Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Sep 23/98) - Jason Putumiraqtuq has learned first hand the value of experiencing culture with his elders.

The Baker Lake youth is one of more than a couple dozen youth and elders from across the Keewatin who took part in Piijunnaqsinniq '98 last week, a four-day traditional camp on the land near Rankin Inlet organized by the Kivalliq Inuit Association.

Held five kilometres north of the community at the elders' sod house, the camp provided instruction in land and sea mammal preparation, use of animal skins, sewing skins, caribou and sea mammal hunting, as well as setting goals for youth and elders.

"It's real good -- interesting," he said. "We get to learn a lot on the cultural events, learning the traditional tools, and checking out the weather."

Putumiraqtuq, who learned to bend wood in water to make a drum, said that the experience was a positive one for him that enabled him to learn a lot about the Inuit culture.

Repulse Bay elder John Kunuk agrees. Kunuk, who taught the youths how to make rope from sealskin, said that it's important for the older generation to teach the young people the traditional skills before the elders die and the Inuit way of life dies with them.

"Young people are going to learn a lot from this," he said. "I'm happy that we're all getting together to teach the young people. The elders are passing away so they need to teach the young. I want them (youths) to know the real Inuit way."

Furthermore, he said, making rope out of sealskin is a relatively easy skill to learn and one that could become important on the land.

"It's very simple to make," he said. "It's a lot stronger than nylon. If your sliders are broken, it can hold your (snow) machine -- the sealskin."

Some skills, like sewing animal-skin clothing, remains to be an important part of survival in the North and it's essential that young people know these skills.

"Clothing up here is so expensive," he said. "The young people have to learn to sew skin clothing because it's warmer."

Kunuk also said that traditional camps also help young people to mix the white man's way with the Inuit way.

"They have to learn to mix the white man's way and the Inuit way because it will help them have a better life," he said.