Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Apr 10/00) - In Iqaluit for Nunavut's first birthday, Governor General Adrienne Clarkson looked on as Natsiq Kango sharpened her ulu.

Hovering above a good size seal, Kango -- whose first name translated into English means seal -- extended her knife and cut into the sizeable belly of the beast.

Audience members surged with excitement.

The annual Toonik Tyme seal-skinning contest had begun and, as in years gone by, it was the place to be on Saturday afternoon.

"Lots of people attend," said Shani Watts, the president of the ever-expanding spring festival.

"We're pushing back the crowd all the time so more and more people can see," she said.

And the excitement is hardly limited to the group of spectators. As Watts explained, there's never any shortage of residents who want to try their skill at stripping the marine mammals of their silvery hides.

"We always have volunteers who want to try their hand," said Watts.

This year was no exception.

Alongside Kango, two other women and four men -- one of whom was Kango's husband Joshua who took home first prize in the men's competition -- skinned seals.

Judged primarily for speed, contest rules also require contestants to keep the fat on the skins so they remain intact and undamaged.

No problem, said Kango.

A veteran at the craft, the lifelong resident of Nunavut's capital said the trick is to start with one sharp slice of the ulu.

"You just have to know what you're doing," said Kango, after winning first prize.

"You have to have a lot of practice. I did my first one when I was 13 years old," she said.

Other things to keep in mind while wielding the ulu are the blubber -- is it to be left on the seal or removed with the skin -- and whether or not the mammal's flippers are to be taken off.

"It's all different techniques," she said.

And while Kango exudes confidence in her skill, she didn't think for a second that she'd win the weekend contest without a battle.

"The other two ladies were more experienced. They're the Inuit, that was their life. I did question whether I would win or not. The main reason I took part was because I wanted to have fun, not win," she said.

"I also try to encourage young people and motivate others to try so they can learn the beauty of becoming a responsible person who respects animals. That was my purpose."