Iglulik (Aug 11/03) - Joanna Quassa wonders what it was like for her ancestors living off the land, surviving with a few small stone tools and animal pelts.

"We have it much easier now. I'm amazed how they survived through those times," she said.

Quassa recently took part in an archaeological dig near Iglulik, her home town, unearthing tools over 3,000 years old.

"I also participated in another one some years back in the same area. It's really interesting what we find," she said.

The differences between life now and then are still fresh in her mind.

"I go out camping and it's different with all the equipment you can use. We have camp stoves, canvas tents, snowmobiles, rifles. It seems that we have everything so easy," she said.

With all these new tools, she feels going out on the land is easier.

"You don't have to put up an effort to make yourself comfortable out in the camp. Comparing today to 3,000 years ago you can imagine that it wasn't easy. They had to work hard in order to survive," she said.

Not that she minds her way of life.

There is always something new to learn, even on the land.

"Up here you never stop learning. Both traditional and modern stuff," she said.

Quassa is the director of community programs with the department of culture, language, elders and youth.