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ARVIAT
Jordan Konek has found himself all over the globe in the past few years, film camera in hand.

Jordan Konek, a 23-year-old filmmaker in Arviat, lines up a shot on one of his many ongoing projects. - photo courtesy of Jordan Konek

After graduating from a theatre production program in Toronto, Konek returned to his home community of Arviat, only to be pulled almost immediately into a project by his cousin, Curtis Kuunuaq Konek. What Jordan did not know is that the Nanisiniq: Arviat History Project would open many doors for him, both personally and professionally.

"I wasn't too keen on it at first, but now thinking about it, I love it," said the 23-year-old globetrotter. The Nanisiniq: Arviat History Project was started in 2010 as a multimedia project for Inuit youth and elders to rediscover Inuit history. It is funded by several organizations, including the University of British Columbia's School of Social Work, The Nunavut Research Institute, The Social Sciences and Humanitarian Research Council of Canada and the Sivulinuut Elders Society, based in Arviat.

The project took Jordan to Ottawa, Yellowknife and Durbin South Africa.

At first a research assistant to the project, Jordan had played with the idea of doing a short, almost promotional video for it.

After the initial meeting to discuss the idea, he went home and started working on a promo.

"I had done a bit of video editing before that, but after this I really got into it," he said.

Nanisiniq wrapped at the end of March, but Jordan is still editing interviews and clips of film for two full-length documentaries. Working with the University of British Columbia's School of Social Work, he sends video footage to them for editing, as well.

"We hoped to have it done sometime August but I don't think that is happening though," he said. "The biggest goal is to have it done by the time we go to Washington (D.C.) in October."

Jordan and Curtis will be travelling to the U.S. capital to discuss issues of climate change and its effects on Inuit lifestyle Jordan said.

When he is not travelling around the world filming, or doing humanitarian work, Jordan stays busy filming in his home community.

"I am starting to be known around town as a young filmmaker," he said.

Recently, he produced a new music video for friend Abraham Eetak, a.k.a. Agaaqtoq.

"We both did the directing for the video, we come up with a lot of ideas together," said Jordan.

The music video was filmed entirely in Arviat for one of Agaaqtoq's songs, titled Qanuluktaaq. Agaaqtoq runs his own music production company, Huvawhat? Productions.

The pair will be hosting two dances this month, which Jordan made promotional videos for.

On Aug. 10, a fundraiser dance is going to be held at the community hall to raise money for a big bonfire dance on Aug. 22.

"The fundraiser is to help pay the DJs and helpers during the bonfire dance," Jordan said.

The bonfire dance is scheduled to run from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m.

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