The Games are on! Yukon, N.W.T. and Nunavut athletes in Alaska for Arctic Winter Games 2024

Athletes from across Canada's North are in MatSu Valley, Alaska, this week to compete in the Arctic Winter Games.

The event began Sunday afternoon with opening cere‐ monies, where teams were welcomed to the region.

CBC North is in Alaska to cover the games this week. We had live updates from our reporters throughout

Sunday evening, curated by Sarah Krymalowski.

7:30 p.m. MT: And that is a wrap on our live blog for the Arctic Winter Games opening ceremonies. Thank you to all our reporters there for the updates!

CBC North will have AWG coverage all week on TV on Northbeat and Igalaaq, on the web, on radio, and on so‐ cial media. Stay tuned!

7:11 p.m. MT: The Arctic Winter Games have officially begun!

7:01 p.m. MT: Athletes pledge recited by all partici‐ pants on the arena floor: "In the name of all participants I pledge to embrace the Arctic Winter Games in the spirit of fair play and cultural ex‐ change. Respecting the deci‐ sions that govern them and celebrating the honour and excellence of our teams."

6:50 p.m. MT: Update from Peter Sheldon: Gover‐ nor General Mary Simon ad‐ dresses the crowds gathered with a nod to the resilience of Northern Peoples. "Ajuinata it means 'never to give up!'"

From Jackie McKay: She went on to say "We will never give up as a people in the cir‐ cumpolar north."

6:46 p.m. MT: Lawrence Nayally and Pauline Pemik live from the AWG opening ceremonies! Pauline will be on Igalaaq all week sharing stories for Inuit back home. Lawrence will be hosting a daily radio special for N.W.T. and Yukon all week on Trail's

End and Airplay.

6:35 p.m. MT: Formerly known as Team Greenland, Team Kalaallit Nunaat is re‐ claiming their identity. They're now going by their own name in their own lan‐ guage. We will have more on this story later this week.

6:29 p.m. MT: AWG partic‐ ipants watch speakers on the podium at the opening cere‐ monies, from Jackie McKay.

6:10 p.m. MT: Team Alas‐ ka, this year's host team, was last to file in at the opening ceremonies.

6:00 p.m. MT: The AWG 2024 opening ceremonies have officially started! Watch the livestream here on CBC's page by pressing play on the video at the top of the story.

5:55 p.m. MT: And from Peter Sheldon, a picture of some of the mascots in their full costumes.

5:49 p.m. MT: From Jackie McKay, a photo of some Arc‐ tic Winter Games opening ceremony mascots.

5:41 p.m. MT: From Peter

Sheldon: Team Nunavik chanting above the crowd at the athletes stage in advance of opening ceremonies.

5:34 p.m. MT: From Vir‐ ginie Ann: Canada's Governor General Mary Simon greets Yukon Commissioner Adeline Webber and Nunavut Com‐ missioner Eva Aariak before taking on the stage at the opening ceremony.

5:28 p.m. MT: From CBC's Virginie Ann: Grand Chief of the Council of Yukon First Na‐ tions Peter Johnston, who came not only as the grand chief, but to support his daughter who will be com‐ peting, talks about the im‐ portance of keeping the tra‐ dition of the Arctic Winter Games alive.

5:24 p.m. MT: From Cheryl Kawaja: The girls U-15 futsal team from Nunavut had three days to practice to‐ gether before flying to Alas‐ ka.

Team members are from

all over the territory includ‐ ing: Whale Cove, Baker Lake, Coral Harbour, Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit.

5:06 p.m. MT: From CBC's Peter Sheldon: Robin Catholique and Reanna Brownlee from N.W.T. are get‐ ting a jump on the pin trad‐ ing. They snapped up a Radio-Canada pin and are most fond of their Every Child Matters pin from the 2023 Wood Buffalo Games.

Pin trading is an unofficial sport at this event. Such a helpful icebreaker for kids meeting new friends.

4:56 p.m. MT: From Jackie McKay: We got fans outside waiting to come! Some from close by like Anchorage, Alas‐ ka, and others like Nancy Heart from Baker Lake, Nunavut.

4:48 p.m. MT: From CBC's Peter Sheldon: Some high profile guests are at the Menard sports centre for the AWG opening ceremonies this afternoon, like this trio, playfully coined the "three amigos" by N.W.T. Commis‐ sioner Margaret Thom.

4:25 p.m. MT: An update from CBC's Jackie McKay: An army of volunteers are filling the parking lot at the Menard sports centre for the opening ceremony of the Arctic Win‐ ter Games.

4:15 p.m. MT: Every‐ thing's bigger in Alaska!

Members of the N.W.T. Futsal team practicing before the opening ceremonies, in advance of their matches this evening.

4:00 p.m. MT: Team NT has announced its flagbear‐ ers for the opening cere‐ monies tonight. Athletes Keira Coakwell from Hay Riv‐ er and Sean Grandjambe from Fort Smith will be repre‐ senting the team. Congrats to them both!

3:39 p.m. MT: From re‐ porter Lawrence Nayally, some interviews with ath‐ letes and volunteers at the Anchorage airport yesterday. first

If you want to see more of our video coverage for the AWGs, check out our TikTok acount @cbcnorth.

2:57 p.m. MT: Our CBC re‐ porter team is in Alaska cap‐ turing the lead up to the AWG opening ceremonies tonight. To get the day started, here are some shots of the athletes arriving at the Anchorage International Air‐ port in Alaska yesterday.