Fun can be serious stuff
Games part of teaching young people their roles and responsibilities in Inuit society
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, December 14, 2015
TALOYOAK/SPENCE BAY
Fun and games dominated at Netsilik Ilihakvik in early December when students spent a couple of days in the gym learning about Inuit games.
Justin Aqqaq put his all into the one-arm reach. Gym teacher Trevor Smith is in the background. |
Students from the age of seven to 17 took part, said Kevin Eetoolook, the school's language specialist, who organized the activities along with elder Rhoda Nanook and gym teacher Trevor Smith.
"Generally the students know the history of the games. They've been passed on generation to generation. But we also like to bring in instructors who are experts in the Inuit Games to help our students use the skills and techniques properly," said Eetoolook.
One such expert was star Inuit Games athlete Jayko Neeveacheak.
For some students those days in the gym offered a first real taste of what it takes to execute the moves - strength and endurance.
"We also had Rhoda (Nanook) and Sarah Takolik, our elder instructors. They taught our younger students traditional Inuit games with a ball. They're not all about strength and endurance but, also, social games."
Besides teaching the ball game, Nanook and Tokalik resurrected games they played as girls in the 1940s and 1950s.
"It was invented a long time ago," said Nanook. "Girls would jump up and down while touching their toes together. Whoever lasts the longest is the winner. We did a lot of hopping, like touch the back of our knee with our foot. I would touch the back of my left knee with my right foot."
Nanook laughs.
"Well. I'm not very good at hopping anymore but we taught the children how to do this. They seem to enjoy that. It was a new thing for them because they don't really play these games anymore."
Nanook says they played various games.
"The kids at Netsilik school realize the importance of knowing what their great-grandparents have passed down. They want to learn as much as they can," she said. "As Inuit we can't just ignore our traditional ways and values. If we're not doing it today, then there's no one to pass them on. Once we're gone, the Inuit ways and values are gone with us."
Eetoolook explains the two days of games were part of a larger, more important study unit that involved roles and responsibilities for men and boys. This in turn is part of the Inuktitut language program. Other units are devoted to girls and women.
"Men and boys do have responsibilities in Nunavut, in the circumpolar world," he said.
"Men look after their children, their families. Men are providers. Not only for their families, also for the camp or the community. They support and love their children. They respect their wives. They advise their sons on hunting techniques and skills."
Eetoolook lists quite a few practical responsibilities boys need to learn to grow into men, including learning how to help each other.
"And it's important in 2015 to make sure our younger generation know the land and animals and know the values of family and the values of looking after a community," he said.
"We understand we live in a society where we have Inuit values and non-Inuit values. The young Inuit boys become very excited when they are introduced these traditional skills. It's something they can take pride in. And someday they will teach these skills to their own children.
"No matter that we have a computer, a television, a telephone, a cellphone, we still go out hunting. We will continue to eat country foods so we need to teach our young men how to be responsible hunters."
Eetoolook offers an example of the juncture between the traditional and technological worlds.
"On Facebook there's a site called Nunavut Hunting Stories and you see lots of young boys catching their first animal, sharing the meat," he said.
"We're able to use modern and traditional and it's showing that traditional lifestyles still exist through a computer."
Eetoolook expressed gratitude for the instructors and elders for properly teaching the techniques to the students and for principal Gina Pizzo for fostering a school atmosphere that supports Inuit culture and values.
