Iqaluit (Jan 22/07) -Eva Aariak was looking for a new challenge.

After years of working in the public eye - as a broadcast journalist, as the first languages commissioner of Nunavut, as communications staff for Nunavut's interim commissioner Jack Anawak - Aariak's new career is making Inuit cultural wares available to the world.

Aariak opened Malikkaat, a tiny store selling "everything Inuit" near the airport in Iqaluit in October 2006.

"This is totally new to me," she said shortly after seeing off a handful of visitors from the U.S. "I think that's why I'm having fun."

The visitors peppered Aariak with questions. One was particularly concerned with the materials used to make some small carvings, since baleen and ivory, both from whales, can't legally be brought in to the United States.

Aariak said she wanted Malikkaat to be a place "where you can go buy your cultural essentials," noting that the department stores in town don't carry some traditional Inuit items.

"This is a place to buy items of a Northern nature and I try to incorporate knowledge of our culture," Aariak said. "I find we (Inuit) have a lot to share."

The mother of four still finds some time to do a little translating work on the side, which is only fitting for someone who used to be Nunavut's language commissioner.

And while Malikkaat began as a side project, the store is now Aariak's full-time gig.

"It's taking up quite a bit of my time, but I don't mind."