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IQALUIT- The first baby girl and boy to be born at the Qikiqtani General Hospital in the new year will receive a special gift courtesy of students at Nunavut Arctic College.

As a way to give back to their community, the Fur Production and Design class is donating two one-of-a-kind baby bunting bags created by the participants as part of the course.

Fur Production and Design students Meeka Kilabuk, left, and Jeannie Smith hold up their bunting bags which were chosen to be donated to the first baby boy and baby girl born in the new year. - photo courtesy of Frank Reardon

This community project “reflects the traditional Inuit value of sharing,” said Peesee Pitsiulak, the college's Nunatta campus director, at an open house on Dec. 16.

“As we all know, our ancestors, before outside contact, only had furs to clothe them.

It’s amazing how much our people today are so innovative and creative in that we no longer need them for survival, but we still need our Inuit identity through today’s world. I think it’s really apparent that Inuit are still very innovative and very creative in today’s world.”

Student Jeannie Smith described her baby boy bunting bag, which was one of the two chosen to be donated.

“I used a design of my own creation to make the bunting bag unique,” she said. “I got inspired from traditional Inuit clothing and it was (based on) a men’s parka.

“I was researching from books, magazines and also from online.”

In addition to presenting Alex Campbell, deputy minister of Health and Social Services, with the bunting bags, the students displayed their ring seal jackets, which were being sold as a class fundraiser.

The program participants are offering the community an opportunity to purchase the unique garments to help them get to the North American Fur Fashion Exhibition in Montreal this May. The event is the only fur trade show in North America.

Last year, student Meeka Kilabuk attended the trade show and won first place for her jacket design.

“This year, we decided that it would be beneficial for the whole group to participate for this show and have the opportunity to visit and see what’s happening in the fur industry outside of Nunavut,” said senior instructor Diane Giroux.