IQALUIT (Dec 22/97) - When Meeka Mike moved from Pangnirtung to Iqaluit eight years ago, she was worried her daughter might lose her language.

That didn't happen.

"She's fluently bilingual," says Mike of 11-year-old Jesse.

Aside from making Inuktitut a family priority, Mike finds the land plays as big a role in her life as it did with her father, Jamese, who is fond of telling stories of the old days.

She, too, makes her living with her dog team, but instead of hunting, she shepherds tourists on the land with her tour company, Qimuk Adventure Tours, now in its second year of operation.

"Business has been pretty good," she says, her optimistic tone suggesting it could be better still. As a director of Nunavut Tourism, Mike is doing her best to see business improve not only for herself but other small outfitters in the Baffin.

Besides tourists, Mike has worked with film companies from Britain to Japan, showing off Inuit lifestyle, which just comes naturally.

"I've been doing for as long as I can remember."