Umiujaq teacher showcases community’s youth in new movie

With scenic views of Umiujaq’s winter landscape spliced against the words of the community’s passionate youth, teacher Mirka Castonguay-Cusson captures a unique perspective in her new movie, Umiujaq — Through the Eyes of its Youngest.

“We always hear about the negative in Nunavik,” said Castonguay-Cusson in French, from her home in Umiujaq.

“I really wanted to accentuate the positive in the students’ life, I wanted to create a memory for them.”

With that in mind she applied for funding at New Path Education, a youth development and entrepreneurship program, and received $23,780. That allowed her to hire a videographer to film in Umiujaq.

“I wanted to bring out all the beautiful aspects of Inuit culture,” she said.

The result is a 30-minute film featuring children as young as six years old and young adults up to age 25. Most of them demonstrate what they like to do each day.

They take the viewer along for the ride, in one case going deep into the land to hunt a caribou, and in another following a young dogsledder training his small pack of dogs.

“I started dogsledding when I was 12 with my grandpa, since then I always tried to have a team, but never worked out,” said a 24-year-old dogsledder in the film.

“But this time, it’s working.”

The movie shows the team of three dogs, which the young man said he wants to see grow to a team of 12 to 14.

Youths are also filmed ice fishing, making suvalik (a sugary meal made with fish eggs, oil and berries) and playing hockey.

Umiujaq — Through the Eyes of its Youngest premiered in Umiujaq on May 29 and was welcomed by a great reception from the community, according to Castonguay-Cusson.

It’s now available to watch on YouTube.