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Archaeology

Archaeology week

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Avataq’s Field School Students

During the excavation of IbGk-3 (Drayton Island located south of Inukjuak), in the summer of 2008, a discussion was started about the possibility of creating a new project to promote cultural heritage amongst the youth of Nunavik. The cook for the camp was Alacie Nalukturuk, president of Kativik School Board (KSB); she participated in the discussions. During these discussions, a tentative plan was drawn up for a collaboration between KSB and Avataq to create a pilot project for Field School Students who showed enthusiasm and interest in either their cultural heritage or pursuing a career in Archeology.

The project would show the students what types of work happen after the field excavation, and provide information about post-secondary education as well as possible careers in related fields. The first year of the project was considered the pilot year: if all went well, this would become an annual event for Avataq and KSB, similar to KSB’s Science Camps. This would not only encourage high school students from Nunavik to apply to Avataq Archæology Field Schools, but also aid in the transition from Northern village to post-secondary institution.

The funding for this project came from the SSHRC, the Community University Research Alliance (CURA Project), the Kativik School Board and Makivik (who provided a considerable airfare reduction). The project was coordinated by Andrew Epoo, assistant lab technician with Avataq’s Archaeology department. Collaborations with the Kativik School Board were facilitated by Sarah Airo and Elias Moukannas. Dave McMullen, a pedagogical counselor in Math and Science with KSB, offered his services as chaperone for the visiting students.

Six students participated in the pilot year of the program. Four of them came from Inukjuak and 2 from Ivuijivik. The students from Inukjuak had two years of field work experience while the students from Ivuijivik had one year of experience. The Trip took place from April 10 to April 18. The dates of the trip were chosen to match those of Easter break and thus the participating students would not miss any school time.

The first couple of days were organized to allow students to get an orientation to Southern life and participate in some group building activities. They also had some time to shop. The remaining days were devoted to exposing the students to as many different aspects of Archeology as possible. These included not only museums but also University institutions. The participants also had the chance to visit the post secondary facilities operated by KSB.

The main purpose of these activities was not only to show what happens to artifacts after being excavated, but to also present them with the different paths available in Archaeology and its related fields, as well as to compare and contrast the differences between living in a city compared to a northern village. The students visited Avataq’s Montreal office, it’s storage facility (CDCM), John Abbot and Marie Victorain CEGEPs, the Museum of Fine Arts, Redpath Museum, The university of Montreal’s Archeology department, McCord Museum and the Museum of Civilization in Hull. For the majority of the visits, museum curators specializing in the Arctic conducted the tour of the facility and answered the students’ questions. This proved to be a highly rewarding experience for all involved.

Avataq has a mandate to promote and preserve Inuit Cultural Heritage, and to encourage and support the young Inuit of Nunavik in their educational endeavors. With the support of Kativik School Board and other local organizations, this pilot project fulfills these mandates. The students not only learned more about their cultural heritage, but have also seen what paths they can pursue in education.

by Dave McMullen and Andrew Epoo