John Curran
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 10, 2007

HOLMAN - Like many of the NWT's smaller communities, Ulukhaktok affords its residents a chance to live very traditional lifestyles.

That's something not lost on 16-year-old Patrick Akhiatak.

Patrick Akhiatak, 16, points out roughly where his community of Ulukhaktok is on Victoria Island. He said he enjoys a life rich with Inuvialuit tradition, including caribou hunting with his family. - John Curran/NNSL photo

"It's a small community and everyone knows everyone else," he said.

One of his favourite things is taking part in many caribou hunts with his family.

"We go out two or three times a year," he said. "Sometimes we'll travel 200 or 300 kilometres looking for caribou, sometimes we don't see anything."

But more often than not, his family is successful and that's fortunate given the size of the hunting party depending on the fresh meat.

"It's usually my dad, mom, 13-year-old brother Alex, grandparents and aunts and uncles who go out," he said. "We usually come back with about 10 or 12 caribou."

On a good trip, the Akhiataks will get enough meat to last everyone for several months.

"I would normally kill two or three myself," he said. "During the last couple of years I've been letting my brother do most of the shooting though."

While doing the actual shooting is obviously key to the hunt, he said there is always a lot to do - no matter who pulls the trigger. Everyone has a job once a kill is made.

"I do some of the skinning and butchering with my dad," he said. "I also carry a lot of the heavy gear and meat once it's cut up."

His younger brother is also learning the traditional ways of skinning and butchering the animals.

"I've been teaching him with my dad and other relatives," he said.

Hunting is always fun, but Akhiatak said he prefers it when they can go by boat in the summer.

"It's a little nicer for camping then, too," he added.

No matter the season, however, a successful hunt means he gets to have one of his favourite meals on the land.

"We cut up the spine and boil it to get the little pieces of meat and marrow," he said. "It's really good."

Akhiatak said taking part in the caribou hunt means a lot to him and his family.

"It is important to keep our traditions and language going," he said. "The hunt helps us do that."