Qaqavii
Qaqavii
“My grandpa says we have to remember the old ways; they are still important today. Maybe even more important. The qallunaat teachers, they too try to make able human beings, but is not the same. Too much math and not enough running dogs.” Barnabas grins and then translates. Old Ipilii laughs.
“Ii Ilitisivalirnaqtujuit qimmiit.”
“What did he say?”
“The dogs are good teachers.”
“How do you mean?”
“I don’t know. Ask the dogs.”
I sigh and shake my head. But then I think about what I did learn from the dogs. They’re so content with little things. Just the sight of a harness turns them into a tail-wagging, happy mob. They never criticize and they always see the good in me. They taught me that, in a team, I can go places I could never go on my own. They taught me to always look after the weakest, because we’ll never go any faster than the slowest dog. And they taught Qaqavii how to become a sled dog just by showing him his place in the team.
“I don’t know how to explain Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.” Barnabas fiddles with the caribou hide he’s sitting on while he talks. “There is so much to know about our way of life and our laws, and how we learn about all that, that it’s hard to understand one thing without the other. But in the end, is rather simple. A lot is about respect for people and animals and the land, and about helping each other instead of always wanting more.”
“But that’s how all people should live, isn’t it?”
“Ii. Qallunaat didn’t think that when they came here. They took over the education of the children, didn’t think our ways are important in a modern world. That’s why we need people like my grandfather, who remembers and can teach us before we forget.”
“How does he teach you?”
“Like this.”
“But he isn’t saying anything.”
“There is no lessons like in your school, Emmalu. I learn from being with him, learn how he does things and why, and how to share, and listening to his stories and spending time on the land.”
Barnabas falls silent. I don’t know what to say. We never talked like this before, and I begin to understand show special the relationship between Barnabas and Old Ipilii is. Not everyone gets to go out with their grandfather and learn to run a dog team. But I also understand how urgently Barnabas is trying to learn from Old Ipilii and Elisapii before time runs out, before the old way of life is lost.
I wish I could speak Inuktitut and could go to Old Ipilii’s school.
Emmylou is 15 when her peripatetic mother drags her to Churchill, Manitoba, the latest in a series of new beginnings for the two of them. Everything is new and strange to Emmylou, and she doesn’t react well. In fact, she hopes to get out of town as soon as possible – with or without her mother. This changes when Emmylou makes friends with Barnabas and his family. They welcome her into their lives and are willing to accept her help with the sled dogs they run. When circumstances change and Ipilii cannot participate, Emmylou is invited to take part in the long and grueling Arctic Quest dog race with Barnabas, and she tests both her mental and physical strength in ways she had never imagined.
Emmylou is a remarkable main character who tells the story from her point of view. She grows up a great deal in this coming-of-age novel and learns to have confidence in her own judgement and abilities. Being thrust into a completely new and different way of life is hard for Emmylou, but with both human and canine help, she is able to not only accept but embrace life in Churchill. She becomes stronger and more independent yet at the same time learns important lessons about compassion and understanding.
Although Emmylou’s efforts at homeschooling and distance education fall rather short of expectations, her knowledge of the world around her grows exponentially throughout the book. She learns about wildlife, such as polar bears, and the effects of climate change on them. Sled dogs and sledding become a priority for her, teaching Emmylou not just the basics of caring for and running a dog team but also lessons in teamwork and problem solving. Her natural curiosity also leads Emmylou to learn not only about present-day Inuit life and culture but also about historical events such as the relocation of the Dene by the Canadian government.
Emmylou’s mother Kitty provides an interesting counterpoint to the teenager, and there are times when readers may wonder which of the two is more mature. Emmylou eventually understands that her mother has problems of her own and, just like Emmylou, is struggling to find her place in the world and what will make her happy. The two learn that Kitty’s efforts to keep Emmylou close to her and ‘safe’ are exactly what will drive her daughter further and further away. Both characters mature and the constant fighting changes to a new-found respect for one another by the end of the book.
Other important characters include Barnabas, his grandparents and, of course, the dogs. Barnabas and his family educate readers about both the old ways and modern life in the north. Readers see the amazing resilience of the Inuit people and their ability to live on the land using only what they need. Readers also see their acceptance of outsiders and their incredible generosity toward newcomers such as Emmylou. Modern problems, such as accessing timely health care, also have a role to play in the book. While the author touches on many themes and many issues, the story also has humorous and playful moments, and the writing never becomes didactic. Many questions are raised, and real historical events are mentioned so readers may choose to investigate further and research what most interests them. Resources for further reading are included at the end of the novel.
The setting of northern Manitoba and the towns along the west coast of Hudson Bay reaching into Nunavut are also crucial to the success of the novel. Churchill, the ‘polar bear capital’, is described in detail which will bring back memories for those of us who have visited and will perhaps spur others to spend time there. Author Miriam Korner makes the north come alive as Emmylou and Barnabas participate in the Arctic Quest, surrounded by ice and snow, bright sunshine and northern lights. The dogs are central to the setting as are other wild animals, such as caribou, which also make an appearance.
At the end of the novel is an interesting interview with Korner, and readers learn that she lives in northern Saskatchewan and has had her own experiences and adventures with sled dogs and races. While Qaqavii is entirely fictional, there is no doubt that the author has drawn on her own life and her love of the north to write the novel.
Thank you, Miriam Korner, for letting us join you in a northern adventure, an inspiring coming-of-age story, and a love letter to dogs of all shapes and sizes!
Ann Ketcheson, a retired high school teacher-Librarian and teacher of English and French, lives in Ottawa, Ontario.