In This Issue....
ISDI Launches New Partnership in Nunavik
Qimmiit Utirtut's First Litter
Update: Sledge Dog Memorial Fund
Recollections of the Doggy Man
Sledge Dogs of The Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, 1947-50
Video Reviews:
Secrets of Antarctica
Wolf Dog
Return of the Qimutsiit
Dogs That Changed the
World
Product Review: Leather Mittens by Sterling Glove
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Editor: Sue Hamilton
Webmaster: Mark Hamilton
The Fan Hitch welcomes your letters, stories, comments and suggestions. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit submissions used for publication.
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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.