Learning About The Belchers

The Belcher Islands, spread out over almost 3000 square kilometres (that’s 1,160 square miles, for our US readers), represent the southernmost region of Nunavut (actually further south than the northern border of Ontario!) This archipelago, located in Nunavut’s Qikiqtaaluk region, is home to Sanikiluaq, Nunavut’s most southern community.

As part of the innovative  Nunavut Arctic College (NAC) Office Administration Program, students in Sanikiluaq learn how to collect, compile and analyze information from various sources, sorting and entering data into Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Aarluk’s Chris Grosset is currently supporting this course by working with students on a special assignment related to a pre-feasibility study for a proposed park in the Belcher Islands.

The students are heading out onto the land with local elders and NAC staff, collecting information on traditional place names found at several locations throughout the region.  Once they have finished collecting this data, it will be submitted in spreadsheet format to Aarluk, who will then use it to create maps of where the various traditional place names can be found across the islands.

Kudos to NAC. It's Hard to imagine a more effective, entertaining, and valuable way to master the Art of the Spreadsheet!

(The Team, pictured above: Johnny Manning, Frank Audla, Ann-Marie Arragutaina, Shoapik Emikotailuk, Sarah Tookalook, Elizabeth Novalinga, Alice Mickiyuk, Mina Inuktaluk, Annie Tookalook, Johnny Tookalook, Sarah Kudluarok, Deborah Thomas)