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Writing to save their words

Jennifer Genns
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Apr 12/04) - Morty Alooloo put off entering the Nunavut Literary Prize contest until the last minute.

"A couple of days before the deadline I thought 'Why don't I do it? I'll never win,' she said.

But she did win, and the first thing she plans to buy with her $6,000 prize is a sewing machine.

Alooloo wrote her essay about the changing way of life in Nunavut, and how the knowledge of elders must be passed down because she believes literacy is an important tool in preserving Inuit culture.

"I want to see the words saved before we lose them," said Alooloo.

"Our elders won't be around forever. We've got to grab it while we can."

The Government of Nunavut's Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth received 180 entries for the contest, the first of its kind in Nunavut. The purpose of the contest was to increase the amount of literature available in Inuktitut.

In conjunction with the Nunavut Literacy Council, CLEY hopes to publish the winning entries in a book this fall.

Second prize winner Paul Issakiark of Arviat originally wrote his fictional tale about hunting caribou on the land in English, then translated it into Inuktitut for the contest.

He mailed off his handwritten entry in the middle of December, and worried that it wouldn't reach Iqaluit in time.

The writer has tried sending his stories in English to publishers down south, but without any luck.

"If you're unknown, they don't give you a chance to show your work," he said.

Issakiark said he didn't enter for the prize money. He earned $4,000 for second place.

"If my writing is published it will be around long after the money's gone," he said.

"If it helps in some way to improve literacy in Inuktitut, or encourages children to read or write, that's more important."

Leo Tulugajuk, Miriam Aglukkaq and Helen Power got honourable mentions.