Dog Sledding Revival Project
(Click photos to enlarge)
Who-- or what-- killed all the sled dogs in northern Quebec in the 1950s? Various theories abound-- including several juicy ones involving the RCMP-- but no one knows for sure. The only thing that’s for sure is when the dogs disappeared from Kangiqsualujjuaq, so did a lot of Inuit pride.
Without their dogs, the Inuit were no longer able to go out on the land to hunt and fish. Stuck in town, many turned to drink and drugs. And although snowmobiles have replaced sled dogs in recent years, substance abuse is a continuing problem in the community.
Then, in 2005, two teachers at Kangiqsualujjuaq’s Ulluriaq School decided to try to re-establish dog sledding in their community through a project called Qimmiit Utirtut, or "The Dogs Are Back."
The two teachers are Mark Brazeau, vice principal of Ulluriaq School, and Daniel Annack, who teaches Inuit culture (pictured below).
Annack involves his students in all aspects of dog sledding, and his enthusiasm is infectious.
One student now owns his own dog team, and plans to race the Ivakkak 2007 across Nunavik this spring, while his fellow students from Ulluriaq School are currently documenting the dog sledding revival project through a project with Quebec Roots.
Quebec Roots is a project that takes place in English schools across in Quebec, where students work with professional authors and photographers to document their community through texts and photographs.
I traveled to Kangiqsualujjuaq with Quebec Roots to help the students with their photography, examples of which can be seen on the student's blog.
It was great meeting the kids, and it was a fabulous opportunity for me to experience life in the Far North, where a single wrinky red pepper costs $3.59...
... where people hang their seal skins in the street...
... and the regional air line has a completely cool name!
Who-- or what-- killed all the sled dogs in northern Quebec in the 1950s? Various theories abound-- including several juicy ones involving the RCMP-- but no one knows for sure. The only thing that’s for sure is when the dogs disappeared from Kangiqsualujjuaq, so did a lot of Inuit pride.
Without their dogs, the Inuit were no longer able to go out on the land to hunt and fish. Stuck in town, many turned to drink and drugs. And although snowmobiles have replaced sled dogs in recent years, substance abuse is a continuing problem in the community.
Then, in 2005, two teachers at Kangiqsualujjuaq’s Ulluriaq School decided to try to re-establish dog sledding in their community through a project called Qimmiit Utirtut, or "The Dogs Are Back."
The two teachers are Mark Brazeau, vice principal of Ulluriaq School, and Daniel Annack, who teaches Inuit culture (pictured below).
Annack involves his students in all aspects of dog sledding, and his enthusiasm is infectious.
One student now owns his own dog team, and plans to race the Ivakkak 2007 across Nunavik this spring, while his fellow students from Ulluriaq School are currently documenting the dog sledding revival project through a project with Quebec Roots.
Quebec Roots is a project that takes place in English schools across in Quebec, where students work with professional authors and photographers to document their community through texts and photographs.
I traveled to Kangiqsualujjuaq with Quebec Roots to help the students with their photography, examples of which can be seen on the student's blog.
It was great meeting the kids, and it was a fabulous opportunity for me to experience life in the Far North, where a single wrinky red pepper costs $3.59...
... where people hang their seal skins in the street...
... and the regional air line has a completely cool name!
posted by Monique Dykstra at
5:08 p.m.
1 Comments:
Monique
It looks as though you've been having fun, I'm envious. I'd love to go up north an see the Inuit environment, dog sledding, polar bears, etc.
If you ever need an assistant, don't hesitate to call.
Ralph
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