REPULSE BAY
A course on fur production and design is a big hit with its adult participants and visiting Grade 4 students from Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay.

Chris Tungilik works on his first pair of kamik as the only male participant in a fur production course that began at Nunavut Arctic College in Repulse Bay this past month. - photo courtesy Elsa Pinkohs

Course participants have learned the proper way to sharpen and use an ulu, as well as the preparation of sealskin, removing the fat and preparing the skin to be used as plain, black or white fur and udjuk - the tough, bottom part of a kamik.

The participants were also shown how to dry the seal and soften it with their feet or hands, before learning to trace out a pattern and begin sewing.

Elder Rosemary Sandy of Rankin Inlet is the lead instructor of the course being delivered through Nunavut Arctic College and wrapping up later this month.

Sandy enlisted the help of several local experts to help deliver the program.

Elsa Pinkohs has taken her Grade 4 students to the class a number of times.

Pinkohs said she took about 15 students per visit.

She said she was very, very impressed with what she saw at the class, and the impact it had on her students.

"They plan to have a show during their graduation later this month to show all the work they completed during the program," said Pinkohs.

"Some of the kids had a parent in the program and all of them were very, very excited to visit the class.

"You could see the kids with a parent in the class were so proud and excited to see their mother working on something really important.

"The first time we went, I had the opportunity to use an ulu to clean the fat away and that was pretty cool."

Pinkohs said her students were allowed to look around and check everything out, as well as touch the sealskin and some of the tools.

She said everything was explained to them in English or Inuktitut.

"None of this was what you'd call new to the kids.

"Most of them had been exposed to it through a grandparent, parent, aunt or uncle, which is great.

"The first time there, they were taking the fat from the skin with an ulu and that was the most action the kids had seen. That was pretty awe-inspiring for them, as well as seeing the skin soaking in the main room and some of them stretched outside to dry."

Pinkohs said the story behind the program's only male participant, Chris Tungilik, showed how much interest there is among younger kids.

She said Tungilik has young nieces and nephews who had asked him how to clean and prepare a seal.

"He didn't know all the answers and felt bad over the fact he couldn't quite explain it.

"That was one of the reasons he decided to get into the course, so he could pass that knowledge along.

"When I spoke with Chris, he told me it was traditional for males to help the women with sewing and cleaning.

"His own father used to make kamik, and it bothered him when he couldn't explain how to clean a sealskin, so he jumped at the chance when the course became available."

The chance to get hands-on with a number of the activities was too much for the Grade 4 students to resist.

Pinkohs said the kids would gravitate toward each process, touching a seal or asking about an ulu or the machine used to soften the skin.

She said the device is interesting to see being used.

"It's hard to describe, but it's a little handmade machine that looks almost like a press that actually emulates teeth.

"The kids were quite interested in it and asked a lot of questions.

"We took some pictures and discussed what we had seen, once we were back in our own classroom.

"I've seen some students sporting their new kamik at school, so some of the product is already being worn in the community."

Pinkohs said there's a sense of pride among the kids who come to school wearing kamik made by a family member.

She said that probably bodes well for their future learning habits.

"It's a personal thing, and something that will push the kids to want to learn how to do it a little further down the road.

"As long as such a course is available to them, through the high school or whatever, the majority of them definitely have the interest.

"Hands-on activities are important to the kids at school, and their interest grows from being involved with them."

Pinkohs said Sandy and the course participants were very accommodating with the Grade 4 visits.

She said everyone always felt totally at ease during the visits.

"They were all extremely warm and genuinely welcoming for every visit.

"I never once felt like we were in the way or being disruptive.

"It was something they really wanted to share and celebrate with the kids."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.