IQALUIT
The Pirurvik Centre, a centre of excellence for Inuit language, culture and well-being in Iqaluit, is working to develop a program tailored specifically for men called Angutiup Makimaninga/Reclaiming the Whole Man.

Joe Tigullagaq, left, Joanasie Qappik, Pitseolak Alainga and Peter Kanayuk developed the framework for a new program at the Pirurvik Centre in Iqaluit in January. Angutiup Makimaninga/Reclaiming the Whole Man, a course for Inuit men, saw its pilot course run March 27 to 31. - photo courtesy of Leena Evic

"We wanted to flip the coin because we developed a program called Reclaiming the Whole Woman years back," said Pirurvik president Leena Evic.

Arnaup Makimaninga/Reclaiming the Whole Woman had its start in 2011, with Qikiqtani Inuit Association funding, and is now made of many modules, such as wellness and health, computer skills, workplace leadership, healthy parenting, among others.

"We wanted to do something similar for Inuit men," said Evic, adding Pirurvik received funding this year to run a pilot.

The course, which ran March 27 to 31, was the third stage of a three-stage scope of work.

For Dennis Kuluguqtuq, a justice policy analyst with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., learning traditional terminology from expert Joanasie Qappik was a highlight of the week.

"Some words we've never heard of before which, when defined, make sense," he said.

"I feel I can make practical use of workshop material."

As an example, Kuluguqtuq offered iglu-making, what type of snow is required and how to innovate when the snow is not hard enough.

For Keith Angnakak, a highlight was how to make rope from skin.

"How to cut it up if you're going to make rope, how to take the fur out," he said.

Evic translated for Qappik, the elder, some of what he considers a highlight of what he'd been teaching in the pilot course.

"One of the topics he was teaching this week is the annual cycle of seasons, the Inuit seasonal cycles," said Evic.

"And the content for each cycle. What happens and what to know. For example in spring season. The traditional cycle is not really a monthly cycle, but involves a very intimate relationship with environment, like migration of animals and working around the different types of weather."

Nunavut News/North asked Qappik about how such knowledge contributes to a fuller life for a modern-day Inuk man.

"This knowledge cannot disappear," he said through Evic. "It has to be with us. The title of the program involves having the knowledge and ability and skills in both traditional livelihood and modern skills, let's say technical skills, for example. Knowing how to compute, knowing how to run a business, knowing how to manage in the workplace.

"And still have the full ability to be out there as an Inuk hunter and so forth."

The values of the traditional activities translate into the modern activities.

"It's a very good transition in terms of having that level of discipline," said Evic. "The movement is starting to happen where men are starting to address their cross-cultural needs."

Salome Qitsualik, who had been teaching a different course, was asked to join the pilot for a couple of days to contribute to the topic of Inuit traditional child-rearing practices as related to boys and men.

"Sometimes we have to take a mother's perspective into this. Joanasie covered quite a bit on the first day. We taught it with the iglu metaphor - and how critical it is to make the perfect block for the bottom, because that's the foundation for the rest," said Evic.

Pirurvik will receive funding in the new fiscal year, and the plan is to partner with local Inuit men's support groups and do a practical course delivery, said Evic, adding the centre will simply be a support.

"We give it to the men's world, because they're the experts," said Evic.

The hope is to bring men in from the other regions in the future.

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