Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services
Friday, April 30, 2007

IQALUIT - Pond Inlet loaned one of their cultural treasures to Iqaluit last week.

Jayko Peterloosie visited Iqaluit as a part of the QIA Inuktitut Language Celebration at Inuksuk High School.

Along with his wife Annie Peterloosie, they had a group of high school kids eating out of the palms of their hands, with Ajaaja singing and drum dancing.

Jayko Peterloosie was born in between Pond Inlet and Clyde River on Aug. 9, 1930, and moved to Pond Inlet in 1944. He remembers the seasonal nature of life on the land best from his youth.

"I remember how the winter, spring, summer and fall were different. In the winter you would hunt seals, during the spring, that is when we went inland," said Peterloosie, through the translation of his granddaughter Brandy Karetak.

While English speakers may need translation for the exact words, it isn't hard to follow what he says.

In the grand tradition of Inuit storytellers, his hands constantly dance.

He tells the story with his hands, and you can understand a lot with knowing the exact words.

He sees the modern focus on youth in Inuit society, and thinks that elders have a huge role to play in the growth of Nunavut.

"Nowadays, people make elders secondary and the youth first. For me, it is better for elders to be put first. They know culture and tradition. They could be really useful to the youth," said Peterloosie.

There are pre-trades programs in Kugluktuk and Sanikiluaq, teaching youth how to work with their hands. Peterloosie sees this as a step in the right direction.

"We need more hands-on work, it empowers the mind. When you are making stuff, you spend your money on the tools you need. When you have kids and grandkids asking for useless stuff, you end up with nothing. It would cut down on drugs and alcohol, if people worked with their hands," said Peterloosie.

Peterloosie knows about working with his hands. Last year he completed 13 carvings, which are on display all over the world. He also has his own dog team, and sees that as another way to connect with the youth.

"I want to start a square dance group, for awareness, to let people know they can do better things. I also want to build sleds for dogs. I have dogs and I'd let the people use them, but not many people think about that," said Peterloosie.

While he is no fan of the influence of southern culture on the Inuit lifestyle, he isn't immune to it either. Peterloosie cut a dashing figure disembarking the plane from Pond Inlet with a Metallica kit bag slung over his shoulder.

"I sort of know who they are, but it is my son's," laughed Peterloosie.