Teacher’s Guide re: Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak
Website
www.michaelkusugak.com
Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak’s Biography
Michael grew up in Repulse Bay, NWT (now Nunavut). During his
childhood, his family travelled by dog sled, living a traditional Inuit
lifestyle. He is the author of 15 children’s books including:
A Promise Is A Promise, Baseball Bats for Christmas, Hide and Sneak,
Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails, My Arctic 1, 2, 3, Arctic Stories,
Who Wants Rocks, his most recent titles include; his first novel for
children, The Curse of the Shaman, The Littlest Sled Dog, T is for
Territories and 5 leveled Readers in the Northern Series.
Michael’s books have been nominated for many awards. Northern Lights
the Soccer Trails won the Ruth Schwartz Award, the best children’s book
in Canada in 1993. Michael was also awarded the prestigious Vicky
Metcalf Award in 2008 for a body of work in Children’s Literature.
Michael Kusugak recently moved to Vancouver Island, BC from Rankin
Inlet Nunavut to allow him better access to travel for touring. Michael
continues to write and travel extensively throughout Canada, the United
States and the world telling stories.
Awards
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Vicky Metcalf Award for a body of work in Children’s Literature 2008
The Curse of the Shaman was Short Listed for the Anskohk Award in 2 categories
2006
The Curse of the Shaman was Short Listed for the Hackmatack Award 2007
Northern Lights The Soccer Trails won Ruth Schwartz Award for Children’s
Literature in1994
Northern Lights The Soccer Trails was placed on the accolade list for the Aesop
Prize in the United States
How do you say that word?
One of the questions Michael has been asked for many years is; “How do you say
that word”? If you go to Michael’s website www.michaelkusugak.com and click
on the stories page then click on each of the books. At the bottom of the book
description is “How Do You Say That”? Michael will help you learn how to
pronounce each of the Inuktitut words in the book. Please note that he is still
working on this feature for some of his most recent titles.
Michael helped in the naming of 4 moons around Saturn see Wikipedia for the
story of the naming of the moons http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ijiraq_(moon)
Suggestions for resources, research and lessons:
Creation of Nunavut
An excellent resource on Nunavut and the northern territories in Canada is
Michael’s recent book T is for Territories. It is part of the series published by
Sleeping Bear Press “M is for Maple Leaf, S is for Spirit Bear” A wonderful
resource for schools that is designed for use in the classroom.
Michael’s strong readers that are a part of the Northern Readers Series published
by Strong Nations Publishing are leveled readers resources that are written for
classroom use.
Importance of Inuit storytelling
Michael writes: “I have been writing books for children based on Inuit culture,
traditional stories and life in the north for 25 years. Some of my books have been
made into plays and films. It is important to bring these stories into new media to
be shared with people in Canada and around the world.
My writing and storytelling has always been driven by the stories told to me by
my grandmother when I was a boy. When I was small we still lived a traditional
life living in igloo, sod huts and skin tents. We traveled by dog team searching for
game to keep us fed and clothed. At night my grandmother would tell me stories to
put me to sleep.
These stories are being lost now. We no longer travel by dog team or live in
igloos. We live in houses now, with heat and electricity. We also have new
storytellers, storytellers from the south that enter our homes through the TV and
Internet. Our children are modern children in an ancient land. The stories that
taught me how to live and who I am are being lost as the elders die and the TV
blares in our living rooms.
I travel all around telling stories in the north and south of Canada and
internationally. I have found that my people and people from many other cultures
love to hear these stories.
I am so happy to be partnering with Pangaea Arts to bring more of these stories
to the stage. I look forward to developing and writing a script based on such rich
stories. Stories told by my ancestors for hundreds and maybe thousands of years.
Pangaea will bring their experience in bringing stories to the stage. Their masks
and performance style will contribute so much to bring these stories to life. It is
exciting to think that we could create masks and costumes that will make mythical
creatures come alive.”
Inuit Language
The Inuktitut Language is spoken by Inuit all around the circumpolar world.
Across the north from Alaska, throughout Nunavut, Nunavik (Arctic Quebec)
Labrador, Greenland and Siberia too. It is all one language. There are many
dialects of Inuktitut but Michael can understand them all….with a little work and
careful listening. The language remains strong throughout Nunavut and is one of
the Official Languages in Nunavut. English, French and Inuktitut are all Official
Languages in Nunavut.
Igloo
The Igloo is a symbol of the arctic. This ancient dwelling is still used today.
Hunters must know how to build an Igloo. The arctic climate can be unforgiving
and brutal. Your life still depends on learning many survival skills in Arctic life.
Learning to build an Igloo and other essential survival skills are still taught to the
youth as part of their education. These days when we rely on snowmobiles and
GPS, the Igloo will still save your life during the winter months in the Arctic.
Qulliq
The qulliq (stone seal oil lamp) is much more than a source of life for Inuit. The
qulliq provided light, heat and a way to cook in an igloo. It provided the heat
needed to survive life in an igloo. Today the qulliq is also used in a ceremonial
way in Inuit communities connecting Inuit to their culture and represents the very
survival of Inuit Culture and life in the arctic today.
Dog Sleds in Nunavut
There is a recommended website that will help you learn how dog teams are still used in
Nunavut today. Dog team racing has now become a competitive sport in Nunavut. Every
community in Nunavut has Dog Team Races as part of their spring community events.
The largest Dog Team Race is the Nunavut Quest. Visit the website at
http://nunavutquest.com/en
Throat Singing
Throat singing was a form of entertainment for women who often spent days
waiting in Igloos and tent for their men to return from their hunting trips. Throat
singing is an art that is experiencing a revival among young women in Nunavut.
Here’s some links to throat singers on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaIe97LNpEs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJZAwsduOhM
One of the throat singers in these films is Lois Suluk Locke. Lois is one of
the throat singers on our CD.
Arctic animals and Environment (activities and exercises)
Resource on Inuit subjects, wiki site which means it is public domain.
http://bccurriculum.pbworks.com/w/page/35351972/Inuit
www.allaboutbirds.org is a recommended website about birds in North America.
Many birds found in the arctic are on this site. Learn about the birds their habitat,
their songs.
Inuit culture
a. NFB www.nfb.ca the National Film Board has many films on Inuit
Culture, some filmed many years ago when Inuit were still referred to as
Eskimos
b. Inuit strongly recommend the Netsilik series as a valid resource about
Inuit Culture. These films were done in the 1940’s in the far north. The
traditional life of Inuit was documented quite accurately in these films.
http://www.nfb.ca/search?q=netsilik&btnG=Search
c. School resources, many activities that have been recently developed for
Inuit schools, daycares, and families. These resources were developed by
the Nunavut Literacy Council and are available for free use on the
following website. The materials are available in English French and
Inuktitut. http://www.ilitaqsiniq.ca/
d. Literacy Activities from the Nunavut literacy council
http://www.ilitaqsiniq.ca/resources
Traditional Storytelling
 Suggested website for Inuit Culture, Knowledge and Storytelling
http://www.polarlife.ca/index.htm
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What other cultures have traditional stories? Do they have lessons or morals in
them?
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Many cultures have traditional stories, what cultures are represented in our
classroom?
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Are there stories that are told and have been told in our cultures?
i.e.
First Nations Peoples stories, A Thousand and One Arabian Nights,
European traditional tales, Grimms Fairytales, Mother Goose, and stories from
around the world
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Find a story from your culture and share it with the class.
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Families have stories too….are there stories that your family likes to tell?
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First Nations Storytelling website
http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1316530132377/1316530184659
History of First Nations and Inuit Residential School
During recent years in Canada the historic apology to First Nations and Inuit
people in Canada has begun to bring to light that children from First Nations and
Inuit family were taken from their families as a very early age (usually 6 years
old) and sent to various residential schools in various locations in Canada. These
schools were either run by the government or were government sponsored schools
run by Missions across Canada. Michael attended several of these schools starting
with the school at the Roman Catholic Mission in Chesterfield Inlet at the tender
age of 6. Michael stayed in a make shift dormitory in the attic of the Mission
where he was forced to attend daily church services and school at the mission. He
was only allowed to see his family in the short but glorious summer months back
in Repulse Bay.
This website tells many stories of Inuit who have attended these schools.
www.legacyofhope.ca/projects/we-were-so-far-away
Michael’s book, Arctic Stories is recommended reading for early grades on
Residential Schools. Look for resources in your school, (aboriginal advisors,
elders).
Books by Michael Kusugak
Michaels Books and his CD are available at www.strongnations.com. His books are also
available at bookstores across Canada.
Available in English and French
A Promise is a Promise (Annick Press, 1989) suggested grades K – 4
Available in English and French
Baseball Bats for Christmas(Annick Press, 1990) suggested grades K-4
Hide and Sneak(Annick, 1992) suggested grades K – 4
Available in English and French
Northern Lights the Soccer Trails (Annick Press, 1993) suggested grades 3 -6
My Arctic 123 (Annick Press, 1996) suggested grades K , 1, 2
Arctic Stories (Annick Press, 1998) suggested grades 2 – 4
Who Wants Rocks (Annick Press, 1999) suggested grades 2 -4
The Curse of the Shaman (Harper-Trophy, 2006) suggested grades 4 to 8
The Littlest Sled Dog (Orca Books, 2008) suggested grades K – 4
T is for Territories (Sleeping Bear Press, 2013) suggested grades 2 – 6
Northern Series, in Strong Readers for Strong Nations Publishing
Inuit Songs and Stories
Michael’s most recent release is a CD Titled, Inuit Songs and Stories – Learn to
Throat Sing, May 2015. Distributed by Strong Nations Books and Gifts.