Ottawa (Mar 29/04) - A group of Nunavut Sivuniksavut (NS) students confronted about 20 anti-fur protesters in the nation's capital this past month.

Members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) were staging a demonstration outside a fur retail store near the NS offices when the students heard about the protest.

The students, numbering about 16, decided to make their voices heard by confronting the protesters to explain why fur is still important in the North.

Kivalliq students Lorna Ell of Coral Harbour and Maria Illungiayok of Arviat were among the students to stand up for the use of fur.

Ell and Illungiayok grew up around fur and fur products.

Both of their fathers were trappers.

Ell said fur has always been important in Coral Harbour, both as a means of survival and as a means of earning income.

Winning one over

She said the message being passed on by the anti-fur demonstrators was nothing short of ridiculous.

"I realize everything is so different from the North down here, but they don't understand anything about life in the North," said Ell.

"Most of them really weren't too interested in anything we had to say, except for this one protester who ended up coming over to our side.

"He never realized the connection between Inuit and fur."

Ell said the students took the time to explain the history of fur use in Inuit culture to the protester, who became more understanding as they spoke.

She said once they also explained that, traditionally, Inuit use all of the animal they kill for subsistence, the protester changed his way of thinking.

"Once he understood our situation in the North, he just walked away and didn't protest any more.

"Inuit have used fur forever and it's something else to hear people put down our way of life.

"I am, very much, going to start getting more involved with ways to have Nunavut's voice heard about our use of fur products."

Illungiayok said her father still goes trapping every couple of weeks in Arviat.

She said she was very upset to hear people putting something down that they understood very little about.

"Our ancestors lived and survived for many generations through the use of animals," said Illungiayok.

"Fur was one of the main reasons for our survival and it is still very important to Inuit today."

Ell said the demonstrators were quite surprised when a number of the NS students showed up wearing their amauti and carrying sealskin drums.

She said it wasn't long before the media showed up to start filming the exchange and interview some of those involved.

"The protesters didn't expect us to show up dressed like that and get our two cents worth in on the subject. Most of them were still against our use of fur and didn't agree with our point of view, but they were definitely interested in our cultural display."

Ell said the same day the protest was held, NS students were taking part in workshops on fashion fur.

She said the facilitator gave a number of magazines to the students, which came in handy at the protest.

"There were all sorts of people passing by because we were on Rideau Street, only a couple of blocks away from Parliament Hill.

"We started passing out these magazines to the people passing by and they were all taking them. They took some stuff from the protesters too, but I don't know what they thought about anything they were given.

"I'm glad we talked to them about it. It was an experience, that's for sure and maybe they understand Inuit a little better now."