Local Fm station

We have a local FM station here in Salluit. It plays some of the old time music, but in Inuktitut not the English I am use to. I will find myself singing along to an old Johnny Cash tune, half in English and half in Inuktitut. The same with the hymns.

We learn our local news from the FM. If I need to find someone I call the FM. Twice someone has left school with my keys so I call the FM and tell them I need my keys. Everyone in the village is then on the lookout for Marc or Lissie to tell them Pearl needs her keys.

Today the FM announced that it is illegial to ride a bike while drunk. One lady called in to ask if it was illegial to drive a tricycle while drunk. In the staff room we were all wondering who these people are driving bikes and trikes while drunk. Then the penny dropped. Perhaps my bike riding was so bad the other day that someone thought I was drunk.. now that would be a good one. I have done several silly things in my life time, but ride a bike after drinking is not one of them. And not in a small village like this where every one knows who I am. I can be a bit silly but I am not totally stupid... well at times, but not this time.

The students are tired these days. It is difficult to get much school work done. I am tired as well but looking forward to a long week-end. Warmer weather has finally arrived. Our snow is disappearing quickly . We have strong winds to-day but they are warm winds. I have changed out of even my lightest down jacket and into my wool lined barn jacket. I am still wearning lined leather gloves but no longer my seal skin mitts. AND best of all I am not wearing the winter boots. My God they get heavy after 8 months. Most likely we will have a few more snow storms as it is only May but they won't be the worst that Mother nature has for the North.

This is the last day that Annie will be principal. There is a major division between the southern based staff and the Inuit teachers. The stress of all this has been hard on Annie. The Inuit staff have not joined our Prayer Circle each morning. The southern based staff find this a wonderful way to start the day but not so the Inuit staff. In the Prayer Circle we celebrate the accomplishments of our students and encourage the students to try again. As a teacher I leave our circle most mornings willing to try again that day . Most days I lose courage and wonder what it is all about by the 3:30 bell. . But the next day's circle gets me going again. It is a wonderful time to showcase the victories that we do have in the classroom.

The loss of our school Mother will be a major blow. I have always felt appreicated by Annie. I felt that she knew how I was feeling and how to help me when I was down. She has a great sense of humor and is a great listener. What ever I wanted to try she was all for it. This year she had made a major effort to learn French so she can communicate with the French teachers. Education is so important to her. To see her with the children is a very special time. She knows and loves all the students. This morning as we left the Circle she hugged and kissed each student and teacher. She was so pleased to see my student Eliyah who rarely comes. No harsh words were spoken, she was pleased to see Eliyah and praised her for coming this morning. That is the way to a child's heart.

The school will not be the same. We need more Inuit teachers and principals, not less. Our schools would have more success and would be a more comfortable place if we had more Inuit leaders in our schools. Education and Culture would thrive. More and more we are turned towards the goals set by Quebec City and not the goals of the Inuit people. Our educational objectives are set by people , tho' well-meaning, know little of the real North. Although our school board employs many Inuit the power is held by white educators, again well meaning, but with little real teaching time in the North. They travel to the North but do not live north of Kuujjacq. Our educational commissioners too often defer to the board. I suppose I should discontinue this line of writing as I might find myself fired by KSB again. But the loss of Annie will be felt for a long time.

Today we went off to the Norther together , me clinging to the back of the 4 wheeler, praying we made it.