Project raises students' IQ
Qikiqtarjuaq youth learn qamutik and kamik making at school
Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Friday, April 24, 2015
QIKIQTARJUAQ/BROUGHTON ISLAND
For three weeks this past winter, a group of Grade 10 to 12 students at Qikiqtarjuaq's Inuksuit School dug into a cultural project that they might not otherwise do -- making a qamutik for school and kamiit for themselves.
Inuksuit School students in Qikiqtarjuaq built a qamutik and made sealskin kamiit this past winter. Participants in the back row, from left, are Jerry Keyootak, Andy Nookiguak, Colin Kooneeliusie, Maryann Alookie, Jacob Qappik and Sharon Koksiak. In the front, from left, are Jane Aliqatuqtuq, Janet Eetuk, Linda Kopalie, Seemee Pitseolak and shop teacher Jacopie Audlakiak. - photo courtesy of Inuksuit School
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"They don't see this as much as we did before," said Inuktitut teacher Ena Qappik, who got funding from Brighter Futures to run the program.
Three elders were brought in to provide the training.
"Teenagers don't often see this in their homes anymore, so it was an idea so that they could see what our elders did in the past, and also for them to do it for themselves," Qappik said.
It was a new experience that helped strengthen Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) in the community.
"It was the only way they could learn the skills," Qappik said. "They weren't sure what to do unless an elder tells them, 'This is how we did it in the past'. They didn't have any idea. They have to learn how to make kamiks from the start, and qamutik making from the beginning to end, too."
Grade 10 student Seemee Pitseolak helped build a qamutik and a box for his school's use.
"The experience was good," Pitseolak said. "First time making qamutik. We finished the qamutik. It was out yesterday near our shop teacher's house."
He said doesn't think he could do it again on his own, but would like to try again and build one for himself to be able to take out on the weekends.
Meanwhile, the girls had to dig into sealskins, a sensory experience all their own.
"At first, they thought that the seal skins were very strong (smelling)," Qappik said, "but once they started making kamiks, they didn't mind after a while. At the end of the project, most of the students wanted to try different designs and they wanted to continue working on sealskin, from cleaning to stretching and washing. They wanted to do that again in the future."
She hopes to be able to offer the program next year, perhaps expanding it to include more grades. Tent-making and amautik-making are also options, since the school has the sewing machines needed to make them.
