BRACEBRIDGE — Smiles, cheers and laughter overcame a group of students as they ran their own dogsled last week at Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School (BMLSS).
The students in the PALS (practical and life skills) program had a unique opportunity to learn about traditional Inuit culture this semester.
BMLSS principal Dave Golden provided his two Alaskan malamute dogs, Kokoanee and Dory, and suggested the idea of a traditional culture unit to teacher Tom Hampton.
Hampton and Jen Fenwick split-teach the PALS high school program at BMLSS.
A group of seven students in the program learned about the traditional Inuit way of life, culture and did research projects, said Hampton.
The class used an old sled to design and build a new dogsled, said Hampton. The students also learned about harvesting items from the land and traditional tools. They dried a deer skin, which could be used for a blanket, clothing or rope in traditional Inuit culture, said Hampton.
The class unit culminated in a day outside to test the sled and harnesses the students made, said Hampton.
The weather was perfect on Jan. 22, but Hampton wasn’t sure if it would all come together.
After a false start with an unhooked dog, the dogs pulled the sled with ease.
“It is going quite well,” said Hampton.
Golden said he was impressed with the project.
“This is just such a unique experience for the kids,” said Golden.
PALS student Skylar was clearly excited about the opportunity.
“It felt really good,” he said after two runs on the sled with the dogs.
Although he had never been on a dogsled before, Skylar wasn’t nervous about the experience.
“I was all wound up,” Skylar said.
Hampton taught in Whale Cove, Nunavut where he learned about traditional Inuit culture, including dogsledding, from elders, he said.
Whale Cove is a small community, where traditional knowledge about living off the land is still valued, he said.