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Students switch places, but stay northern

Polar exchange program links Nunavut, Finland

JANE GEORGE

Laura Tuominen works on a jewelry project at Nunavut Arctic College's arts and crafts centre (PHOTOS BY JANE GEORGE)

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When Laura Tuominen walks from the Ukkivik student residence to Nunavut Arctic College's arts and crafts centre in downtown Iqaluit, she wears a white fur bonnet decorated with a line of red material that looks northern, but, at the same time, foreign to Iqaluit.

Since January, Laura, a student of traditional arts and crafts at the Saami Educational Centre in Inari, Finland, has been studying at Arctic College.

Laura is the first exchange student to come from northern Finland to Nunavut as part of the University of the Arctic's North2North exchange program.

Laura found out about the possibility of an exchange to the NAC after one of her teachers visited Iqaluit in December and came back with examples of work produced by fine arts students.

Laura crafted these knives as part of her course at Inari's educational centre.

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Within a few weeks, Laura was in Iqaluit, where she'll stay until April.

"It would be so great if it was for a year," Laura says.

Apart from the lack of trees, she doesn't find the scenery too different from Inari. And people, she says, are quite similar - "we're all northern."

However, Iqaluit is more like a "small city" for her, unlike the community of Inari, which has a population of only 600.

And Iqaluit's housing, at least in Laura's opinion, seems to be more modern than that in Inari, while its level of social problems isn't any worse than what she's used to seeing back in Finland.

Every day, Laura can be found working on projects at the college's studio. To date, these have included a silver pin, a chain and a couple of small ivory carvings. She's eager to start a sealskin sewing class, since sealskin is not used in landlocked northern Finland.

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These Saami boots, made from reindeer leather, and the hand-woven belt were made by Laura.

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Back home in Inari, Laura works in wood, leather, bone and wool - all products of a culture that's located on the edge of the tree line and based on the reindeer.

"We go out into the forest," she says, "looking for the right roots."

Tree roots are widely used in Saami woodworking. But while the materials are different, Laura says being an artisan is the same experience in both regions: you spend a lot of time creating a unique piece, from the moment you go out searching for the material - be it stone, ivory, antler or wood - to the many hours spent creating it.

"But all the tourists see is the price," Laura says.

The impressions and knowledge that these students will bring back home is intended to create new links between the North of Canada and Europe.

"It's a rare opportunity," said Linda Pemik, director of academic affairs at the NAC.

Accustomed to working with wood, antler, leather and wool, Laura is learning how to make links in a necklace at Nunavut Arctic College's arts and crafts centre.

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And it's one she says the college intends to pursue and promote through its membership in the University of the Arctic.

During the morning of March 24, the head of UArctic, Lars Kellerud, will be at Iqaluit's Anglican Parish Hall to encourage more public awareness about the UArctic.

As a university without a campus of its own, the University of the Arctic is a "university without walls," serving circumpolar students through distance education and student exchanges.

Its four-year degree is called a "BCS" or Bachelor of Circumpolar Studies, and focuses on issues common to circumpolar peoples.

Thanks to the UArctic, it's not only Laura who is getting a chance to see the similarities and differences among people in the circumpolar world.

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Andrea Glen, a student at Nunavut Arctic College, who has been in Inari while Laura has been in Iqaluit, sits on a sledge pulled by a reindeer (with a little encouragement.)

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Andrea Glen and Jeremy White, first year students in NAC's environmental technology program, have been spending their winter session in Inari.

"There are trees, which I am thoroughly enjoying. So, everything is made of wood, and every home has a fireplace and a sauna. People actually compost here and they recycle. Littering is a no-no," Andrea said in an interview from Inari.

After two weeks in a camp where students learn reindeer husbandry, Andrea is in Inari, where she's been attending handicrafts courses at the Saami education centre.

"I have been working with reindeer leather, making a little handbag, with some tin coil that took a day to sew on. I have made a Saami wooden cup with some antler on the handle which I have yet to etch on. I have started a butter knife made from an arm or shin bone, not too sure. I have also made a lasso holder from an antler as well," she said.

"I have been enjoying an evening silver-working class. I have made one ring so far, and I have almost finished a second one in traditional Saami style - the ring will actually jingle, for there will be about 12 little rings on the top. So neat."

Although it's still the North, the foods eaten in the Saami homeland are different than in Nunavut - there are blood pancakes and cucumbers for breakfast, and lots of reindeer and fish.

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