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Nunavut Sivuniksavut students Brian Suwaksiork of Arviat, left, and William Tiktaq of Rankin Inlet demonstrate the arm pull for Alaskans during a recent trip NS students took to the region.

Moving mountains

Kathleen Lippa
Northern News Services

Barrow, Alaska (May 09/05) - Eighteen Nunavut Sivuniksavut (NS) students marked the end of their school year with a life-changing trip to Anchorage and Barrow, Alaska.

"So far it's been awesome," said William Tiktaq, 19, of Rankin Inlet.

The Nunavut students were in the American North as part of a cultural exchange, April 29 to May 9.

Tiktaq's favourite part of the trip so far has been watching the Motion Dancers in action. Those dancers have unique moves and wear costumes similar to the clothes in the Kitikmeot region.

"It's hard to describe," he said.

Annie Aningmiuq, 20, of Panniqtuuq also said her favourite part of the trip so far was watching the dancers strut their stuff.

The dancing group is made up of men, women and children, about 20 of them.

Three of the Alaskan dancers have since taught the students some moves they will perform at their graduation ceremony May 14 in Ottawa.

To the top

Climbing to the top of Flat Top Mountain near Anchorage was also a highlight for all the students who described the view as unbelievably beautiful. But the hike to get there, they all admit, was pretty brutal, and took about four hours.

Patricia Peyton, 18, of Panniqtuuq is enjoying the sunny weather and learning about the culture.

"It's great, I'm loving it," said Peyton. "Just learning how they came up here and how the whalers hunt, just learning about them."

The people caught a bowhead whale.

The students tasted some, something they admitted they do not get to do very often since Nunavut's allowable harvest is small.

The people near Barrow caught 14 bowheads since the spring hunt began, the students said.

The language people speak there is also very similar to Inuktitut, said the students.

"We can understand the things they say. We have the same names for body parts, animal parts and some animals," said Peyton.