A cultural presentation during our visit to the Baffin Island community of Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) offered more opportunities to learn about Inuit culture. After listening to traditional singing and storytelling, we watched an elder demonstrate the lighting of a soapstone oil lamp. Boredom was not an issue during our 30-hour crossing of Davis Strait between Greenland and Baffin Island. We watched documentary films about the regions we visited and attended workshops about Inuit art. A highlight of Adventure Canada cruises is the team of marine biologists, archaeologists, ornithologists, geologists, historians, artists, musicians, photographers, botanists, authors and scientists who accompanied us. Their informative lectures and on-site commentaries enriched our excursions. One-third of the experts on Arctic expeditions are Inuit from Greenland and Canada. They enlightened us about their way of life, both on-board and on shore. Jayson Kunnuk, one of the cultural educators on our trip, for example, captivated us with his grandfather’s stories about walruses and polar bears. On the tundra, he identified wild, edible plants such as mountain sorrel and crowberries. Learning experiences Meeting the locals In the community hall, passengers purchased handmade sculptures, prints and other locally made crafts directly from the artists who created them. We especially enjoyedmeeting some of the settlement’s 1,555 residents as we walked along the streets. One mother described how her traditional amauti (hooded parka) featured a back pouch for carrying her child. Two girls asked if they could photograph us, explaining that they were happy to have visitors. 18 | www.snowbirds.org Travel
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