Nunavut Cultural School

It has been a while since I last wrote...
I almost find it hard to pull something together for an assignment, and a deadline.
Usually I write at the spur of a moment, a moment of pure thought. When I have an epiphany, or realize why things are as they seem. This usually happens in the middle of the night, when I am completely alone with my thoughts, without distraction from the daily activities of life.
My mind never seems to stop...with thoughts about all kind of things in the middle of the night.
Most times I wonder how things work, and why they do!
Anyway, this post has to be related to something we found using our new subscriptions using Real Simple Syndication (RSS) Feeds through Google Reader.
In my Google Reader account, I clicked “Add Subscription” and typed in “Nunavut Education”.
I found something very cool...it brought back memories from when I was in school in Ottawa, three years ago now. The fall of 2006/07.

I took the Nunavut Sivuniksavut first year program, and our 9-4 classes every day were cut up into 7 major classes including: Inuit History, Land Claims, English, Inuit Governmental Relations (IGR), English, Computers, and Inuktitut.

In our IGR class, we were given an assignment to write an essay on the creation of ITK, Inuit Tapirisat Kanataami.

The ITK essay was due on a Monday morning.
Of course, I procrastinated and started drafting the essay on the Sunday afternoon, and I kept working at it for the rest of the evening. I was being picky with words, and just couldn’t get started.

Earlier that week, our class learned about the direct history of ITK, we went down town to the office to take a tour, and we met the president, Mary Simon. After learning all this, and thinking about that week, I became overwhelmed with pride, and wonder “how did they do it?”

I remember tears rolling down my face, and getting frustrated with this essay I had to write that Sunday night. I knew that I had to hand something in the next morning, if I wanted to get the full marks. I have always been a keener, and pushed myself to get good marks in school…school nerd! But it’s because my parents have always pushed me to succeed, and become a better person. Right from when I was born, and especially when I started school, and had assignments to pass in.

Anyway, that Sunday night, I wrote a piece called “The Problem with Passion” and handed it in to my instructor on the Monday morning, instead of the ITK essay. He read it, and told me to do the assignment and write the ITK essay…and then suggested I share the piece of writing. I agreed, and thought others should read it too. In that paper, I wrote this paragraph:

It just amazes me, how much work had to be put into all this – into Nunavut.
It bugs me though, that a lot of young people don’t realize it. People don’t know,
because they really aren’t taught in schools or elsewhere. It’s because our education
system still follows the Alberta Curriculum, and besides having a few courses like
Northern Studies and Aulajaaqtut, we don’t really have the time to learn about our
own history. Some day that will change though.
Now there are Inuit studying to become teachers. The government is
working towards creating an Education Act. There is a Cultural
School being built in Clyde River to keep our traditional ways alive.
There are efforts to promote and secure our identity as Inuit.

The other day, the RSS feed brought an interesting piece to me. The title read:
Traditional skills to be taught at Nunavut's new cultural school

It brought a smile to my face instantly! and I went on to read the article.

I am incredibly happy things are being done.
The cultural school is being built in Clyde River, starting next year.
You can read the whole article by clicking the following web link.
http://www.globecampus.ca/in-the-news/article/traditional-skills-to-be-taught-at-nunavuts-new-cultural-school/


I hope you are as excited as I am to learn about the future of our homeland.
Things are changing, and changing very quickly.
Thank-goodness, now we have the opportunity to play an important role in decision-making.
All we need to do is make ourselves aware of what is going on around us, and figure out where we can pitch in.
Everyone is capable, and ajunngi in their own right.
We just need to work together, and look for the betterment in things.
Life is as we make it, and we all will become certified teachers, and play a big role in the children’s lives.
The future of Nunavut is in these children that we can, and already influence.
They could be the ones going to “Piqqusilirivvik” learning our traditional ways.
Ahh, the possibilities of tomorrow are endless!

Anyway, please enjoy that article, and stay tuned!
I may have more assignments to write on this blogger, or have a realization I might share. Thank-you for reading, and please feel free to leave me a comment. I am always happy to get feedback, and hear another perspective.

Qujannamiik,

Kerri Tattuinee