Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Sep 04/02) - The fifth annual land camp aimed at getting youth back in touch with Inuit traditions wrapped up today.

Sponsored by the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA), Pijunnaqsiniq 2002 took place at Pikiuliarjuk (Baker Foreland), about 40 kilometres northeast of Rankin Inlet.

The camp ran from Aug. 26 to Sept. 4. More than 20 youth, elders and camp instructors took part in the activities.

KIA social development co-ordinator and camp organizer Bernadette Dean says Pijunnaqsiniq is an exciting opportunity for Kivalliq youth to learn about their traditional culture on the land with their elders.

She says the program has been growing in popularity since being piloted in 1998 in Rankin Inlet.

The Pijunnaqsiniq culture camps were created to address needs identified by both youth and elders.

Camps have also been conducted at Ujarasugjulik (Rocky Brook) on Southampton Island, the North Pole River by Repulse Bay and near Chesterfield Inlet.

"The number of applications from people looking to take part in the camp -- both for youth who wish to participate and the elders who want the opportunity to pass on their traditional knowledge -- has grown steadily over the years," says Dean.

Funding for the program comes from a combination of federal funds and beneficiary money allocated for youth projects.

Participants at the Pijunnaqsiniq camp learn such skills as marine and land mammal hunting, the preparation and use of land and marine mammal skins, and the preparation and preservation of traditional food.

The youths also take part in the telling of traditional stories and legends, and learn about drum dancing, personal life skills and healing and sharing circles.

Dean says this year's camp marks the first time Inuit youth from outside the Kivalliq are taking part in the camp.

Youth have come to the 2002 camp from as far away as Labrador and Quebec.

"In addition to actually taking part in the camp, they're looking at how we run the program to take that knowledge back to their own communities," Dean says.

"We also had a visit to the camp planned for representatives of the Nunavut Hunters Support program, which donated about $15,000 worth of tents and other equipment to the program.

"We thought it would be a good experience for them to see the equipment actually being used at the camp." e camp."