Kugluktuk's Saveah Ilgok is the most recent community program administrator to have stepped into her role at the Kitikmeot Inuit Association (KIA).

SA国际影视传媒淚 was interested in running programs in the community,SA国际影视传媒� says Ilgok, SA国际影视传媒渁nd I wanted to revitalize and do more [cultural] programming... I did my first program in December, and it was mitt or glove-making. It was facilitated by one of the Elders here, Mona Totalik... I did get a few participants [who] did some glove making. They wanted to make gloves for themselves, or their other half, or their family. During that week, Mona was teaching us the basic words in Inuinnaqtun for sewing.

SA国际影视传媒淚 myself want to learn how to speak Inuinnaqtun more,SA国际影视传媒� she says, stating she knows a few words from childhood. It was a dream of her grandmotherSA国际影视传媒檚 to breathe new life into the language, SA国际影视传媒渁nd I know other people do as well. Hopefully sometime soon, ISA国际影视传媒檒l be able to get a program running to have someone teach it... ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to have someone from our community to try and teach... the language. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 something I really want to do.SA国际影视传媒�

Now that Ilgok has successfully run a program out of Kugluktuk, she's investigating future options, SA国际影视传媒渁nd not only for women, but for men as well, like sled-making and parka-making.

She joins Mary Ann Qayutinuaq from Kugaaruk and Robin Ikkutisluk from Gjoa Haven, both community program administrators who led similar programs in December.

"The participants learned how to make sealskin mitts and sealskin kamiks from their instructors Sidonie Nirlungayuk and Benedicta Kayaitok," said Sarah Jancke, the KIA's director of social and cultural programming, in reference to the Kugaaruk workshop. "The participants weSA国际影视传媒檙e happy to make something for themselves or their family. They started off with sealskin mitts and then sealskin kamiks. It was nice connecting the community together running this project."

There's plans for many more projects in Kugluktuk and other Kitikmeot communities in 2025.

SA国际影视传媒淭he participants that I had during my first program really enjoyed it," says Ilgok. "They wanted the program to go on a little bit longer... For future programs...after doing my first program, ISA国际影视传媒檓 more comfortable, and kind of [know] what to do and what to expect.SA国际影视传媒�