Iglulik - Essential questions in a treeless land

The first thing one notices flying into Iglulik is what you don't see. Namely trees, or vegetation of any sort for that matter. Many of us have backpacked in alpine environments and hiked above the treeline; a treeless environment that is primarily the product of altitude and the ecological cascade of system characteristics that elevation creates. For me however, this trip has been my first trip to an area that is treeless not as a function of altitude but of latitude. Coming from a forested environment, it is disconcerting at first, not unlike being on a prairie and finding yourself somewhat uncomfortable, subconsciously searching for a landmark or reference point, just in case you might need one. I have not spent much time here, but I would guess that, much like a prairie, the "sameness" a novice sees is replaced over time by subtleties and nuances that reveal themselves to the experienced eye.

The second thing that struck me was the innate sense the culture in general seems to have for focusing on what is essential. Those of us in education remember the heyday of Heidi Hughes-Jacobs and essential questions in curriculum. I may be oversimplifying here, but my memory of her main premise is that curriculum should be built around content, skills, and experiences that all contribute to understanding and answering identified essential questions. I have always thought of it as planful prioritizing of what you need to do and what you need let go. My first impression is that the Inuit culture seems to have a hardwired ability to innately know what they need to do and what they don't. This ability is most likely embedded in their close ties to the land and in the practical nature that comes with surviving and thriving in a harsh environment. So fish hang drying under the front deck and the snowmobile gets fixed before the house gets a fresh coat of paint. One gets the sense that the culture as a whole would be amused at how much time we spend tending the aesthetics of our lawns. Of course grass doesn't grow here. At least not yet.