Sanikiluaq (June 30/03) - Annie Novalinga was born in a snow house near Great Whale River in Northern Quebec.

Annie Novalinga puts the finishing touches on a standing polar bear mount completed in Sanikiluaq about two months ago. - photo courtesy of the Sanikiluaq CAP site

She said there were no houses anywhere near the camp where she grew up, so when she moved to Sanikiluaq in 1970, she was quite surprised.

"We had relatives in Sanikiluaq, so we came here. It was nice. There were no houses where I was from, so it was different. I was 24," she said.

Since leaving the Great Whale River area, Novalinga has been back twice. She said nobody is living there now.

In Sanikiluaq, Novalinga has taken it upon herself to learn a variety of different skills. She works with other members of the community to make polar bear rugs and has recently learned to make polar bear mounts.

"The first time we made a standing polar bear mount it was hard, but it's fun," she explained.

The next project she will be working on is a wolf mount.

Novalinga also makes fish skin dolls and traditional Belcher Island baskets.

"When I was still a teenager I learned how to make baskets from my cousin. That was a long time ago," she said. To Novalinga, learning traditional arts techniques is very important.

"It's important because we have an interest in making things like those. It's also a good source of income," she explained.

With her family, Novalinga enjoys going out on the land and fishing. That's what she plans on doing for most of the summer. Her favourite thing to do is to jump on her Honda, drive about one hour out of the community and set up camp with the people she's close to.

Novalinga said she's proud that she is able to manage between a traditional lifestyle and the growing development in Sanikiluaq and everywhere in Nunavut. She said growth is inevitable, but keeping her Inuit culture strong is just as important.