Homemade parkas warm hearts
Pond Inlet students learn skills to save money, enhance cultural skills
Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Published Monday, January 26, 2015
MITTIMATALIK/POND INLET
Rose Tagak's Christmas gift to her dad not only warmed his heart, it keeps his body warm every day. The gift is a parka the Grade 10 student made at school.
"It has his name on it," Tagak said. "Dark blue. I was proud of myself. Of course he was very proud."
The coat was one of many made at Pond Inlet's Nasivvik high school, where students make their own coats as part of the sewing class led by Ragilee Ootoova.
"Store-bought jackets - like at the Co-op and Northern stores - are very expensive," Ootoova said through a translator, noting her mission is to teach the girls at a young age how to make parkas.
"When they have a good experience like that, they make parkas for their families or friends."
The school provides the materials, locally worth about $200 per parka.
Cara Killiktee, also in Grade 10, made a coat with the logo of apparel company Slednecks. Such tributes are becoming a common sight among the work of young seamstresses.
"It's not that common. It's the new style in town," Killiktee said, adding coats are typically plain in Pond Inlet.
She's currently making one for a friend as well. "She likes basketball, so I'm going to make it into a basketball logo instead."
Tagak's coat is pink and black, and bears the logo of apparel company Fox.
"My favourite part was the outer coat because it's easier," she said.
"I love to wear it. When (people) first saw it, they told me they liked it and felt proud of me."
Regardless of what's on the outside, the coats do the job.
"It's very, very warm," Killiktee said. "You can't get cold when you're wearing it outside. I'm happy for myself that I made it. I like it."
More than 10 students made parkas, Ootoova said, and the girls are looking forward to making kamiit
next semester.
