KINNGAIT/CAPE DORSET - Cape Dorset's Peter Pitseolak School now has a sign depicting the famed Inuit photographer travelling by dog team on a Dorset-style qamutiik, a change from the original in which the sled depicted was Western Arctic-style.

An image on the side of Peter Pitseolak School of the famed photographer travelling by dog team was recently changed from a previous incarnation, left, because the qamutiik depicted was western Arctic style, where the driver rides behind the sled. This is the new version, right, with Pitseolak riding a Dorset-style sled. - photo courtesy of Nunavut's department of community and government services

The image on the outside of the gym portion of the school originally depicted a style of qamutiik used more in the western Arctic, with the driver riding behind it. The district education authority requested the sled be changed to one depicting the local tradition, said DEA chair Mary Kalipalik.

"We wanted a qamutiik from our past. We wanted Dorset style. It's not that we didn't like them but we wanted our children to see what we were using here locally years back," she said. "The one used in western Arctic, you stand up behind the qamutik while the one from Dorset, you can ride on it at the front."

She added the elders also wanted to see the sign showing Cape Dorset's traditional qamutiik, rather than one from another community.

The DEA made the change request about a year ago, said Kalipalik. The new sign has recently been installed, said principal Cecil Meade.

"The qamutiik was a racing qamutiik. That is not part of the tradition of Cape Dorset - we're not into racing," he said.

Pitseolak is also depicted with a camera mounted on a tripod on the front of the school.

The new sign cost the territorial government $34,000, said Elissa McKinnon, spokeswoman for the department of community and government services. She added "due to a number of factors" the DEA did not review the final image prior to fabrication and installation.

The issue came up at the legislative assembly on March 1.

"If (the Department of Education) they followed their approval process, then the district education authority would have to approve the design as they are the mandated authority for this matter. I cannot ascertain if this process was followed but most projects generally follow this process," stated Lorne Kusugak, minister of community and government services.

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