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Elders connect

Kathleen Lippa
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Nov 29/04) - Elders in Sanikiluaq, Iqaluit and Arviat exchanged ideas about language and culture in the schools and even started using old Inuktitut words during a video-conference last week.

Mina Inuktaluk, Sarah Kittosuk, Louisa Ippak in Sanikiluaq got in touch with Ako Kownirk in Iqaluit and Rhoda Karetak, Mark Kalluak, Louis Angalik and Donald Uluadluak in Arviat.

"(It was) very uplifting to see how Inuit traditional way is exactly the same no matter where you are," said Angalik.

Joe Karetak in Arviat translated for Angalik during an interview with Nunavut News/North.

"To see how similar we are was very exciting," said Angalik.

Uluadluak had difficulty understanding the Sanikiluaq dialect during the video-meeting Monday afternoon, said Karetak.

"He understood Iqaluit quite well," said Karetak, also serving as translator for Uluadluak. "He felt strongly when (Ako Kownirk in Iqaluit) said the education system should have a way of providing the Inuit culture in the schools. (Elders) wish to ask the school system to have more elders in the school providing that knowledge," said Karetak.

Different dialects

Dialects made it hard for the elders to always understand each other, Karetak said, but older Inuktitut words really connected them and fascinated the younger participants.

"When Inuit talk, they suddenly remember words they no longer use," said Karetak. "They are almost impossible to pronounce. But whenever these older words are used, the meaning is exactly the same right across."

When that happens, a deeper level of discussion emerges, said Karetak. "It's a level we can't comprehend. They get very fluent and speak at this deeper level. It is a strange thing that we Inuit are not even aware it existed."

Emotional gathering

It was an emotional meeting that went smoothly with no technical glitches to interrupt the 100 per cent Inuktitut discussion.

"It was very successful," said John Jamieson, who could barely contain his excitement about the event in Sanikiluaq last week.

"We had all the students here and the elders talking to each other from all three communities. It was just wonderful."

Staff and students at Nuiyak school, where Jamieson is principal, have been trying to make this Nunavut connection a reality for more than a year, said Peter Geike, assistant deputy minister of education for Nunavut.

"It was excellent," said Geike, who participated in the meeting from an office in the NorthwestTel building in Iqaluit.

It is the first time such a connection was made with elders in Nunavut history.

Organizers say they want to make it happen again soon.

Ancient words

Old Inuktitut words used during video-conference held in Iqaluit, Arviat and Sanikiluaq on Nov. 22.

-- Qatsutiminiguuq Qasunniajangimmat: If the wind is blowing hard and it suddenly clears up. That moment of sudden calm weather. According to elders the weather is just "taking a deep breath." Next time the wind comes it will be stronger. So keep track of the wind direction. This would have been a normal conversation piece. It also means: don't let your guard down. Get ready for that second wind because it's going to be stronger.

-- Apuraktarq: If you were out hunting, everybody walked in those days. If you shot a caribou and you needed to get somewhere else immediately to hunt and had to leave your kill on the ground for a while, you approach the caribou and you make the head stick up somehow. Prop the head up so that other hunters who come by know you killed this one, it is yours and you are coming back for it in a while.

-- Angugguuq mangittainaummat: You know the skin used for kayaks in the old days? Every year Inuit replaced it. They tore off the worn-out skin of the kayak. You really had to use everything and not throw things away in those days. So this is an example of how you use a skin that seems to be used up. You could use it for a tarp or a mat when you are skinning an animal or use as protection like a tarp.

-- Translations courtesy of Joe Karetak, Arviat, November 2004.