• A portrait of Kent Driscoll.

    About the author

    Kent Driscoll

    A longtime Iqaluit resident, Kent Driscoll has two decades of experience in community journalism throughout Nunavut. He is Ampere Canada’s Director of Communication, Advocacy and Partnerships.

Inuit Culture

Inuit culture is an everyday part of life in Nunavut. Protecting and promoting that culture was one of the reasons Nunavut was founded on April 1, 1999. Inuktitut isn’t just a language – it is an entire way of looking at the world. The Ampere Iqaluit Makerspace aims to combine STEAM with culture to the benefit of both. Let’s see what the Makerspace kids have been learning at Inuit Science Camp.

A youth holding seaweed

Clam Digging

When the tide is low and the weather cooperates, clams are a valuable part of the Nunavut food chain. This young student discovered this first-hand, but he may have to give this little clam some time to grow up. In Nunavut waters, you can find clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops and sea urchins. Any food that comes from the Nunavut land or sea is known to Inuit as “country food.”

Plant Collage

During Inuit Science Camp, Ampere Iqaluit Makerspace learners go out on the land to collect plants. The youth bring them back to the Makerspace and make collages. This is a great way to learn about the over 40 edible plants found in the Eastern Arctic alone in a fun way.

A youth making art on construction paper with plants
A group of youth posing for a photo with a river in the background

Land Meets Sea

The students are at a very popular spot in Iqaluit, Sylvia Grinnel Territorial Park. Here, the water meets the land in a beautiful waterfall. All summer long, these falls have anglers trying their best to snag an arctic char. The Inuktitut word for fish is “Iqaluk”.

String Games

All through Inuit Nunangat, string games like this one are more than a way to occupy time. They are used to share stories. They’re also great for hand-eye coordination, problem-solving and fine motor skills. In Inuktitut, these games are known as “ajaraarusiit.”

A youth holding string in her fingers forming a design
A youth looking out a window, holding a piece of paper to the window

The Land is Everywhere

Wherever you go in Nunavut, the land – or “nuna” in Inuktitut – is everywhere. Here, one of our students looks out the window of the Iqaluit Makerspace and draws what they see. Inuit art is famous worldwide, and much of it is inspired by the Inuit connection to the land.

This article originally appeared in the twelfth issue of Root & STEM, Ampere’s free print and online STEAM resource supporting educators in teaching digital skills

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