John Curran
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 3, 2007
PAULATUK - At Angik school in Paulatuk physical education classes are moving to a much more traditional beat these days.
The almost 70 kindergarten to Grade 12 students who call Paulatuk home are learning traditional Inuvialuit drum dancing as part of their cultural studies.
"We're spending two weeks doing the drum dancing now and hopefully two more after Christmas," said Russ Hancock, principal. "Eventually we're hoping we can get it going as an after school program, too."
Two instructors from the community - Nolan Green and Savannah Green - teach the boys and girls their different roles in the dance.
"The kids are really enjoying it," said Hancock. "Some of the older ones have been helping the younger ones, too."
One of the helpers is Grade 9 student Colton Gordon-Ruben, 13.
"I've been drum dancing since I was two years old," he said. "I teach them how to follow the beat and follow the movement."
Gordon-Ruben said he is really enjoying the inclusion of the activity in his gym class and understands how important it is for all of the students to learn drum dancing.
"We need to get our culture back," he said.
Physical education teacher Dene McDonald said all of the students are taking part for at least 40 minutes a day.
"It's an initiative that's being funded by the district education authority with the support of the local authority," he said. "We had a dance component we have to do as part of the curriculum, but this way it is very relevant to the culture."
The school isn't stopping at just teaching students how to drum dance this school year - several other cultural activities are also on the go.
"Some of the students have already made traditional clothing with the help of an elder from here in Paulatuk," he said.
Plans are also in the works for high school students to build sleds in their Northern studies class later this year, he added.
"We're also ordering the materials to allow students to make their own traditional drums," said Hancock.
