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REPULSE BAY/KIVALLIQ - One of the most successful culture camps for Kivalliq youth is still going strong in its second decade of operation.

The Pijunnaqsiniq Culture Camp receives about 60 applications annually from youth across the region. Its 2008 edition was held at Niaqunnguuq, about a 40-minute boat ride from Repulse Bay, this past summer.

Garry Noolook of Rankin Inlet puts char on a rack during the 2008 Pijunnaqsiniq Culture Camp at Niaqunnguuq near Repulse Bay this past summer. - photo courtesy of Pujjuut Kusugak

A total of 14 youth took part in the camp, with two from each Kivalliq community attending. The Pijunnaqsiniq Culture Camp also had 10 employees this year.

Pujjuut Kusugak is the social development co-ordinator for the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA) in Rankin Inlet. He said the 2008 camp was highly successful, with youth learning traditional skills involving fish, marine and land mammals.

The camp was originally scheduled to last 10 days, he said, but extended to 11 when high winds blew into the area.

"The wind was actually quite strong, gusting to about 90 km/h at times," said Kusugak. "We had one cabin right beside our camp, but we had to put the youth in two others a little further away because of the high winds.

"Some of us had to stay at the camp to make sure the tents weren't destroyed."

The wind was high enough to cause some very rough water, which rose high enough to fill the group's boat. Kusugak said they were lucky the boat wasn't damaged and, after it was bailed out, they were able to return without incident.

"Despite the weather, the youth learned how to set nets and clean fish, as well as different techniques to skin and butcher caribou," said the KIA co-ordinator. "They also learned how to make mipku and took part in caribou hunting. The only disappointment, if you can call it that, was the weather preventing us from boating.

"The participants were pretty tired at the end of each day because we had a full schedule, but they found time to play some cards and go berry picking and rod fishing."

Kusugak said the number of applicants has stayed high since the inaugural camp. As the KIA prepares for the program's 12th year, interest remains high among Kivalliq youth because of the solid reputation the camp has built over the years.

"The KIA does as much advertising for the camp as it possibly can," said Kusugak. "We go on local radio to promote it every chance we get, and we co-ordinate with the local community liaison officers.

"They do a lot of the groundwork for us to promote the camp to our youth. They also help people with their applications, both for those who want to participate and those who want to be employed at the camp."

Kusugak said the KIA also handles the logistical side of the Pijunnaqsiniq Culture Camp, making sure all the flights are booked and the accommodations taken care of for the participants.

And the KIA is also responsible for selecting the roughly 20 per cent of the applicants lucky enough to be picked for the experience.

"Picking the kids who get to go from among all the applicants is, definitely, the toughest part of the job," said Kusugak.

"As part of their application, the youth have to tell us why they want to take part in the program.

"That's one of the main tools we use in doing the best we can in making our selections. But, it's tough because we know a lot of the kids who aren't selected are really disappointed and that part of the process is no fun at all."

Kusugak said the majority of the employees hired for the camp are elders. He said the interaction between youth and elders is always strong at the camp.

"One of the prime benefits of that is the fact almost all the instruction and conversation is in Inuktitut.

"A lot of people try to say our youth aren't very good at Inuktitut anymore, but you can tell the youth who attend our camp all have strong Inuktitut backgrounds. That's really, really good to see, especially out on the land."

The KIA owes a great debt of thanks to the Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centre, said Kusugak, which has funded the Pijunnaqsiniq Culture Camp through Canadian Heritage since its beginning.

He said the camp is a great deal of work, but it's always worth it to see the youth learn so much on the land and to hear them speak so highly of the program when it's time to go home.

"You hear some youth say it was the best program they've ever been involved with, and others tell you they hope they can come back again next year.

"The words are nice to hear, and you hope the camp made enough of an impression that they continue learning more on their own when they return to their community."