Lake Harbour (Dec 15/03) - Nanomai Ikkidluak has felt pain in her life, and struggled through it.

When her husband, Iola, drowned outside of Kimmirut on Oct. 25 of this year, she was devastated.

With the help of family and friends, Nanomai has pulled through.

"She would like to thank all the people who sent sympathy cards, and supported her during her hard times," said Billy Akavak, who translated for her last week.

Iola's tragic death stunned the community of 450 people.

Not just a great hunter of walrus, seal, whales and ptarmigan, he was also a great carver.

Nanomai, however, is a woman of strength. All her life, she has been determined not to let bad things get her down.

Before Nanomai could even walk, her mother died.

Named after her father's brother, Nanomai learned how to hunt with the best of them in her community of Qummajuit, outside of Cape Dorset.

"So they treated her like a man. Hunting, shooting, stuff like that," explained Akavak.

When her father shot a seal, if it didn't die, her father would hold her while she took a turn shooting it, Akavak continued.

Although it was a hard life, Nanomai remembers being a happy child. Her father protected her from the really tough jobs. And she never went hungry.

"She had more than people who grow up with a mother and father," explained Akavak.

She met Iola in 1972. They had four children. One baby girl died of a sickness.

Her youngest is now 19-years-old.

Today, Nanomai likes being an elder in residence at Qaqqalik school, where she helps the students sew designs on boys and girls stockings for Christmas.

When she is not at school, Nanomai spends time with her two grandchildren, cleans up around her house in Kimmirut, and sews.

Her words of advice for her students, as well as her children and grandchildren is simple: help other people, do not insult or make fun of people who are disabled or less well off than you, share food with others, and help elders.