Kirsten Murphy
Northern News Services
Iqaluit (Jun 11/01) - Seven new Inuktitut books, including a volume of Inuit legends, arrive in Baffin Island schools this fall.
Qikiqtani School Operations unveiled the elementary and high school readers at Iqaluit's Nakasuk school last week.
"Think of all the English books in all the schools. This is an accomplishment, but it's still a drop in the bucket," said Gwen Coffin said, QSO's teaching and learning centre (TLC) principal.
In all, 290 Inuktitut books are available through TLC. Coffin said such projects are works in progress. "We hope other people and organizations will look at this and think we, too, can get these things out into the world."
That means not just translating books, Coffin said, but Web sites and CD-ROMS.
"It has to get out there. Ways must continue to be sought to make these things available so they don't become lost," she said.
The Nunavut school year concludes this month. The books will be available throughout the Qikiqtani region by September.
Educators were already applauding the additions.
In Grise Fiord, teacher Carla McCann said they fill part of the need to maintain and promote Inuit culture through language.
Clyde River vice principal Jukeepa Hainnu agreed.
"It's very important books are in students' mother tongue. I strongly believe to enrich language you have to have the literature surrounding you."
