The Beaufort Delta region has always been his home and giving back through sports and research, Charles Pokiak has made it a better place. He is from Tuktoyaktuk, born in Inuvik, part of a big family of 18. He was raised by his grandparents who adopted him because his mother was pursuing a nursing education and asked her parents to look after him. When she came back, he didn’t know her. He grew up surrounded by brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles. Their family had a dog team and lived traditionally, fishing, hunting beluga and caribou, and participating in dog races.  

Growing up, Pokiak cross country skied, played indoor soccer and floor hockey. Different communities had different sports and students travelled around to try different things. At one point, he was asked to help with coaching because they were concerned they might be short on teachers. A community member who had been to the nationals helped with coaching, too, but encouraged him that he could coach the younger students. Some students received medals for skiing and they had a lot of fun learning and making new friends in new communities.

His advice for aspiring athletes would be, “Enjoy what you're doing. If you want to follow in a coach's footsteps and help your mentor and be an athlete at the same time, just give them words of advice and say, ‘Do the best you can. You can't do it by yourself and if you don't come in first, second, third, fourth, it doesn't matter, it's just the experience. Just take it all in.”

Other than Tuktoyaktuk, Pokiak also lived in Paulatuk and visited Sachs Harbour to see the geese migration. Pokiak would hear elders talk about distant places and was curious about them, always wanting to explore. He ended up going hunting and seeing them eventually. Travelling with a dog team, Pokiak would travel sixty to seventy miles one way and have to go to the bathroom outside, even in a blizzard. One time, he and his brother stayed in a small igloo his brother built to get out of the weather.

Something that ended up being a challenge in his home community was erosion due to its proximity to the ocean and seismic activity. There were also problems with impacts from the oil and gas industry on fish and seals so a hunters and trappers committee was established. There had been a dramatic drop in caribou herd counts so the work of the committees was very important. Research projects were established, drawing on the traditional knowledge of local harvesters. Pokiak helped the researchers interview elders so they could understand the elders as they looked into a potential pipeline route. As land claims settled in the region and Inuvaluit had more influence, oil companies started pulling out.

In the nineties, Pokiak struggled with drinking and depression after losing part of his arm. He ended up coming back to himself, going back on the land, hunting and reconnecting with elders. He challenged himself to reach his own goals and find purpose again, bringing himself back from suicidality.  

If he could share a message with his younger self it would be, “Always tell somebody where you're going, and what time you’re going to be back. Never travel too fast in the spring, things are melting and the land changes. Always listen to elders and take a word of advice.” He would also share the value of a good map and writing down what an elder tells you so you can find your way. He says he would do it all over again, with some small changes.

One of the lessons Pokiak learned from his grandfather was “You have to walk in a man’s shoes.” It’s something he brought to a meeting that was unproductive due to ongoing conflict between a couple people who couldn’t see eye to eye. Pokiak asked if he could step in and he brought this teaching forward in hopes of advancing the agenda, asking each party to consider the other’s perspective. His father, who was a trapper, was similarly patient and he heard more stories about him after his passing. Something he hopes the next generation learns is that if they aren’t getting along with their parents to take a time out and cool off for a while.

When it comes to managing his mental wellness, Pokiak plays games indoors with family and friends, like card games and checkers, visiting together when the gym is open or at parties. As a kid, he would play tag or go sliding. He fell in love with being out in the bush and spending time on the land. He learned to read the weather accurately when he was young, a helpful skill in the wilderness.

An engaged part of his community, Charles Pokiak has given back to the Beaufort Delta region through sports and research, making things better however he can. Growing up living a traditional Northern life and continuing to enjoy life on the land, he’s learned how precious the lessons passed down to him truly are. Wise and full of captivating stories to share, he’s lived a fascinating life in the arctic that has entrusted him with teachings that warm the heart.

Thank you to Alison Tedford Seaweed for writing this article!