Northern Winter/Arctic Sports Games

[shootingstar]

Dropped by Northern House (West Hastings & Seymour) to see their exhibits. Governments of Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territories are showcasing their respective territories during the Olympics.

A real cool exhibit that features Inuit sculptures of traditional Arctic sports. I'm really glad that this is being shown to the rest of the world from Canada because it IS part of Canada and related to sports. We have a great deal to learn about the Canadian Arctic.

*In Whitehorse, Yukon there are regular cyclists during the winter. You must remember temp. go down way below -40 C. The exhibit docet/interpreter told me that she noticed alot more cyclists now than past decades. Wow. My partner reminded that Whitehorse has 2% cycling mode share....that's more than Metro Vancouver which is just over 1% which includes all suburbs. City of Vancouver is approx. 3.6 to 3.7% cycling mode share.

*the tiny flowers in tundra change colours quickly because growing season is so short. 1 wk. a person could be driving down highway and see yellow tundra. Next wk. it's bluish tundra. 3rd wk. it's purplish tundra.

Free admission. Open now until March. There will live performers.
Schedule will be updated here: http://www.canadasnorth.com/

Glad I saw the art exhibit which included a wall hanging of muskox hair tufts that were dyed, amongst the soapstone sculptures.

Oh yea, a traditional Inuit sport is sittuqtaaq: it's squatting on 1 leg for as long as you can.

Or aqraoraq- high kick ball. Which is kicking hanging sealskin ball with 1 foot, while flipping your body nearly upside down.

Then there's doing a handstand with 1 hand on ground and upside down, kick the ball with 1 foot.

must of been tons of energy burned inside the igloos.

Exhibit didn't indicate what traditional sport Inuit women, did beyond the famed throat singing.

[TsPoet]

mind if I cut/past your post and email to friends living near there? I'll state the source of my info.
I'd love to go, but it's a little far to drive. So, I'd like to let friends who maybe can go know.
thanks,

[shootingstar]

No probs.

The Northern house website will be updated with schedule of in-person performers ..Inuit athletes, dances, throat singing, etc. I was informed today by staff there when I visited the building this morning. I nearly missed the building since it does not have any Olympic logo nearby but there is a sign of building name plastered on front of building above the entrance.

It opened just last Friday. She told me during the Olympics it will be open 24 hrs. because after all, some sports events and other public events end after midnight.

I'm so glad to see this before the crowds make it difficult to see stuff and take photos (I asked for permission.).

[TsPoet]

thanks