IQALUIT
Born in Pangnirtung and having travelled around the world, Clara Akulukjuk believes a large part of her role as an educator is preserving Inuit culture.

"The only limits you have are the ones you set," says Clara Akulukjuk. The teacher from Pangnirtung has just been chosen to help lead a cultural afterschool program at the Unikkaarvik Centre in Iqaluit. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

"Here in Nunavut, from my experience, I didn't see a lot of Inuit teachers in my hometown," said Akulukjuk, who pursued higher education in Ontario and Nunavut.

"I really thought that we Inuit needed more teachers in our schools because it's important to teach our students our mother tongue, our culture and our beliefs. Today, I see a lot of Inuit who are becoming teachers in Nunavut, which is really good."

Akulukjuk began her education in early childcare development in Ontario and is currently in the Nunavut Teacher Education Program at Nunavut Arctic College. She's also volunteered to help children in the schools twice in Costa Rica and once in Nicaragua.

Recently, she was selected by Nunavut Arctic College to be one of the two leaders, along with Caroline Ipeelie-Qiatsuk, of a cultural afterschool program at Unikkaarvik Centre in Iqaluit.

"Our goal is to teach the children our cultural beliefs, cultural traditions, traits and also different things that they may not learn in school," said Akulukjuk.

Classes just began on Friday, Oct. 16, and she's hoping more parents sign up their children for it. The program will help youth learn from traditional beliefs combined with today's modern cultural ways.

Akulukjuk, who has received a number of scholarships and worked in the Joamie and Nakasuk schools in Iqaluit, said she encourages more Nunavut Land Claims Act beneficiaries to pursue their careers.

"I'd encourage other people that if they want to be something in their future, there's no limit," she said.

Despite going to school in Ontario and visiting exotic countries like Costa Rica, there's no hesitation when Akulukjuk calls Nunavut home and where she wants to stay.

"It's my hometown, my homeland," she said. "I speak very fluently in Inuktitut and I believe that's what children need to be taught more and more in this generation."

Her mother and sister are both teachers as well, and her goal is to have a master's degree like her mom one day.

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