Schools on Board: A Warm Welcome in Kugluktuk

October 5, 2011

In the morning, we crossed the street to go to the elementary school to give the students a presentation about our experience on board the Amundsen. We didn’t realize we’d be presenting to such a young audience, but we did a good job adapting our presentation on the spot. It was nice to hear the students ask so many insightful questions.

A science teacher at the high school then took us for a hike near the Coppermine River, just outside Kugluktuk. He explained the geological history of the area to us, which was much different than learning from a textbook because we were actually standing on the rocks he was telling us about. We came back and presented to the high school students.

We also went to the grade 7 Inuinnaqtun class. An elder in the community told us some Inuit legends and explained the way she lived as a child. I find it remarkable to see how well the Inuit have adapted to a living a Western lifestyle in such a short period of time.

In the evening, we had a community feast. The students performed traditional dance routines for us, and we also had some demonstrations of Arctic sports. We then had a meal with some of the students and other members of the community. I got to try some Arctic char! What a great way to end our stay in the Arctic! —Karen Butt ’12