“Award ceremony” the power of positive reinforcement

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The Inukshuk, Rankin Inlet
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Aerial view Rankin Inlet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I have had the priviledge to experience the annual awards ceremony at Miss C, my grand-daughter’s school, Leo Ussak Elementary School, Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.

I am sure that this ceremony is much like many others celebrated around Canada at this time of the year where pupils, teachers, parents, relatives and friends and especially community elders alike attend to celebrate the end of another year and to honour the achievements of the pupils and farewell the teachers that are parting.

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Miss C first day of school at Leo Ussak Elementary School 2013

As I looked round the gymnasium I saw the faces of the children, filled with pride,  wonder and expectation. For me, this was unexpectedly emotional bringing tears to my eyes. This always takes me by surprise but seeing the joy in children does this to me. Apart from the the fact that Miss C got the award for Best effort in her class, to see all these young children beam with pride as their names, many of which are incomprehensible to my ear, were called to receive their award and also to see the pride that shone on the faces of their parents.

Inuit love their children. This seems like a truism, but it’s reinforced by a degree of open and very physical affection that is showered upon young children: from mothers carrying their babies in their amautit (baby-carrying parkas), to “aaaaahs” and cooing that seem to arise everytime Inuit with young children meet friends and relatives. Childhood is traditionally a wonderful time for Inuit. Children’s young wants and needs are tolerated more than in most southern Canadian children. Everybody wants to cuddle and kunik (kiss) them.

 

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Assembly line-up at Leo Ussak Elementary School
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Miss C and friends before school
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Students at Leo Ussak Elementary School

 

 

 

 

 

So what was so unexpected? Here in Rankin there is a mix of Inuit, European children and of course many children of mixed marriages, my grandchildren included. The Inuit are a simple people who are also proud of their culture and rightfully so. The contrast for me is huge, having recently left Paris and a culture of priviledge, fashion and the continual push for the newest and latest to arrive here in Rankin where everyone is simply ensuring that they are giving their best to their children and improve so as to be able to both contribute and be part of the larger Canadian peoples, where fashion plays no part in everyone’s daily lives. The teachers are a mix of local Inuit teachers as well as men and women from various parts of Canada.

As in many of the small northern communities, everyone knows everyone, today, the hamlet struggles with the same harsh challenges of being Inuit and also being in the new emerging world as the complexity of everyday life increases with an unprecedented rapidity. Although one of the elements that has enabled Inuit to survive the rigors of life in the Arctic has been their incredible ability to adapt, the speed and degree of change in their society has taken its toll on the people and culture.

 http://www.nunavut.com/nunavut99/english/change.html

So school has ended for the year here in the north. Yes somewhat earlier than other regions in Canada! This is so that everyone can benefit of the northern summer, short as it is. Many spend time out on the land, stark but with its own unique beauty. The arctic flowers, small and miraculously emerging each spring, the arctic animals, siksik, arctic hare, lemmings, and the vast collection of birds in particular the Peregrine Falcon (Rankin Inlet is the world captial of this beautiful bird) Ptarmigan, Sandhill cranes, Swans, Snow geese, Canadian geese. The many lakes and rivers have melted so fishing galore (if you like that of course). All in all a wonderland of alternative beauty that I feel so priviledged to experience and which I will get to enjoy over the coming month with Mis C, and the twins, Poppet and Buddy.

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