Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to commend the first two speakers who have spoken in their language, and I am going to speak about an elder in Tuktoyaktuk who is very fluent in Inuvialuqtun.
Mr. Speaker, Ella Jean Arnakina was born in the community of Tuktoyaktuk to Sara and Phillip Nogosak on December 12, 1944, the oldest sister to Peter and Charlie.
At a very young age, she was taken to residential school in Aklavik, where she stayed until the age of 12. She remembered having to speak to her father through a glass window as he was in the hospital. After leaving the residential school, she lived at her Ataatang's with her mother as her father did not return home from the hospital after passing from TB.
At the age of 15, Ella Jean had given birth to her only child, Jacqueline. Ella did her best to raise her Bunnik with the help of her mother and her stepfather. Ella also became Akka to Clarence, Sandra, Freda, Robert, and Matilda.
Mr. Speaker, Ella Jean became Nanuk to Denise in 1982, and later to Jared. Denise loved spending time with her Nan, and her Nan loved her adventures with Denise. Akka had also taken her grandson Jared into her home when he was five years old. Raising him on her own was a blessing for them both. He was lucky to have such a caring person to take such good care of him, giving him all of the love he needed, more when his mother was away.
In 2005, she became Great Nan to Jobey Dragon, whom she called "the Great." Then, Mac Mangilaluk was her ataatalung, as she was very proud to have her mother name him, after Mangilaluk. Easton was "Mr. Easton" to her. The love she had for her greats was amazing, from sharing her home-cooked meals to gifting them the little things she'd see and know they would like. All three were her loveable, huggable, squeezable greats.
All through her life, she would volunteer her time during community events, such as the Beluga Jamboree and music festivals. You would see her by the cooking pit, helping in any way she could, and she enjoyed being at any feast as she liked to have others' cooking, too.
Ella Jean was always thinking of others, sharing what she had by giving clothing or baked goods or a memento that reminded her of them. When she was needed by anyone during hard times and good times, no matter the time of day or night, she was there for support in any way.
Mr. Speaker, Ella Jean was diagnosed with cancer on February 4, 2019, and passed on February 20, 2019, so condolences to the Nogosak family in Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
