NUNAVUT - In order to help preserve the past for future generations, Becky May put her pen to paper and tried to capture days gone by when Inuit lived on the land in outpost camps.

Becky May, originally from Arctic Bay, entered a national writing contest with a story about the traditional lives of the Inuit. She's seen here with her spouse Dave Han and their two-year-old son Aiden Han. - photo courtesy of Becky May

May entered her short story titled "The Simple Life" in the 2010 Canadian Aboriginal Writing Challenge, a writing contest for aboriginal youth. Entries to the contest had to focus on a theme or moment related to aboriginal history.

"Lately I was just thinking about my grandmother and I always wondered what it would be like to live during that time," said 21-year-old May. She grew up in Arctic Bay and now lives in Brandon, Man., with her fiancé and their two-year-old son. Her parents and other relatives still live in Arctic Bay while her sister lives in Ontario.

The story she wrote focuses on a central character who is 10-years-old and lived in an outpost camp more than 30 years ago. The character is May but in her mother's body.

"I don't even stop to think how I got here or why I'm in my Mother's body because I always wondered what it would be like to be in this life,'" May wrote.

The character lives in a seal skin tent on the land, watches her grandfather make harpoons and learns traditional activities such as how to make kamiik and how to dry a seal skin.

"I dedicate the story to my family," said May, who was 11 years old when her grandmother passed away.

May said her grandmother was a great inspiration to her as was her mother and other relatives. As a child, May said she spent a lot of time with her grandmother on the land camping and doing other activities.

She described her grandmother as having a strong sense of humour, being kind, willing to help other family members and caring and compassionate.

With a passion for writing, May said she wanted to take readers back to a much simpler and quieter time. She found time to write this story when her son was napping and when she got all her cleaning done, she added.

Quttiktuq MLA Ron Elliott sponsored May's story in the contest, which closed March 31. It was open to individuals between 14 to 29 years old. The winner will be announced in June. That individual will receive $2,000 cash and an all-expenses paid trip for two to a major Canadian city to receive their award. While in the city, they will have the opportunity to meet aboriginal leaders and authors. The winning story will be published in Canada's History, a national magazine.

May said the subject of the story is not only important for Inuit, but it is a good opportunity for those who have been to the North to learn about the Inuit culture and way of life.