Snow Day

We received the official call this morning at 6:15 am that school would be cancelled in the morning because of the blizzard.  Unlike in Halifax, when school is cancelled here they only cancel a half day at a time.  Thus we will receive another call from the teacher phone tree between 11 and noon to confirm whether school is on or not.  It is a bit strange being in limbo. It feels like your day can not really get started until you get the afternoon call.

Families and students receive their updates from CBC radio north.  Someone calls the station in Iqaluit and then they relay the information.  Later in the day, someone might go to the station here in town and 'hijack' whatever program is playing to give updates.  This actually happens fairly often for a wide range of reasons.

view across the street one moment

 The blizzard that we are experiencing today is very different from most blizzards I have experienced down south.  There is very little precipitation expected and the main problem is high winds and blowing snow that was already on the ground.  It has been interesting to watch the storm out the window this morning.  One moment everything seems calm and a bit blustery, then all of a sudden the wind picks up and you can barely see across the street.  The weather is also quite warm, still only minus 9 degrees.

Another apparent difference to a storm here than at home is that besides looking out the window and watching it develop you are not constantly bombarded with weather updates.  There are no 'storm tracking' updates, extreme weather reports, or tweets about road conditions. It is a nice change.

then the wind picked up

out for a walk

What to do during a blizzard...cook up some polar bear steaks!

Well today was my first real taste of bad weather here in Cape Dorset.  There have been the occasional foggy or snowy days that quickly wore off about midday, but nothing really extreme or long lasting.  Actually the weather has been quite warm, windless and clear most days.  Well this all changed this morning when I woke up and was informed that there has been a blizzard warning issued for our area.  The blizzard is scheduled to start this evening and last until Monday night or Tuesday morning.

The wind has been howling at 60 miles an hour and throwing snow around all day.  It is amazing to see the landscape change so drastically in just a few hours.  Where there had once been snowmobile tracks and foot paths to follow on smooth ground, there are now piles of snow and exposed rocks.  When the wind buffets you around and blows the snow across your path, it is easy to understand how people can become disoriented and lose their way.

With the bad weather, we decided to stay in tonight.  Krisanne and I were given a polar bear roast by a neighbour and decided to try cooking it up.  The polar bear was caught by one of my student's mother on thursday.  The bear was skinned behind the Co-Op store and hunks of meat were passed out to community members passing by.  When we were given the meat we were informed that we needed to boil it from 2-4 hours before eating.  We were also told that it had a texture like beef but tasted like fish.

So we boiled the meat, which made the whole house reek like rancid gamey meat.  We changed the water a couple of times and this seemed to help the smell.  After the boiling was over, we decided to create a chowder with some of it, since we were told it tasted like fish.  After we got the chowder going we decided to taste some of the boiled meat.  We were all amazed to discover that it did not taste fishy at all, but just like roast beef with a gamey after taste.  The chowder however, smells and tastes very fishy, but also with a gamey after taste. Thus we have all agreed and concluded that polar bear meat, when in liquid smells and tastes like fish, but when cooked and out of liquid tastes like meat.

I am not sure how I feel about having accepted the meat and cooking it.  Part of me was very curious, just like with the frozen raw caribou and walrus.  Another part of me feels extremely guilty as polar bears are a protected animal and there are strict hunting laws attached to them.

Big Night Out

On thursday a number of us decided to go to the Dorset Suites, one of the two hotels in town, for dinner as it would be our only opportunity to do so before leaving.  There are no 'restaurants' or 'fast food' places in Cape Dorset.  There are the two grocery stores and the two hotels.  The Dorset Suites are open daily for lunch, but only two nights a week for dinner (unless by reservation) and the Kinngait Inn I believe does pizza delivery (I am unclear whether they have an eat in option for non-guests).

I had not been inside the Suites before last night, but had heard that they had a lovely carving and print collection, which was on display.  I was not really sure what to expect from the descriptions I had received from different individuals. However, I was delightfully surprised.  The restaurant and hotel rooms (we were able to peek inside one that was open) were much more lavish than I had anticipated.

Although very modern and beautiful there were two things that stood out.  When you entered the building there was a large vestibule in which to hang up your parka, but also store your outdoor boots... meaning that if you did not bring slip ons with you, you were walking around and eating in your sock feet.  This at first seemed to contrast the look and feel of the place, but once you took your seat and realized that other guests were also sock footed, it seemed like quite the natural thing to do.

The other thing that stood out was that our waitress seemed to do a bit of everything.  She took orders, served the tables, answered the phone, dealt with take out orders, and seemed to work in the kitchen.

The contrast between 'high end' aesthetics and the need for functionality was very apparent and quite humorous.  

Vestibule

shoes are optional

Winter Carnival

Today our school had Winter Carnival, an event I had been hearing about since I arrived and had been eagerly awaiting. The students were divided into different mixed grade teams (each team had a child from every grade), and each team was named after a community on Baffin Island. The day consisted of different 15-20 minute stations that included indoor and outdoor activities.  The stations were a mixture of traditional (drum and square dancing, inuit games, igloo building and elder story telling) and 'modern' activities (tug of war/ 3-legged race and tag, sledding, hockey, mural creations, and maple syrup taffy making).

The traditional stations were manned by community members with a school staff member to assist.  It was great to watch the different interactions between the students and community members/elders.  The drum dancing, Inuit games and Igloo building seemed to be huge hits among the students.  It was fascinating to watch the elders slowly and meticulously construct the igloo from the snow just outside the school.  The amount of patience and skill was amazing to witness, especially on such a brisk day.  I also had the opportunity to witness some traditional games that I had not yet seen before.

We had two high school students from Iglulik who ran the square dancing station.  I noticed that a number of the students had difficulty understanding some of their instructions and that team leaders or other Inuit staff had to clarify what they were saying for the students.  I was informed by one of the staff that this was because of their 'accent'.   Once this was pointed out to me and I payed closer attention I did noticed a slight difference in their Inuktitut from what I have become accustomed to hearing.

Overall the day was a huge success and it was heartwarming to see, once again, they way that the community really pulled together to make the day so special for the students.  Without the help and hard work of the elders and community volunteers (students from the high school and other individuals) the traditional cultural element would have been lacking.

Just Go With It

One of the fundamental skills needed by a teacher is to be able to go with the flow.  Within any given day or week you are never sure what might occur within the school, community or with the weather.  Therefore you plan for a regular or average week, then plan some back up activities and lessons to keep in your back pocket for any situations that might occur.

This has never been more true or necessary for myself until I came to Cape Dorset.  Daily schedule interruptions or changes seem to be more common as the community and weather have a greater effect on schools than they do down south.  For example, when there is a funeral or other significant event within the community everything shuts down for a few hours or the whole day, including the schools and stores.   Also, as Cape Dorset is a fly in community, weather has a direct affect on travel to and from other communities.

Today was the epitome of being able to go with the flow, not only within my own classroom schedule, but as an entire school.  Our school has an assembly planned for tomorrow and then winter carnival friday.  Both of these events involves community wide planning - volunteers and parents/guardians. We also have guests coming from out of town to participate in both.  The weather was not good throughout the day and no one was sure if the plane, with the guests, would be able to touch down.  There was also a death within the community last week and we were informed today that the funeral will be tomorrow (if family from out of town arrive) or friday.  All of these changes had and may still have significant affects on school and business scheduling for the next two days, as things may still change and you need to be able to roll with it.

Examples like this bring to light just how much events within a small community, like Cape Dorset, have a greater affect on your daily life than within a larger town or city.  Although you may not be directly involved in a situation, just by being a member of the community you are affected and are thus drawn into the situation.

Mountaineering and Goodbye/Welcome Home Dinner

Colleagues have been telling Krisanne and I that we brought nice weather with us, as most days have been crystal clear with limited wind.  Apparently as the days get longer and the temperature increases the weather around Cape Dorset becomes unpredictable with boughts of fog.  We experienced a bit of fog this week, but nothing very extreme.  This has meant that we have had the opportunity to get out and explore the town as well as hike up Kinngait Mountain yesterday.

The hike was great and not nearly as strenuous as I had anticipated when gazing up at the mountain from town.  The view from the top offered an amazing 360 panoramic of the area and a great arial view of the town.  In the distance it was possible to see the mainland of Baffin Island to the East and Kivallig Region to the West.

In order to get to the backside of the mountain, which is less steep to climb than the front, we had to first approach the old sewage lagoon.  This brought up the question of "where does our sewage go?".  This is something I had been wondering for a while.  Daily a sewage and water truck make their rounds through town emptying and refilling each house.  Due to the extreme weather, bedrock, and permafrost there are no pipes connecting water or sewage to houses.  Each house is allotted so much water until the truck returns (which in Cape Dorset is daily so you do not have to worry too much about running out unless you have a lot of guests showering and doing laundry).  The water comes from T Lake, which naturally filters down into a water storage tank.  The sewage, I just learned, goes into a sewage lagoon/pond just past the dump.  The old sewage lagoon is not used as it was quickly discovered that it would lead to water contamination of the bay below, due to run-off.

After the hike I attended a goodbye/welcome home dinner party for two qallunaats (non-inuit).  One was returning from a couple of weeks spent surveying the caribou population of the Baffin region.  It was fascinating talking to him about what he saw and did not see - he talked about the surprising lack of wolf tracks/wolves throughout the region.  The other is leaving shortly for a short term position in Pond Inlet.  Although I have only been here for a few short weeks I am constantly surprised and warmed by the fast friendships I have made throughout the community.  I have had such a positive experience and have felt so welcomed by everyone I have met that it is truly going to make leaving that much harder.

Kinngait

Water Storage Tank

Wildlife protection - Gun and Dog

View from the Summit - Cape Dorset

Stability

On Friday I taught my first Science lesson.  I planned a very interactive lesson in which students had to get up and explore balance and how force affects balance, using their own bodies (balance poses and people applying force from a different directions) and manipulatives (balancing objects with different bases and then using breath to test their stability).  After students had explored the idea of balance, base, stability and centre of gravity they had to create structures using a number of materials.  Their structure was then tested using two various weights.

I was nervous going into the lesson as there were a lot of concepts being explored and it involved great concentration and participation on the part of the students.  Our class is extremely active and I had prepared a back up lesson in case this one fell apart.  I was happily surprised by how well the lesson went over and how involved all of the students were.

However, upon reflection I realize that I was allowing my own fears of failure to overshadow my beliefs in what the students were able to do.  I was falling into the trap of underestimating my students due to my prejudices and lack of experience and time with them.  I am glad that I went forward with the lesson as planned and did not alter it based on my fears.  This experience was definitely a learning experience for me.

Samples of Student Work

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.

Modelling how to sew mini mittens for zipper pulls 

mini mittens

completed bead work hair piece

Animal bones used for creating images/playing and drum in the background

non-power tool carvings

Landscapes

A couple of us took a walk across Dead Dog or Frozen Lake which leads away from town towards the ocean.  The distance itself is not very far - it only took us about 20 - 30 minutes to cross the lake and reach the beginning of the ‘beach’ area that leads down a steep ravine to the ocean. We did not continue down the ravine as the people I was with were hesitant of wild animals (polar bears or foxes/wolves).  We were able to see Icebergs and open ocean in the distance as the day was very clear and sunny. 

A number of things struck me on the walk:

1. Even though we were only a short distance from town I felt as though I was miles away.  The only sound I could hear was coming from us and there was not another sole or building to be seen.  The landscape really became all the more prominent, highlighting just how vast and stark it truly is.  This is a feature that I noticed while in town, but never fully appreciated.  Just by looking at the folds created in the pact snow you could sense the strength and harshness of the wind and it drew your attention to the lack of trees and protection from the elements on the island.

1. I was extremely shocked when the people I was with mentioned that this was the furthest they had ever gone on this walk, even though they have been living in Cape Dorset for nearly two years and it was a relatively easy walk from town.  At first I could not understand why this was the case.  Then it dawned on me, we are in the middle of wild territory.  Although we had a dog with us and a fairly large group, we were not equipped with either a gun or any weapons for protection.  As we neared the sea ice we were actually moving further into polar bear territory.  It really dawned on me at that moment, just how much I am in nature’s backyard. 

1. I realized how my own preconceived notions and inexperience or naivety were still guiding my actions.  Although I had heard stories from local people about how it was not safe to walk too far away from town without protection or a snowmobile, how polar bears are not that uncommon, and how one was just caught this week by a 15 year old boy, I did not think twice about where or how far we were going.  I had this complete belief that I was safe.  Thankfully nothing occurred on our outing, but I hope that in the future I will be more aware of my surroundings and stop taking my safety for granted. 

Windswept

looking back towards town

arctic plants

sea ice and an iceberg

heading home

Cape Dorset Artistry

Cape Dorset is known world wide for its artistry.  I recently heard the statistic that 22 percent of the population is solely employed in the "arts", meaning their sole income comes from print making or carving.  To me this seemed very high at first, but upon reflection and having spent time in the community it no longer seems unreasonable.  Throughout the day and evening individuals will come to your home to sell you (at bargain prices) their carvings, prints, drawings, jewelry, etc.

Today I had the opportunity to visit the Kinngait Arts Studios.  These are owned and operated by the West Baffin Eskimo Co-Operative Ltd. which is the oldest arts organization in the Canadian Arctic.    Before it was founded in the 1960's by James Houston carvers and print makers would sell their works to the Hudson Bay Company/Northern Stores (Southern Owned and Operated) to be sold.  Today the Co-Op is one hundred percent owned and operated by Inuit artists within the community and it works with Dorset Fine Arts, it's Toronto marketing office, to handle southern sales and commisions.

Within the Kinngait Arts studios there are a number of styles of print making that occur today, melding both traditional forms and new modern ways - stonecut, stencil, lithography, engraving/etching/aquatint, and screen print/serigraph.  We were given a tour of the studies and were able to see the different styles being used.  It was interesting to talk to one of the lithographers about the new direction and collaboration occurring within the Co-Op; the lithographers and stonecutters will work together on one piece, which in the past was something that never occurred.  Therefore some new prints may have very colourful backgrounds created using lithography, and then have a stonecut image applied to them.

It is amazing the amount of time, effort and patience that goes into each individual print, regardless of the technique.  Our tour guide was telling us that the Co-Op purchases about a hundred drawings within a year and of those hundred only about 20-30 are actually produced.  Each drawing chosen will only have roughly 50 prints created, after which the stencil, whether it be stone or metal, is destroyed and another one is created in its place.  For example, a single slate block can create about 5-6 stencils, depending on the depth of each carving.

It was such a great honour to have the chance to see almost all of the styles being used and to talk with the artists themselves.

Notice on each of the studio spaces/buildings

One of the last granite stencils made for the world famous artist Kenojuak who passed away in 2013

Apprentice Stonecutter

Lithography

Learning about the Co-Op

Serpentine (soap stone) drummer carving with caribou drum from Cape Dorset carver

QSO PD on Residential Schools

Today I was fortunate to attend a professional development day put on by the QSO (Qikiqtani School Operations) for both the High School and Elementary teachers here in Cape Dorset.  The QSO has been mandated by the government of Nunavut to travel around to all of the schools in the territory to deliver a presentation on the history and impact of residential schools in Nunavut.  The nunavut government has also added the topic of residential schools into the grade 10 curriculum.  Todays session was titled "Understanding the Past - Seeking Reconciliation: Building Hope for the Future".

The session was profoundly moving for myself and the other educators in the room.  The topic of residential schools throughout Canada is not an easy subject and runs deep into the fabric of many communities.  At my table there was a mixture of individuals: three qallunaat student teachers and three inuit teachers, two of which went to school within their own communities and one that attended a residential school in the late sixties/early seventies.  The scope of our discussions was vast due to our life experiences, but I felt that we each learned a great deal from each other.  The way that these women   and everyone that attended the session opened up to us and shared their stories was a great honour.

Having taken a northern history class at the Mount and reading many stories about residential schools across Canada I had assumed I was fairly prepared for the topic.  However, listening to the stories of my colleagues today and the many testimonials we viewed, I was not fully prepared for the mixed emotions I myself would feel throughout the day - shame, sadness, anger, happiness, camaraderie, etc.

Not all of the stories being shared were negative, actually, a number were very positive.  But, as the day went on, even the positive accounts had a darkness to them. Everyone seemed to agree that there was a disconnect from each other that resulted from the schools.  And that it was felt by everyone in the community, not just by the individuals who attended the schools.  It is this disconnect or gap that is still having profound effects on communities today.

Being a student teacher hoping to find a job in Northern Canada, preferably in Nunavut, I felt that this session was extremely important.  I also recognize however, that this sort of session is important to any Canadian, regardless of whether you want to work in the North.  This is part of our shared legacy as Canadians, and it is our responsibility to educate ourselves on our history.

Moving Forward Exercise

Days Agenda

Essential Question - Focus Point

Some Reading Material on Residential Schools in Canada:

• My Heart Shook Like a Drum - Alice Blondin-Perrin
• Fatty Legs - Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
• A Stranger at Home (Fatty Legs Sequel) - Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
• Living in Two Worlds - Therese Remy-Sawyer
• Shi-Shi etko - Nicholas I. Campbell
• Shin-Shin's Canoe - Nicholas I. Campbell
• We Were So Far Away
• As Long As the River Flows - James Bartleman
• Goodbye Buffalo Boy - Larry Loyie
• Indian Horse - Richard Wagamese
• We Feel Good Out Here - Julie-Ann Andre
• We Need to Know Who We Are - Paul Quasa

Land Trip

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to spend a day out on the land with members of the community here in Cape Dorset.  Yesterday was the first official "Cape Dorset fishing derby".  There would be cash prizes for three categories of fish - largest (or longest), smallest and most amount caught.  There are other communities in Nunavut that have yearly fishing derbies, and Cape Dorset is hoping to join that category.  Everyone gathered in town and headed out to the lake in a convoy of snowmobiles and qamutiik's.

It was nice to see that there was a mix of individuals attending the derby, from infant to elder.  When we reached our destination and everyone had claimed their fishing spot, holes were dug in the ice using gas powered drills and a communal snack/warming up tent was set up near the center.  Before fishing commenced there was a short prayer spoken in Inuktitut and then each sort of 'family group' gathered around their area and had a pre-fishing meal which consisted of raw frozen caribou leg, walrus meat, bannock, and a hot drink. One person was in charge of cutting the meat and then several women cut the chunks into smaller pieces using their ulu's.  We were graciously offered food and beverages from multiple camps.  There was a stark contrast between the traditional land food and the bags of chips, Planter's peanuts, chocolate bars and cans of coke also being passed around.

During the derby itself it seemed that it was mainly the elder community members that stayed near their fishing holes and spoke to the fish, while a number of the younger community members would take off on their snowmobiles to hunt in the hills surrounding or play games driving around the ice.  While speaking to a number of the older community members throughout the day, this seemed to irritate them quite a bit.  The constant noise of the machines seemed to echo throughout the area.

Although there were few fish caught, the experience was amazing.  To have the opportunity to get out on the land with so many community members and to be welcomed by everyone really has helped to make me feel comfortable here.

Our Qamutiik for the day

Convoy

Ice patterns

Caribou for Community Feast on the Land

The Lake

super modern qamutiik

Looking for fish down the ice hole