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LONDON, ENGLAND
A team of researchers, elders, and craftspeople from Cambridge Bay and Ulukhaktok began their journey home April 23 after a historical trip to London, England.

Emily Kudlak, researcher from Ulikhaktok, holds drum dance shoes in the British Museum. Kudlak says she had been looking for shoes like these since 2004. - photo courtesy of Helen Balanoff

The trip had been a week full of memories and knowledge-sharing, with a little sight-seeing on the side.

"It was very touching, very heartwarming," said Emily Kudlak, a researcher from Ulukhaktok. "It took a long time for us to get there, a lot of hard work from (Helen Balanoff, executive director of the NWT Literacy Council) to get us there. There were lots of happy tears. We got to see and hold clothing and tools from the mid 1800s that belong to the Copper Inuit, our ancestors."

The trip was part of a larger literacy research project and the goal was to spark memories of lost words, stories and songs by seeing traditional objects no longer in regular use.

"(The forgotten words) are called 'sleeping words,'" said Balanoff. " And, the objects wake up the words."

Kudluk said the goal was realized.

"We used words we haven't used for a long time," added Kudlak. "And, sometimes, have never used before."

The museum allowed the group to directly handle the artifacts, with gloves, giving them the opportunity to look closely at the materials that were used and how the clothing items and tools were assembled. Kudlak said the objects that struck her the most were a pair of drum dance shoes.

"The drum dance shoes, I've been looking for them since 2004," she said. "There are only two elders left in the community who know how to make them. I got to hold them see the stitching, the material, the crimping. It was really touching, knowing the number of dances and songs they'd been a part of."

Kudlak said the bows and tools were also very interesting to see, particularly for traditional toolmaker, Adam Kudlak.

Emily said Adam was also able to give the British Museum more information about the tools they had in their collection. He, as well as other members of the group, could provide the names and identify the materials the tools were made of such as raw copper, bone, and ivory.

"The British Museum actually didn't know a lot about the tools," said Balanoff."

The plaque might say 'spear, 1855" and that's it.

The project's focus now is to share the knowledge with the communities of Cambridge Bay and Ulukhaktok in an effort to rejuvenate lost knowledge and also gather new information from those who may know more about the artifacts but were unable to attend the trip.

"Elders will see the clothing they grew up with and the tools they grew up with," said Emily. "Hopefully triggering words they haven't used in a long time."

The council plans to post pictures and words as audio clips to their website as well as hold elder gatherings and community workshops. The two communities will also be joint-directing a documentary of the footage recorded on the trip.

"The two communities will look at the footage and decide what they want to use," said Balanoff. "The process will go between the two communities acting as directors."

This was the first time to London, England, for everyone in the group, save for two of the council administrators. While Emily and Balanoff simultaneously agreed the trip was a success, they would like to focus on growing the knowledge they've returned with before planning any more journeys.

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