During his trip to the Inuit Heritage Trust in Iqaluit after taking on the Heritage and Culture portfolio, Premier P.J. Akeeagok made a SA国际影视传媒渟erendipitous visitSA国际影视传媒� on Nov. 22 to the workshop next door, which happened to be housing qajait under construction by the Qajakkut Society.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey were speaking about the heritage centre,SA国际影视传媒� says Robert Comeau, Qajakkut Society vice-president and instructor, SA国际影视传媒渟o after the meetings, we went down into the shop thatSA国际影视传媒檚 attached to the IHT [Inuit Heritage Trust] building and we got to show P.J.... the products of some of the programs that we have at Qajakkut. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e lucky that we have IHTSA国际影视传媒檚 support SA国际影视传媒� weSA国际影视传媒檝e had it since the beginning since our existence as a group.SA国际影视传媒�

The Qajakkut Society launched in 2016 with an initial model build after a visit to Greenland showcased SA国际影视传媒渢he vibrant qajaq culture that was maintained in Greenland. They have a very strong qajaq culture, they never lost it like we did, and that was very exciting to us,SA国际影视传媒� says Comeau.

From 1016-2021, the first qajait (the Inuit word for three or more of the vessels), were built in West Greenlandic style SA国际影视传媒渂ecause those were the resources that were available to us at the beginning,SA国际影视传媒� explains Comeau, SA国际影视传媒渦ntil we were able to start working with some Elders from our region. Since 2020-2021, weSA国际影视传媒檝e evolved to start building the South Baffin-style qajaq. Alongside [developing] our own regional style, weSA国际影视传媒檝e been developing regional programs.SA国际影视传媒�

With these programs, the Qajakkut Society works with partners across Nunavut at all levels of government as well as regional Inuit associations and other philanthropic foundations to access funding to deliver programs on building, paddling and hunting with the qajaq.

Working directly with communities, such as this past year in Coral Harbour and Cambridge Bay, SA国际影视传媒渨e were lucky enough to provide cultural programming... so that was a lot of fun,SA国际影视传媒� says Comeau. He also recalls the recent repatriation of a qajaq in Rankin Inlet that the society was then able to recreate.

SA国际影视传媒淪o we were able to bring that qajaq style back to that community. It was a really rewarding build because we got to work with community members, but we also got to paddle with community members. Once we had finished the replication, we hosted a community event where anyone from the community was able to come paddle a qajaq. We had almost 200 people... come down to the beach.SA国际影视传媒�

The Qajakkut Society has more project builds planned for various communities, as well as building the first qajaq made of bearded seal skin.

SA国际影视传媒淯p until now, weSA国际影视传媒檝e been using modern materials like ballistic nylon and polyurethane," says Comeau. "This is a technique that weSA国际影视传媒檝e borrowed from other qajaq builders... it is very efficient... it creates a qajaq that does not need to be attended to for five years. However, recently, some of the Elders have expressed their desire to do a traditional skin on frame.SA国际影视传媒�

Using funds from the Annauma Foundation Community Consensus Granting Program, the Qajakkut Society will be building with traditional materials in 2025, SA国际影视传媒渟o weSA国际影视传媒檙e really excited about that,SA国际影视传媒� Comeau says.

One of the biggest steps forward for the organization came from the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ont., in 2021, which was redeveloping itself at the time.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey know who we are, what weSA国际影视传媒檙e up to,SA国际影视传媒� recalls Comeau, SA国际影视传媒渟o they approached us and asked if we could build a qajaq for them.SA国际影视传媒�

The museum offered to give them extra funding to build two qajaak in the South Baffin style SA国际影视传媒渨ith the understanding that it would be a learning project.SA国际影视传媒� For the grand opening, the Inuit builders were flown south, along with the advising Elders, and a qajaq for display in the museum was taken off the wall and paddled before being returned to display.

SA国际影视传媒淚 thought it was a good example of how a museum can have a cool partnership with Indigenous peoples,SA国际影视传媒� remarks Comeau.

The society works on a contract basis with communities to find the funding to proceed with these project builds, or is approached by the community with funds in hand. From now until March in Iqaluit, ComeauSA国际影视传媒檚 home community, there will be drop-in sessions funded by the Qikiqtani Inuit Association on Mondays from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. and Saturdays, beginning at 3 p.m.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat stems from having spent the year travelling doing projects. We realized we werenSA国际影视传媒檛 doing a lot for Iqallumiut, so thatSA国际影视传媒檚 why we wanted to offer these sessions as opposed to our programs which tend to be longer. These drop in sessions will allow people to come in and see if theySA国际影视传媒檙e interested.SA国际影视传媒�