This year's Inuvialuit Day celebrations will be in smaller groups and at a distance

Inuvialuit Day celebrations in communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region won't be as big like previous years due to physical distancing guidelines, but organizers will make sure that the day is special for people.

Elder Lillian Elias looks forward to Inuviaulit Day every year.

"It means a lot to me the recognition of Inuvialuit. It's a very good purpose for young people to not forget who they are and what theInuvialuit did years back," said the 74-year-old Elias.

This year's Inuvialuit Day is Friday. It marks 36 years since the Inuvialuit Final Agreement was signed.

The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) plans on livestreaming performances from three different drum dancing groups to Facebook.

Duane Smith, chair of IRC, said they have also sent country foods out to all of the settlement communities so they are distributed to households that can't access country foods.

"This time we'll have smaller groups that want to get together themselves to have a picnic or an outing at their house keeping the numbers under control," said Smith "That's what[the day] means to me, just seeing the beneficiaries happy and experiencing our culture."

Smith said despite the unusual circumstances, it's important for Inuvialuit to recognize theirknowledge, culture and identity as part of Canada.

"It's also to ensure that we are supporting and promoting the Inuvialuit culture for our youth."

Smith said because of COVID-19, more people have been going out on the land and the IRC has supported various programs to ensure that could happen.

With the summer season, he said the IRC has ordered fish nets and life jackets for the communities.

Elder Elias said the only good thing about COVID-19 was since everyone had to self-isolate and work from home "it let us all go back to our land and live out there."

Elias said she was out at her cabin with her grandson and sister for a month before they came back to town because of river breakup.

• Here's what Inuvialuit Day celebrations looked like in Inuvik last year

"We had a good time out there. We did everything that we hadn't done for years and years. And it was such a beautiful atmosphere and feeling. I never thought of COVID[-19]when I was out there."

"It brought us all out. I tell you there was so many people out there ... It was the best time I ever had since my husband left me," said Elias, remembering her late partner.

On Friday, Elias will be part of one of the drum dancing groups and plans to "entertain the people quite a bit myself" while also telling the stories of friends and Inuvialuit that came before her through dancing.