Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Repulse Bay (Feb 13/02) - Cadets in Repulse Bay are learning to march to the sound of a traditional drum. Figuratively speaking, that is.

The eight cadets have spent the past little while learning how to make a traditional drum.

Local cadet instructor Leonie Aissaoui says Laimikki Malliki taught the skills to the cadets at Tusarvik school.

She says funding was acquired for the teaching of traditional skills and the cadets stayed after school on a number of evenings to take the course.

"The cadets learned how to work on the wood, bend it properly -- everything it takes to make a good traditional drum," says Aissaoui.

"It was their first experience with actually trying to build the drum and get used to using it. The cadets who took part in the course enjoyed it very much."

In fact, one of the cadets enjoyed the program so much he wanted to keep one of the drums on which he had worked hard.

Aissaoui says she appreciates the cadet's enthusiasm towards his work, but one of the ideas behind launching the program was for the drums to be made for the school.

Now they're available to be used at Tusarvik school for different occasions.

Aissaoui hopes to take the program a step further and have elders come in and teach them how to drum and dance properly.

The first stage was popular enough that one elder, John Ivalutanar, joined the cadets and learned how to make a drum for himself.

Aissaoui says it was quite special to have an elder work side by side with the young people to learn the proper construction method.

"It's my understanding there's going to be a drum-dancing and throat-singing festival here in March, with people coming from many different communities to participate," he says.

"We thought if that happens, it would be a shame if none of the youth from the school took part in it. So, now we have two brand-new drums for them to use."