• ACTUALITÉs

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This year was the third edition of Avataq’s Archaeology Week. Six students from Akulivik, who had participated in the archaeological excavation of the Kangiakallak site on Smith Island, were invited for this activity. The two main goals were for the students to discover what happens to the artefacts after the excavation – how they were catalogued and stored – and to be introduced to different employment options related to the preservation of culture. The students who participated were: Evie Aliqu, Illutak Anautak, Lucassie Aullaluk, Maggie Irgumia, Okituk Amamutuak and Patrick Qiluqi. They were accompanied by teacher Randy McLeod from Tukisiniarvik School.

Among the activities at Avataq, the students were able to discuss their genealogy trees with Martha Palliser, look at historical photographs from their community and explore the encyclopedia of Taamusi Qumaq. Their knowledge in identifying animal species from their bones was tested using the bone reference collection. At the Nunavik museum reserve they discovered the art, ethnographic and archaeological collections, and then played different games developed by Julie-Anne Tremblay, the collection registrar. They had to try to identify the time periods for different types of artifacts, and to use the classification codes to find archaeological collections from different communities.

The following days they visited the museum reserves of the McCord Museum of Canadian History and the Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC), where they met and exchanged with curators and specialists in the preservation of artefacts and the organisation of exhibits: Guislaine Lemay, Patricia Sutherland, Judy Hall and Norman Vorano. Jameson Brant had also introduced them to the Aboriginal Training Program of the CMC. During those visits they had the chance to see some of the most amazing Arctic artefacts ever found in the Arctic from 4000 years ago to more recent period. They also visited the Redpath Museum and the archaeology laboratories of McGill University, where Marie-Pierre Gadoua showed them a collection of Thule Inuit artifacts and they saw the animal bone collection that included an elephant skull and a zebra skeleton. One of the most important activities was the tour of John Abbott College with Jason Annahatak and visit to the Kativik School Board’s residential house there, with the idea that it may be part of their future. Recreational activities were also numerous, including a visit to old Montreal by calèche, an Impact soccer game at the Olympic Stadium, a visit to the Biodôme and Insectarium, and dinner at a medieval restaurant.

Thanks to Andrew Papigatuk from Avataq’s Department of Archaeology, the students had the chance to have all the information in Inuktitut during the whole duration of their trip. This project was made possible with the financial support of Air Inuit, Makivik, Kativik Shool Board and Avataq SSHRC project (http://www.avataq.qc.ca/en/CURA/Le-projet-ARUC). We are grateful to them!