Youths from 5 Nunavik communities set for 5-day ski expedition
Trip will promote outdoor skills and cultural learning
Nurrait — Jeunes Karibus participants take part in a ski expedition in Umiujaq last year. (Photo courtesy of Dominique Paradis/Nurrait — Jeunes Karibus)
Youths from five Nunavik communities are heading out on a five-day ski expedition in Kuujjuaq next week.
Nurrait – Jeunes Karibus is a program offered through local schools that organizes on-the-land activities for young people across the region.
School teams from Umiujaq, Inukjuak, Ivujivik, Kangiqsujuaq and Tasiujaq will leave March 2 and return on March 6. In total, more than 40 people will make the trip.
“We’re going to ski from campsite to campsite and sleep in tupik, traditional tents,” said program co-ordinator Olivier Mercier.
Nurrait – Jeunes Karibus is a non-profit organization funded by Makivvik, the Kativik Regional Government and Quebec’s Ministry of Public Security.
Since its inception in 2014 through 2024, the program has engaged 1,284 youths from across Nunavik, hired 120 Inuit guides to help with expeditions and delivered 2,734 on-the-land activities.
Mercier said while guides help ensure safety, transport equipment and set up camp, their primary role is to share their knowledge of camping, fishing and hunting skills and cultural traditions.
The expedition is open to students from Grade 7 to their final year of high school, but younger students in grades 5 and 6 participate through an initiation stream focused on learning to ski and ending with a local camping outing, Mercier said.
In 2016, Nurrait – Jeunes Karibus expanded to include the Tuttuit program teaching youths ages 14 to 16 to be team leaders and get job opportunities after high school.
Another program, Ikaartuit, offers a 30-day carpentry internship or a 10-day kayak expedition in the summer to young people ages 14 to 30.
All three programs are delivered across the 14 Nunavik communities.
Mercier said the Kuujjuaq expedition will be screen-free to encourage youth to unplug from their phones and tablets and build healthy habits.
“I hope the students get a sense of achievement — the idea that if you work toward something, you can achieve it,” he said.
Why are people from out of region still running the program? Was there not a sustainability aspect to the program or is it just a way for southerners to keep coming up? I see so many projects where non-locals apply for major funding and beg the big orgs to provide housing. Go start a youth project at your own homes.
NN , please tell your journalist here that the plural for youth is YOUTH nou youths
You must have been a peach to work for. Enjoy my anonymous name.
John, you’ve never seen ‘My Cousin Vinny”. New York Accents, Judge (Fred Gwynne): “The 2 youts”. Joe Pesci asks “Did you just say youts? Very funny part of the movie.
Not (not nou). I hate this phone
Sounds great, maybe invite a Norwegian athlete to join the group sometime; They excel in cross country ski ing, and swept up the medals at the Olympics… again.
You paying for their air fair