Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Feb 28/00) - Every year, the Aboriginal Achievement Foundation recognizes the outstanding career achievements of 14 Canadian aboriginal people.

During this year's March 10 ceremony in Vancouver, B.C., a nervous and excited Leetia Ineak will accept the Media and Communications Award.

The Iqaluit-born producer, who works for the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation in Iqaluit, has been in television for 14 years. She began as a production assistant.

"There was an opening for people to work on a children's program called Takuginai," says Ineak, a mother of two children.

"I'd been production assistant for quite a while before I was promoted to producing (episodes) for Takuginai."

Prior to her work on the Inuktitut-language program, Ineak had a long-standing interest in puppets and puppetry. When puppet professionals from Sesame Street and Under the Umbrella Tree -- TV shows popular with the young set -- came to Iqaluit, Ineak participated in their workshops.

Takuginai, which now runs on the new Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, is a magazine-style program for children using various mediums, including puppetry. Ineak not only produces, she also writes and creates and works with puppets.

In 1996, the popular program attracted the attention of the Alliance for Children and Television, which gave Takuginai a Special Recognition Award.

Asked what she enjoys most about her work, Ineak says, "I enjoy working with kids. Also looking into our traditional cultures."

And that's what Takuginai has accomplished: her work has merged the art of puppetry, television and Inuit culture in one fell swoop.

Ineak explains the backbone of the program.

"We try and put in traditional beliefs, educational themes, legend stories, Inuit traditional way of life. And we try to include modern things that are all around us now.

"We try to stick with one theme for one show. For example, caribou. We had a child go out and hunt with the father. We have things that are made with caribou. There was a puppet skit...something to do with caribou.

Ineak has also had three educational books published featuring her puppet characters.

The producer also worked on an episode of Big Treasure Chest, a global series exploring the messages of present-day children for children of the future. Ineak's contribution -- Open a Door, featuring an Inuk child's point-of-view -- has aired in Germany and was subsequently sold to the British Broadcasting Corporation. Ineak produced and directed Open a Door and she shares in the writing credits.

Ineak was excited when she learned she was recipient of a 2000 Aboriginal Achievement Award.

"As it gets closer, the more real it's becoming," she says. "I was happy and overwhelmed."

Ineak adds that it means the good work she does has value.

She has one final thing to say: "I would like to thank the audience (of Takuginai) and all the people who have ever been involved in making the show, all their help..."