Bear kill a learning opportunity
College students learn traditional treatment after bear wanders into Iqaluit
Northern News Services
Monday, September 21, 2015
IQALUIT
When Iqaluit's hunters' and trappers' organization killed a polar bear at the city's gravel pit Sept. 15, Nunavut Arctic College's environmental technology program leaders saw a learning opportunity. But they couldn't predict how successful it would be.
Nunavut Arctic College environmental technology students learn that polar bear noses are strong enough to use for towing their carcasses. - photo courtesy of Daniel Martin |
"It was a really great experience," said instructor Daniel Martin.
News of the bear hit social media soon after the kill order was executed. By the time the curious environmental technology program instructors arrived on the scene, the HTO was preparing to skin and butcher it on site.
"We asked if we could either bring down some students - we have about 25 - or if they'd be willing to bring the bear down to our lab," Martin said. "We have a lab that's kind of meant for doing stuff like this."
Elder Jetaloo Kakee agreed to show the students the traditional ways of skinning and butchering. Some students already had first-hand knowledge from doing this in their home communities, but for others, it was eye-opening.
"By the end, there were about 30 people who got a chance to see how to traditionally skin and butcher a polar bear," Martin said. "The majority hadn't had a chance to do it, so in the first week of classes to be able to be involved in something like that was amazing."
The lesson is especially relevant for the students, since many will pursue careers as wildlife officers and monitors.
"Just having them have that experience if that happens again to be able to treat the polar bear traditionally and butcher it, I think will be a real asset to them in their future careers," he said.
Student Pasha Kooneeliusie of Qikiqtarjuaq said the bear was smaller than the ones she has handled in her home community.
"We don't usually kill small bears," Kooneeliusie said, adding that although she has helped prepare skins, it was her first time taking the skin off the bear.
The kill was also a chance for other students to learn, with Inuit Studies students spending the next days fleshing the skin in the environmental technology program library.
"The skin was here and we have good facilities to deal with these things," Martin said. "Whenever we get a chance for students to be involved in traditional activities, especially with wildlife, our program always tries to get involved in those events. "
