Offline and On-Land: Norman’s Culture Class
Meet Norman Tukkiapik Blake, a man who spent 11 years as a gym teacher before finding his true rhythm in the culture shop. For the last seven years, he’s been trading dodgeball for harpooning, and he couldn’t be happier. The secret to his career change? “Because I have a shop now,” he says with a laugh.
Hands-on hardware
In Norman’s secondary-school culture class, the “connection” his students seek isn’t found through a Wi-Fi signal, but through the traditions that have sustained Nunavik for generations.
This sense of belonging is built far away from the influence of screens. With English increasingly taking over daycares and digital content, many students are feeling a bit out of touch with Inuktitut. Norman bridges this gap by letting the land do the talking, as he believes there is a unique kind of wellness found outdoors.
It releases your stress to be out on the land. It makes you feel better. For me and the students, it’s a natural reset—all that tension just vanishes after that.
By teaching students to grind metal tips and carve hardwood bases for their own harpoons, he ensures that even if the language feels distant, their heritage is something they can hold in their own two hands.
Finding your natural frequency
The lessons often move from the shop to the vast tundra. Norman shares his knowledge of the land, hoping to spark a desire in the youth to keep the tradition alive. “I teach students how to read the terrain, avoid ‘slushy’ areas, and the importance of travelling in a group for safety,” he says. He also introduces them to the world of trapping and environmental stewardship.
I’m a trapper, so we’re often out checking the traps with the kids. We do beaver surveys with Makivik, monitoring and taking measurements to see how the dams impact the local creeks and the fish paths. It’s about sharing that knowledge and making the kids want to go on the land more.
This connection to the land peaks with the harvest. When hunters return to the village with a catch like a beluga, it renews a shared Inuit way of life: the giveaway. Rather than stocking a private freezer, the meat is shared right outside the home; hundreds of Nunavimmiut line up with bags to share in the ocean’s generosity.
By helping his students put down the devices and pick up a harpoon or a trap, Norman is ensuring that even in a high-tech world, the heartbeat of Inuit culture remains as strong and steady as the tide.
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