Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, residents will have new opportunities to learn traditional Inuit skills this fall through two programs offered by Ilitaqsiniq. The organization is planning a five-week evening kamik-making program and a caribou harvesting program for adults aged 18 to 30.
Ilitaqsiniq, formerly known as the Nunavut Literacy Council, runs about 50 programs each year across the territory. The workshops will take place at the Quluaq Centre in Rankin Inlet, a community hub named in honour of Elder Catherine Quluaq Pilakapsi, who worked with the organization until her passing in September 2024.
The kamik-making sessions will teach participants the craft of traditional Inuit boot making through hands-on sewing work. The caribou harvesting program will focus on harvesting skills, following the model of Ilitaqsiniq’s existing food and harvesting offerings where Elders and hunters guide participants through skinning, butchering, and preparing traditional foods.
“We address the economic, social and systemic issues Inuit face in our territory by providing innovative and culturally meaningful programming,” the organization states. “We focus on wellness, quality of life, and the ability to support a capable, confident, and self-sufficient Nunavut.” About 85 per cent of people who complete an Ilitaqsiniq program go on to further work, training opportunities, or start their own business, according to the group.
The workshops are part of a broader effort to pass on traditional knowledge and strengthen cultural ties in the Kivalliq region. They also build on existing programs like the Miqqut sewing initiative and the Niqiliri food and harvesting program, both of which have drawn participants from across Nunavut. Registration details for the fall sessions are expected to be released through Ilitaqsiniq’s community channels closer to the start date.
