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I have just returned from a wonderful experience at the Canadian pavilion of the XIII International Winter Road Congress, held February 8 to 11 at the Centre des Congrès in Quebec City. Attendees seemed very impressed by the inukshuk I erected with the help of sculptor Laurent Gagnon.

Before we were able to begin stacking rocks to create the inukshuk, we first had to choose the stones from a quarry on the city’s outskirts. This was done in the weeks leading up to the convention. Once selected, we brought the rocks to the exhibition hall, where each was cleaned. In order to keep the centre’s carpets clean, we did this on plastic tarps. All in all, everything went very well.

Once I had assembled the inukshuk, I was invited to explain its various meanings and uses, a discussion that generated substantial interest. I had also hoped to talk about several items I had brought with me: a pair of kamiik (boots), an amautik (women’s parka) and even some uluit (knives with a half-moon-shaped blade). The conference organizers, however, asked me to limit my presentation to showing and describing the inukshuk. After all, the focus of the conference was solutions for the proper use and maintenance of roads in winter, and the inukshuk serves as a symbolic route marker and directional indicator. Visitors, some from as far away as China and Korea, were nonetheless fascinated by the Inuit objects, which did not in any way distract them from developing an appreciation for how inukshuit (plural of inukshuk) are used. After the Congress’s opening ceremony, the federal Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, John Baird, approached the inukshuk and we struck up a conversation. Like many other participants, he expressed a strong interest in our culture.

I took advantage of the many opportunities I had to mention the important role that the Avataq Cultural Institute plays in the preservation of our traditional culture and Inuktitut, our language. On the whole, I think these efforts were appreciated; but in retrospect, I believe that next time it would be better to bring more promotional materials describing Avataq and its activities.

I was impressed with the entire experience. In my opinion, the inclusion of an inukshuk at such a conference is an excellent idea. Inukshuit have long helped us Inuit to find our bearings, and still do. Inukshuit mark our own network of “highways,” as they usually designate a trail or a destination. Furthermore, it is likely that in the future, we Nunavimmiut will want to develop our own road network to link all of Nunavik’s communities. This would make it much easier to travel between our villages. For this reason, and a host of others, a conference dedicated entirely to winter, roads and transportation is important to us all, even the Nunavimmiut. The fact that we were able to display an authentic inukshuk is also important: as one of our culture’s most important symbols, its display was a significant event, because it showcased our culture for others, which helps to keep it vital.

Finally, I want to express my gratitude to Mr. Louis Gagnon and Mr. Laurent Gagnon for helping me experience this great adventure. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

Charlie Tarkirk