Jillian Dickens
Northern News Services

Ottawa (Sep 19/05) - Youth from nine communities around Nunavut have been plucked from their homes and placed in Ottawa for an eight-month rigorous training course where they will learn everything Inuit - from land claim agreements to throat singing. And they couldn't be happier.

"It's been a lot of fun meeting everybody and learning where everybody's from," says Cambridge Bay's Pamela Gross, 20, during a phone interview.

She is attending Nunavut Sivuniksavut along with 24 other Nunavummiut.

The students will learn about Inuit history, land claim developments and Nunavut organizations as they prepare for post-secondary education and career opportunities. The students first met on Sept. 7 and spent the week getting to know each other, settling into their new homes and soaking up much deserved sunshine at the lake.

But playtime was over Sept. 12. Their first day focused on land claim details and touched a bit on computer basics.

"We're already crazy busy," says Sharon Lisa Angnakak, 25, of Iqaluit. Sharon and her classmates have project deadlines for the end of the week. "They're keeping us on our toes."

This is Cathy Lee Anablak's first time leaving her home of Kugluktuk for more than a week. But the 20-year-old is not a bit scared. Instead she's thrilled to be with all her new classmates, seeing new sights, and most of all, seeing new (and cheaper) prices.

"What I'm looking forward to is budgeting my money!" says Anablak. "It's so much cheaper here. I can buy nine bags of stuff here and three bags at home."

"Oh, tell my parents I said 'hi!'"

Naiomie Hanson Akavak is happy because she's able to visit her aunt whenever she wants.

"I missed her," says Akavak.

Chances are this program will take these keen kids far into the future.

"I just want to better my knowledge of Inuit culture and maybe work in Nunavut in years to come," says Gross.