Pang seeks pre-school stories in writing contest

Preschoolers in Pangnirtung can look forward to a made-at-home bedtime story following the community’s first storybook contest.

Mainiqisivik Pairivik, the local daycare centre, is looking for Paniqtuumiut authors to pen a story for children between two and five years of age.

Inuit parents and educators across the region have long complained about the lack of culturally relevant, Inuktitut-language resources across the region.

The board of directors at Mainiqsivik Pairivik felt the same.

Daycare treasurer Ryan Oliver said the group was motivated to launch the contest after seeing the publication of the children’s book Alego by Cape Dorset artist and writer Ningeokuluk Teevee in 2009, as well as a recent translation of Robert Munsch’s Mortimer into Inuktitut.

“We were inspired by that,” Oliver said. “It’s the idea that we can promote literacy and the Inuktitut language and provide an opportunity to the community at the same time.”

Paniqtuumiut who hope to submit a piece should write “in the language they’re most comfortable,” Oliver said — be it Inuktitut, English or French — although the final version will appear in Inuktitut.

The finished product will be professionally published and illustrated by artists from the community’s renowned Uqqurmiut Inuit Artist Association.

The contest is open to any Pangnirtung resident who can write.

The story should be geared for a preschool audience, Oliver said, should be no longer than 15 pages and should be education and entertaining.

“I think the majority of stories we’ll get will be culturally relevant,” Oliver said, “but if someone comes up with a great story about a dragon and a unicorn, we don’t want to limit them.”

The winning submission will be selected by a jury made up of daycare staff, board members and Uqqurmiut artists.

The winning author will also receive a $1,000 cash prize.

The GN’s Health Children Initiative fund and the Nunavut Literacy Council have both provided funds for the contest.

Writers can submit their text to Mainiqsivik Pairivik (to the attention of Jenny Nakashuk) in person, by fax at (867) 473-8048 or by email at pangbookcontest@gmail.com.

Deadline for submission is March 10, 2011.