Projects
Hall Beach
Program Name: IQ Literacy Project*
Community: Hall Beach
Program Delivery: Hall Beach Community Learning Centre, NAC
Program Funders: GN Department of Education, Nunavut Arctic College
Goals of the Program:
To strengthen Inuit traditional skills and knowledge in the community of Hall Beach and to give participants an opportunity to learn more about their own town, history, language and culture.
Length of Program: 12 weeks
Description of Program:
The IQ Literacy Project promoted Inuit culture and values through Elders sharing their knowledge and experience and through hands-on workshops on various themes. A project coordinator was hired to plan weekly themes and coordinate the guest Elders and artists who shared their knowledge in workshop format. About 13 hours of workshops were offered per week during the 12-week project.
Throughout the workshops the instructors highlighted and discussed Inuktitut vocabulary that was used in talking about the themes. Stories, interviews and practical demonstrations were recorded and documented so that the knowledge can be used again in future literacy programs.
People came to the events that interested them most. The most popular themes were drum dancing and ajaaja, embroidery, ulu making, ivory carving and town history. As part of the ivory carving workshop, participants went walrus hunting. Other workshops included traditional Inuit games, sewing, astronomy, Thule culture and traditional knowledge. In the traditional knowledge workshop Elders talked about life on the land and participants practiced iglu building and dog sledding.
The students in the Pre-employment Preparing for Change class were able to attend the afternoon events of the IQ Literacy Project and found them a very valuable resource.
Highlights & Reflections:
Practical and evening events were most popular and attracted dozens of people. Elders really enjoyed the experience. Some became very involved in the program and developed a great relationship with the CLC students and staff. Participants in the IQ Literacy Project were impressed at the depth of the knowledge and experiences they gained from the Elders.
Development of the community proceeded from a community interest. Development of the community built on the people’s strengths, not upon the weaknesses and problems. Elders are a great asset and precious resource.
Pascale Dion
Community Adult Educator
* “IQ” is an acronym for “Inuit Qaujimajatuqanginut”. IQ is the past, present and future knowledge, experience and values of Inuit society. It is the Inuit way of doing things.
in collaboration with The Nunavut Literacy Council