Proud to Be Inuvialuit: Quviahuktunga Inuvialuugama

a Book by James Pokiak and Mindy Willett , Illustrations by Tessa Macintosh

The title says it all. The beaming faces of uvunga atiga – “real people” – clearly show it. Their words shout it. This book’s take-home message leaps off every page: Proud to Be Inuvialuit.

“This story is about my family, my community,” writes Tuktoyaktuk outfitter and author James Pokiak, “and the importance of keeping our traditions and teaching them to the young in our ever-changing world.” Central to those traditions is the annual beluga whale harvest, the featured adventure in this book.

Having set the stage which celebrates local home and town life – from swinging on monkey bars under the midnight sun to visiting the famous ice house deep under streets of Tuktoyaktuk – Pokiak’s story really takes off when he invites his daughter, Rebecca on an adventure to harvest her first beluga whale. “She’s a bit nervous,” writes James, explaining that years ago, women were not allowed to hunt. But times have changed and he has trained her well. “When she’s sure of a good shot she throws the harpoon.”

What follows is a unique and very sensitively portrayed description of how the Pokiak family and friends process a harvested whale. “It was the most respectful hunt I have ever been on,” says co-author Mindy Willet, a Yellowknife based educator and

Published by Fifth House Grades 4 – 8, 32 pages

ISBN: 978-1-89725-259-8 former teacher in Kugluktuk. “To see the building of community that goes on around the processing of the meat is so encouraging. I hope it continues forever!”

One of northern Canada’s foremost photographers, Tessa Macintosh, contributed over fifty sparkling images to this project. “The Pokiaks were so generous with their hospitality and so sharing of their lives for the book,” Tessa told me from her Yellowknife home. “I felt honoured to be part of the team and to share my enthusiasm for the place, the culture, and family life with young readers.” Captivated by the rich coastal landscape and whaling culture, Tessa described Tuktoyaktuk as “a photographer's heaven”. She hopes that readers find the book’s photographs mamaqtuq. “That's how I think a good photo should be – delicious!”

Pokiak’s narrative of the good life in Tuk and on the land is enriched by interesting sidebars with Inuvialuktun word games, traditional stories, and songs. The book also includes a fascinating depiction of harvest strategies from the days when people pursued belugas in sealskin kayaks, as well as a close-up look at contemporary whale-hunting technology. The back of the book includes additional vocabulary plus details on the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, related literature, beluga facts, and how traditional and scientific