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AUSUITTUQ/GRISE FIORD
Traditional activities and nutritional information are being paired together through a program in Grise Fiord.

Meeka Kiguktak: "It's a busy little town." - NNSL file photo

Every Thursday since, January, a group of women has gathered together to learn how to sew parkas and amautis. While they are sewing, the women also talk about health-related topics such as parenting skills. On Tuesdays a group of men gather to make harpoon heads and eat the healthy snacks that are provided.

Meeka Kiguktak, a community health representative, organizes the two nutritional classes.

"It's a way of getting a message to the community about health issues," she said.

Kiguktak said the idea of nutrition classes had been discussed in the past, and community members brainstormed about what activities they wanted to include. Parka-making was the most popular suggestion for the women's group.

"It's been steady, it's been good," she said.

Depending on who is in the community, up to 16 women gather on Thursdays nights for the class. The participants range from people who have never made a parka before to those who have experience but still wanted to be part of the group, Kiguktak said.

When the classes started in January, the women discussed what health topics they wanted to cover. During each class, approximately 20 minutes is devoted to one of the topics.

In addition to being a way to share health information, the classes also help build women's confidence by showing them they can make clothing like parkas and amautis, she said.

Kiguktak is the primary sewing instructor for the class but she also gets help from a few other community members.

So far, the women have covered pattern-making and have started sewing. They will be taking a break during March while Kiguktak focuses on healthy meal-making and information on nutrition to fit in with Nutrition Month, and then pick up the sewing again in April.

On Tuesdays, a group of five men have been learning how to make harpoon heads and are almost finished their projects. Kiguktak said men don't usually gather in the evenings for programs like this so the classes have been something new.

Kiguktak hopes to continue the classes in the fall with new projects for both the men and women.

The nutritional classes aren't the only evening activities in Grise Fiord. A sewing group has started meeting on Monday nights, and on Wednesdays there is a quilting group.

"It's a busy little town," Kiguktak said.

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