Avataq’s archaeology week 2010
By Elsa Cencig
During summer 2009, Avataq’s Archaeology Department carried out an archaeological field school for high school students in Ivujivik’s area. Twelve students were involved in this project, which was led by Susan Lofthouse (Avataq archaeologist). As a follow-up to the field school, Avataq decided to reward some students from Ivujivik for their hard work and their interest in archaeology and Nunavik’s past history.
The result was an “Archaeology Week” (second edition), held in Montreal from April 4th to 10th. Five students were invited: Maina Iyaituk, Makusie Naluiyuk, Levina Kanarjuak, Tomasi Audlaluk from Nuvviti School and Roxanne Kristensen from Ikusik School.
The main goal of this week was to develop the teenagers interests in the preservation of their cultural heritage and to show them the different possibilities of careers as well. We wanted to show them what archaeology involves after the fieldwork and what happens to the artefacts we recovered, including the laboratory work, the conservation techniques and the registration of the artefacts in our Archaeology Database. Elsa Cencig and Pierre Desrosiers (Avataq) were leading the project, assisted by Andrew Papigatuk (Avataq). Pauline Tremblay (teacher, KSB) was also supervising the group. The students visited many cultural centers, including the Avataq offices and a number of museums and educational institutions.
The students were first initiated in laboratory work and the conservation of cultural heritage from a museum perspective at the CDCM, where Avataq stores all of the archaeological, ethnographical and arts collections. Julie-Anne Tremblay and Caroline Simard (Avataq) showed the teenagers the different collections and gave them a short training in artefact’s preservation techniques. The teenagers got the chance to see the wealth of our collection, that represents 25 years of research. They even had the chance to see the original Takuginai’s pets!
The teenagers also toured the Avataq offices in Westmount, where they visited the Archaeology Laboratory, had a short session with the Archive Department, and received their genealogy tree. In addition, the group visited two museums: the McCord Museum (Montreal) and the Canadian Museum of Civilisation (Ottawa), where they were given special tours by museum curators. The students had the opportunity to view exceptional artefacts that are generally not shown to the public. A visit to the Botanical Gardens of Montréal was also arranged with Alain Cuerrier (ethno-botanist), who spoke to them about northern botany as a science and its integration with traditional knowledge, including the different properties of Nunavik plants.
A visit to Collège Marie-Victorin was also organised. The five teenagers were received by Lysanne Lacoste-Guyon (teacher) and by her students, Lisa-Louie Ittukallak, Susan Nulukie, Caroline Tulugak and Josie Amamatuak, who shared their experiences in college and offered a guided-tour of the campus. Finally, a tour at McGill University was organised by Susan Lofthouse. The students visited the campus and toured the various archaeological laboratories (including the Zooarchaeology Lab, Arctic Archaeology Lab, Primate Research Lab, Andean Archaeology Lab and Human Evolution Lab) where they met with many archaeology professors and graduate students.
Indeed, the main purpose of this project was not only to show the students what happens to artefacts after being recovered in the field, but also to introduce them to the different paths available in archaeology and its related fields, as well to expose them to life in a big city like Montréal. Supported by Makivik and Kativik School Board, the Archaeology Week Project became a new educational tool to promote and encourage teenagers to get involved in the preservation of their past history. They learned more about their cultural heritage, and about the possibilities available to them in the educational world and the paths they can pursue in archaeology.
