REPULSE BAY - Students at Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay are involved in a number of special projects this month.

The cultural-inclusion programs include sewing, caribou skinning and preparation, cooking, small-engine repair, drum dancing and throat singing.

Maggie Nanordluk learns to sew from instructor Sarah Ulikatar during a special cultural-inclusion program at Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Leonie Aissaoui

School principal Leonie Aissaoui says each course has a direct link to life in the community and the students love the experience.

"All of the programs have some connection to culture, even small-engine repair because so many people here work on their own Ski-Doos or ATVs," says Aissaoui.

"We've hired people from the community to facilitate the programs."

The sewing program has become so popular among female students that Aissaoui is hoping to put on a fashion show at the end of the month.

She says while most of the students are working on jackets, she wants them to take a more traditional route and start working on an amauti.

"There's a lady in town who makes beautiful hats and she's going to show the students how to make a hat to match their parka," she says.

"They probably won't have time to make kamiks, but they should produce enough items to put on a small show.

"At the same time, we could have kids performing rap music - we had three go to Rankin to do rap recently - and others could do the throat singing and drum dancing they've learned.

"It would be nice to put on a show combining all their skills together."

Phon Peterson is instructing the cooking class, concentrating on fish and different ways of preparing caribou.

Aissaoui says even though many of the kids claim they don't like fish, there were no leftovers when the tables were cleared.

"They brought the teachers a plate and I told them I don't really eat fish," she says.

"But they encouraged me to try and I loved it.

"Phon (Peterson) has a different style of cooking that's really delicious.

"You have to taste it to believe it."

Aissaoui says the students are being productive in the programs.

She says every available inch of space is being used at the school this month.

"We had square dancing in the gym this past week and we have Inuit games going this week," she says.

"It was hard when the music was going because you just wanted to stop what you were doing and start dancing.

"Even our janitors would sneak in from time to time and do a little bit of jigging."