The Fan Hitch Volume 9, Number 2, March 2007

Journal of the Inuit Sled Dog

In This Issue....

From the Editor: Who Will Share Our Vision?

ISDI Launches New Partnership in Nunavik

Qimmiit Utirtut's First Litter

A Real Inuk

Update: Sledge Dog Memorial Fund

Recollections of the Doggy Man

Sledge Dogs of The Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, 1947-50

Fan Mail

In the News 

Video Reviews:
Secrets of Antarctica
Wolf Dog
Return of the Qimutsiit
Dogs That Changed the World

Product  Review: Leather Mittens by Sterling Glove

Tip for the Trail: It's in the Bag

IMHO: One Brick at a Time


Navigating This Site

Index of articles by subject

Index of back issues by volume number

Search The Fan Hitch


Articles to download and print

Ordering Ken MacRury's Thesis

Our comprehensive list of resources

Talk to The Fan Hitch

The Fan Hitch home page

ISDI home page


Editor's/Publisher's Statement
Editor: Sue Hamilton
Webmaster: Mark Hamilton
The Fan Hitch, Journal of the Inuit Sled Dog, is published four times a year. It is available at no cost online at: https://thefanhitch.org.

The Fan Hitch
welcomes your letters, stories, comments and suggestions. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit submissions used for publication.

Contents of The Fan Hitch are protected by international copyright laws. No photo, drawing or text may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Webmasters please note: written consent is necessary before linking this site to yours! Please forward requests to Sue Hamilton, 55 Town Line Rd., Harwinton, Connecticut  06791, USA or mail@thefanhitch.org.

This site is dedicated to the Inuit Dog as well as related Inuit culture and traditions. It is also home to The Fan Hitch, Journal of the Inuit Sled Dog.

"Once again this year Daniel Annanack and the IPL students are running dog team excursions for the classes at the school.  The excursions are going great!  The teachers and students have provided so much positive feedback--the students just love it.  The parents in the community and especially the Elders are really supportive of the outings. Following her excursion by dog team, Eva Obed wrote a poem for her English class.  The poem was very touching.  Reading Eva's poem made Daniel and me feel that all our hard work is really worth it!"
                                                                                                                                                      Mark Brazeau

Eva Obed, age 18, is a secondary 4 student (grade 12/fourth year in high school) at 
the Ulluriaq School, Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik.      photo: Maïté de Hemptinne

A Real Inuk

by Eva Obed

Travelling over the snow
Pulled by a team of dogs
I felt something strange and new:

I felt like a real Inuk.

The snow smelled fresh-
Just fresh
When we stopped to rest, 
The tent smelled like spruce
Sharp and sweet.

I've spent my life in the North
but this was my first dogsled ride 
For the first time
I felt something
Incredible
Enter my life

I thought about how hard it must have been
For our ancestors.
Running with the dogs.
Hunting for their food.
Fighting for the cold.

Running with the team
I couldn't go far.
My boots too big and heavy
In the past
It would've been harder
How strong my ancestors were

I felt like a hunter
Running with his team

I felt like a real Inuk.

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