Eeka Joylene Mitaq is my name.  I am 11 years old.

I live in an Inuit village in northernmost Canada where snow lies on the ground 9 months out of the year and it is never above 65 on a good day.  I live there with my family: Mother, Father, Grandfather, Grandmother, and my two sisters: Parnyaq (9) and Tilaq (6).  I also have an older brother, Igri (John), who is 13.

I am in the fifth grade at a Native Alaskan school; I have many friends there.  My teacher is American: she came from Maine to work with the Native kids; her name is Mrs. Potts and she is very nice.  I love her!

I love learning about my Inuk heritage: I can sew and cook better than most kids my age; Mother and Grandmother were the ones who taughe me.  My brother also taught me how to hunt and how to look for seals or signs that predators (polar bears) may be afoot.

I love watching the northern lights ("The Night Rainbow" we call them) running wild in our skies; they remind me so much of multicolored dancing ribbons.  I like to think of them as our ancestors playing kicking games or dancing to ancient Inuit music and songs that my ancestors have sung for generations.

When I grow up, I want to be a teacher like Mrs. Potts.

Well, I hate to go, but Father wants to use the computer; he wants to do some research about something.  I will go for now; I will write another day.  Besides, it's getting too dark to write; think I'll go and watch the northern lights ... take care and may the spirits bless you!

~Love, your new Inuk friend in Canada, Eeka Joylene.  :)