May 28, 2026

 Hello everyone:

It is over.  Yes, really this time, 4 years in the great north has taught me so much, that now I think I am ready for the next part of my life--what ever that will be!

Yesterday was certainly a time of reflection of what it is like to be Inuit, and what it is to be discriminated, and treated poorly.   If you open your eyes and your heart, you can see it, feel it and smell it by actually living it, day to day. The life these people live isn't what we imagine or momentarily see on the news. It is a people that are struggling to find their place in such a rapidly changing world.

Last night was the biggest graduating class that the school has had in years.  9 students, including one girl, received their fully graduation, with 7 of them, including the young lady, moving forward to pre university in Montreal.  Pre university is where Inuit students hone their English and French language in preparation for post secondary education.  What an achievement.  I was invited to sit with a family whose first son was graduating.  The mom was my teaching assistant when I was here two years ago, and her husband is involved in local government.  They were so proud of their graduate.  He is going on to college and will stay with a friend at his step-mother's place in Montreal.  Education is very important to these folks, although it is hard to see this when you are in the trenches.   The next son to graduate, hopefully in another year or two, is busy as a full guide, hunter and fisherman, trained through the Inuit Guide training program.  His dad proudly told me he had hunted over 120 Canadian geese these last few weeks, with the bounty largely going to the community freezer.  Having said that, they both tell me stories of their day to day struggles, the discrimination they face with the medical system, the fresh water issue, the poor housing and the list goes on.  Yet through this, there they were with family member from across the country, flying in, to celebrate graduation, and with me as their guest.

Having said this, as a teacher in the trenches, you can quickly become disillusioned very quickly about what you are doing.  Absenteeism is very high.  It is extremely difficult to maintain curricular advancement when students don't show up, come under the influence or show attitude.  It is like one step forward, and many steps backward, everyday.  Connecting with parents is difficult, and there is always that language, customs and trust barrier to navigate.  Combine that with isolation, brutal weather, and water and housing issues, life is not easy.  Where education seems to stand in Maslow's Hierarchy of  Needs is questionable.  

Our school took a big hit when  a staff member committed suicide in the spring, as I told you.  Soon after this unspeakable tragedy, 2 teachers, our school councillor and vice principal took extended health leaves.  The senior French science and math teacher had to return from her sick leave to prep students for the final exams.  A very difficult time, yet, school continued, and every  remaining staff member contributed to completing the year and made the graduation a huge success.  This included a huge feast, formal graduation pictures taken by a staff member, and a cap and gown ceremony.

The turmoil of living here is like a text book case of Chaos Theory.  Somehow, inspite of everything, the job gets done.  More students are graduating, and life goes on.  I think that as more Inuit graduate, they will gradually take over these communities and move to self determination.  It will not be the quallunaat, pronounced haluant, way, it will be the Inuit way.

I was very humbled at the elementary assembly yesterday morning.  At the very end, with no warning, I was invited to the stage, and  was presented with a soap stone carving of a polar bear.  The stone was from a nearby community, Aupaluk, and it was carved by our Center Director's late uncle.  His name is Kudluk, and was one of the noted carvers of the last 20 years.  What a great honor this was.  The joke was, I came to the Arctic to see the Polar Bear, but it always eluded me!  So, I can now see the Polar bear!

It has been a roller coaster ride, and I will be glad to get off.  It is time for someone else to take this joy ride!!

See you soon.

The graduation class.

Proud parents

Center Director and my Polar Bear

Kindergarten and grade 6 graduation

Matthew helping me make my contribution to the potluck. Scallop potatoes in the slow cooker.

Snow finally going, ice melting.

Our thankyou card and home grown lettuce given to our leaders.

Just 2 weeks ago--a huge blizzard!!

Our future.

A little spring bird.

My little window garden.  The tomato slice actually came up!!!