raven), and Arsarnerit (northern lights).”

Next on the program was Team Nunatsiavut (Labrador). 

“The Nunatsiavut duo has created a performance that blends traditional songs with Inuit drumming and dancing. Songs that have been created by Nunatsiavimuit from the lands that were once occupied by our ancestors are still visited today by their descendants.”

Then Team Alaska, "Tatitiilaq Agnguarstat” (Tatitlek Dancers), took the stage.

“Our songs were taken from us, and a lot of our elders were not able to speak our native language (Sugt’stun) and were not able to pass down our songs. One of our late elders, Lydia Robart, had become a language teacher and helped pass down our language at cultural events. She also learned a few songs from Kodiak, Alaska and got the approval to pass down those songs to future generations. From there, a few of our elders in our region (Dean Katelnikoff and Sparry Ash) had the motivation to curate our own songs personal to us. We are so grateful to have these songs and will continue to pass them on and perform as much as we can!”

When Team Northern Alberta’s Traditional Paths Society (“Origin Stories”) walked onto the stage, there was an audible gasp from the audience. Their Pow Wow regalia was colourful and vibrant—and attention grabbing.

“A Pow Wow is a vibrant cultural gathering deeply rooted in the traditions of various Indigenous communities across North America. It serves as a celebration of Indigenous heritage, spirituality, and unity, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds to honor their ancestors and connect with their cultural identity.”

Team Nunavik (Northern Quebec), “Ulluriat” was a star-themed performance, which included throat singing, drumming, body maneuvers and aerial maneuvers. 

“The Nunavik Culture performance is inspired by the star constellations seen over the region. We used the constellations as our theme to show our stories of how we see them such as the big dipper is the caribou and the three stars together are three hunters or three sisters. The performance is the creative teamwork of local artists from different ideas and understandings. The artists come from various communities across Nunavik. The show represents our culture and the stories we grew up hearing from our elders and it is a way to keep our stories alive.”

“Honouring those who came before us.” Team Nunavut, The Inukshuk Drum Dancers presented their story through drumming, throat singing and movement. 

“The Inukshuk Drum Dancers, under the direction of Dr. Mary Piercey Lewis, perform traditional Inuit music (which includes throat singing and drum dancing) and contemporary Inuit songs from across Nunavut. They are committed to presenting Inuit culture in their performances; thus, striving to reinforce Inuit traditions and values and advocate the use of Inuktitut. At times, the group veers away from tradition to create innovative musical renditions that incorporate traditional and contemporary Inuit musical styles.”

The Mackenzie River Dancers from Team Northwest Territories offered a lively fiddle-music jigging performance, which got the audience clapping their hands and tapping their toes.

"The Mackenzie River Dancers are a cultural dance group based in Inuvik, dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and sharing Indigenous culture through traditional dance and music. The Duck Dance and the Butterfly Dance highlight movements inspired by nature and animals that are central to life in the Delta. Partner and social dances, including the Two-Step and Waltzing, demonstrate community connection, rhythm, and togetherness. The Red River Jig brings energy and skill to the performance, featuring quick footwork and lively expression that celebrates Métis influence and storytelling through dance. The Handkerchief Dance adds a playful and interactive element, emphasizing coordination, tradition, and audience engagement. The Mackenzie River Dancers’ performance is not only an expression of movement and music, but also a celebration of cultural continuity, youth leadership, and the importance of keeping traditional practices alive for future generations.”

“It was so nice to see the Cultural Gala and to see some great performances indeed. I enjoyed seeing my nephew and friends performing in the Mackenzie River Dancers, Ha’aii, Quyanaq.”  - The Honourable Gerald W. Kisoun, Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Team Sapmi (Norway/Finland/Lapland) offered a multi-media performance that included footage of both traditional reindeer-based activities, including lasso throwing, reindeer herding and reindeer racing.

“The Sami culture is a rich and magical culture. The Sami people are the indigenous people of the northern regions with a strong connection to nature and animals, especially reindeer. Through film, music and the traditional music form ‘luohti’ or joik they will show their culture.”

Mahtte Sapmi is a traditional yoiker, who learned this traditional way of singing from his grandfather.

“Yoik is something that often comes to me. I can feel a person’s or place’s energy and what kind of vibe they give off, and that happened to me when I came to Whitehorse. I felt the energy of this place, I saw the landscape and I just heard this melody coming to me and I knew that this is the song of this place, a yoik for this place. We have a tradition that if someone starts to yoik, other people around start to join in. It’s a way of learning new songs and of sharing a moment together.” - Mahtte Eira, member of Team Sapmi

And, bringing it home for the evening, was Team Yukon’s “Cold Soul.”

“Cold Soul is a dynamic dance ensemble composed of six exceptional pre-professional dancers from the Heart of Riverdale. Blending contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop-inspired choreography, their performance reflects both individual skill and collective synergy, capturing the spirit, creativity and resilience of northern youth. As part of the AWG Cultural Gala, Cold Soul brings passion, artistry, and innovation to the international stage, celebrating cultural diversity through dance and inspiriting audiences with their dedication, teamwork and artistic excellence.”

Following these nine creative, cultural and spirited performances, all of the performers came together for a finale song, “Juxtaposed.” As the music finished, the audience burst into applause and jumped onto their feet. The performers graciously bowed and remained on the stage while the three Territorial Commissioners were invited to join them. The Commissioners then took turns presenting each performer with a ‘cultural participant gift.’

Claire Ness  (the emcee and the producer of the Cultural Gala) introduced the gift presentation with, “This gift is the equivalent of an AWG athlete receiving an ulu!”

“Watching these youth come together, from different cultures and communities, and see them connect together so authentically has been a highlight of my career. The passion they show rivals artists well beyond their years and it is a privilege to share this performance with people worldwide!” -Brenda Pilatzke-Vanier, Production Manager.

By Grace Snider

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