Rankin Inlet (Feb 15/06) - A host of special activities were held at Leo Ussak elementary school in Rankin Inlet to celebrate Nunavut Language Week this past week.

While the main focus was on promoting Inuktitut, the school included a number of cultural aspects in its special lineup.

Among the activities held were a scavenger hunt, during which everything was done in Inuktitut, word searches in Roman orthography, string games, throat singing and Arctic sports.

Principal Harold Goobie says the school also hosted Inuktitut singing and an elders' feast.

"Students in the different classes were able to meet with the elders, have a chat in Inuktitut and enjoy their company for a morning," says Goobie.

"We hold language fairs at various times of the year, not just during Nunavut Language Week.

"The fair is designed to provide activities in both Inuktitut and English.

"Students rotate between classrooms, spending 20 minutes at each stop for various language activities."

Goobie says the young students enjoy the special events.

He says part of the appeal is that they're activities they've been brought up with.

"We try to make the activities as relevant for the kids as we can. It's an opportunity for them to have some fun in a non-traditional classroom setting."

A committee of Inuit staff members organized the activities, including selecting the people who came to the school to help out during the week.

Because the school hosts so many extracurricular events, committee members know the talents many people possess in the community.

Goobie says that provides the members with a core group to call upon, depending on the activity being offered.

He says people in the community, especially elders, are usually quite happy for the opportunity to come in and spend time with the kids.

"I don't know if the kids really grasp the whole concept of keeping the language alive at this age, but learning should always be fun and they certainly have lots of fun doing these activities.

"So, I'm equating that fun will spill over into the learning field.

"I know the singing they do is retained, because I hear it in the corridors for weeks after an event."