Terin DeWolf: Elders Class

Wednesday afternoon Krisanne and I were invited to the high school to join in the elder's classes that they have there twice a week. The students are divided by gender. The female students work with women elders to learn skills such as sewing and bead work. While the males work with male elders to learn how to use non-power tools (hatchet, hand saw, etc) to create items such as carvings. Both groups are taught about IQ (Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit) principles and are taken out on the land occasionally.

It was so lovely to see the interactions between the students and the elders. The elders used such a natural way of modelling what was needed to be done for the students and then allowing them to practice, rather than "instructing" them on how to sew fur on or chip into the stones they were using. Although all communication was in Inuktitut during these modelling periods, I had the feeling that the interactions were somewhat richer than just that of a teacher to a student.

It was interesting also to listen to the interactions between the students in the class. There was a distinct divide between the students who could not wait to get out of Cape Dorset and explore the world and those that cherished the experiences they were gaining in the classroom and loved where they were from. Having grown up in a small town in BC I could relate to the conversations the students were having. I remember making the move to Halifax and thinking how large it was at the time, but then only a few years later thinking how small it was! The grass always seems to be greener on the other side.

While at the high school Krisanne and I were invited to partake in an Inuktitut class. The students drummed, sang and demonstrated some Inuit games for us. They also tried to teach us some dance moves which were pretty cool and some throat singing techniques. During two of the songs I was surprised to immediately recognize the tune and was able to sing along to the english verses (You Are My Sunshine and Brother John). After they finished Brother John, Krisanne and I sang it for them in french, to which two students joined in, and discussed that this was one of the songs we grew up singing while learning another language also. The experience reinforced my belief that cultural exchanges can happen so easily and fluidly through song, stories and dance.