ORIENTATION
NS students come from all over Nunavut, and so the first thing they do is get to know each other. This is done
at an Orientation session held at Harris Farm, a retreat centre about an hour outside of Ottawa.
Incoming students are met at the airport by NS staff and taken to the centre where they
spend five days getting to know each other, learning about
the expectations of the program, preparing for life in the
city, and for the exciting year that lies ahead at NS.
GETTING SETTLED
Getting settled in the city can be both exciting — and scary. At NS, students get a lot of support from instructors
and staff. For example, NS rents apartments close to the school in advance, and students share them
in groups of 2, 3 or 4.
IN CLASS
Classes begin in Ottawa immediately after the Orientation
session. Class hours are from 9:00 -12:00 and 1:00-4:00 Monday
to Friday. The Fall Term lasts 15 weeks.
The majority of courses are taught in one large classroom
by the three full-time instructors at NS; the English course
is taught by an instructor from Algonquin College.
During each week, time is also devoted to small group seminars
where students get to practice skills such as oral presentations.
Other small discussion groups (called PASS sessions) are held
each week to allow every student a chance to talk about what
they have been learning, to ask further questions about it
and to go over assignments they are working on.
INUIT ORGANIZATIONS
NS students spend much of the year learning about Inuit organizations
and the work they do. Some of these organizations are located
in Ottawa, so students get to visit their offices, meet their
staff, and learn first-hand about their history, the issues
they deal with, and their current activities. Students are
sometimes invited to sit in on the Board Meetings or other
important meetings of these organizations.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
One of the benefits of being in Ottawa is that students can
visit many of the public institutions in the nation's capital.
These include the National Museum of Civilization, Parliament,
the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development,
the National Photo Archives, the National Air Photo Library,
the National Gallery of Canada, Supreme Court of Canada, Carleton
University, and the University of Ottawa.
GUESTS
Throughout the year, NS receives many visitors. These are
often past or present Inuit leaders who come in to talk about
the work they have done, or are currently doing, in the various
Inuit or land claims organizations.
Other guests are academics
or resource people who have specialized knowledge of topics
being covered in the courses.
Guests to NS have included:
- Peter Irniq, Commissioner of Nunavut
- Nancy Karetak-Lindell, MP
- Jose Kusugak, President, ITK
- Sheila Watt-Cloutier, President, Inuit
- Circumpolar Conference (Canada)
- Sen. Charlie Watt
- John Amagoalik
- Joanasie Akumalik, NTI
CULTURAL LEARNING
During the Fall, NS students get the opportunity to expand
their cultural knowledge and skills. In October, they begin
working in the evening with Sylvia Cloutier, a professional
singer and drummer, to learn traditional and contemporary
Inuit songs, throat singing, drumming and dancing. Students
also develop their skills doing Inuit games.
These sessions help to prepare students for going out into
the community in the Winter term to do cross-cultural education
about Inuit and Nunavut. It's also preparation for going on
their end-of-year trip where they engage in cultural exchanges
with other indigenous peoples.
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Ottawa, like all big cities, has lots to offer - both good
and bad. One of the biggest challenges students face is to
make the right choices about what to do with their time when
they are not in school.
One NS staffperson is available to help students build that
healthy lifestyle, by showing them where to find the best
buys for food and clothing, teaching cooking skills and organizing
"cook-offs," and helping to identify possible activities
in the community.
Past and present students have done such things as joined
hockey and volleyball teams, done volunteer work in the community,
signed up at fitness clubs, and taken karate lessons.
Students receive additional financial support to assist with
group activities which they organize amongst themselves.
These regularly include bowling, movies, but can also include such
things as laser tag, go karting, and rock climbing.
The end result of all these choices is a lifestyle that is
both interesting and varied, and which supports the real reason
for being in Ottawa, which is to succeed at NS!
HARRIS FARM
By early November, students have been in Ottawa for two months
and the initial excitement has begun to wear off. They have
learned from experience that city life can be tough, especially
when you run out of money - EVERYTHING in the city seems to
cost money!
Some students begin to wonder if it's all worth
it, and homesickness starts to creep in. Still, it's only
five weeks to go before the Christmas break. How to survive
the final stretch?
Easy! Take a break from the city and go back up to the hostel
at Harris Farm. We take our work with us and spend four or
five days away from the distractions of the city, enjoying
good home-cooked meals (that we cook ourselves!), spending
time together, going for walks and getting some good sleep.
Well fed and well rested, it renews our energy for the home
stretch.
FIELDWORK
Each year, NS students do one week of fieldwork at home after
their two-week Christmas break. In past years, they have conducted
surveys on various topics, or interviewed elders about the
past. This experience has let students learn about, and practice,
different methods of doing research, while expanding their
knowledge of issues they are studying at NS.
In 2002-2003, several students did work on PROJECT NAMING,
which involved taking old archival photos home and showing
them to Elders in hopes of identifying the people in the photos.
In 2001-2002, students used their fieldwork to help NTI, which
wanted to consult women in Nunavut about their role in the
hunting economy. NS students did the research and identified
over 100 women's groups that NTI could consult.
In 2000-2001, NS Students helped the Nunavut Social Development
Council (NSDC) by interviewing members of the Local Justice
Committees. This helped the NSDC to monitor changes in the
justice system in Nunavut since it was created in 1999.
PLANNING A TRIP
A popular part of the NS experience is the cultural exchange
trip that we usually do at the end of the year. These trips
usually involve meetings with other indigenous peoples, either
in Canada or abroad. Recent trips have been to such destinations
as Belize (2004), Guyana (2003), Costa Rica (2002) Japan (2001),
Australia (2000), New Zealand (1999), Sweden (1998).
While the NS program makes a contribution towards the trip,
most of the money is raised by the students themselves from
their communities in the north. One of the things that must
happen before they go home for Christmas, therefore, is the
choosing of a destination for our next trip. The decision
is made by students and staff together.
