RANKIN INLET - Youth and elders from Rankin Inlet came together July 20 to 25 to participate in a cultural camp organized by the Kivalliq Outreach Program Youth Council.

Riley Lachance gets ready to throat sing during the cultural camp in Rankin Inlet. - Kassina Ryder/NNSL photo

Activities took place both out on the land and within the community, according to youth council member Panikuluk Kusugak.

"Out on the land we would hold the throat singing, soap carving, storytelling and string games and qaurutik (headband) making," she said. "In town we had drum making, ulu making and print making and at night we would have amauti making, which we did at the learning centre."

Kusugak estimates there were about 80 participants, but it was hard to keep track.

"We had lots of activities so altogether there were probably about 80 youth involved there could be more, there were so many activities," she said.

Kusugak said every activity involved elders.

"We had an elder or two working with each group," she said. "So they would be talking in Inuktitut and telling them stories as they went along and teaching them things."

Kusugak said the elders definitely enjoyed the experience.

"All the elders keep asking if we're going to do it again next year because they enjoyed it so much," she said. "They would always be the last ones to leave, they enjoyed it up there."

Kusugak said the camp was funded by the Aboriginal Languages Initiative, the Pulaarvik Kublu Friendship Centre and the Kivalliq Inuit Association.

She also said during the last two days of the camp, kids showed off what they had learned by participating in a drum demonstration.

"We got in a big circle outside with all the kids, all the elders and the adults," she said. "Someone would sing a traditional song and they would take turns drumming in the centre."