Inuit women get in touch with their past in Gatineau

It was an emotional day for two Inuit womenat the Canadian Museum of History on Thursday.

BernadetteDean fromRankinInlet and her cousinManitokThompson, who lives inCarleton Place, arranged a special tour to seeand hold artefacts fromcommunities on the western shore of Hudson Bay, where they both grew up.

The women examined garments that were worn by their ancestors100 years ago. The cloths are usually kept in storage at the museum,labeledand under plastic wrap.

I have never seen stitching like this.- Manitok Thompson

But, after putting on latex gloves, the women were allowed to remove the wrap and hold the garments.

Thompson, an amateur seamstress herself, checked the seams of ancient leather leggings. She saidher sewing machine is no match for what her ancestors did by hand, using a needle made from the bone of a caribou.

"Ihave never seen stitching like this, with the needles they have now," she said.

Regular private artifact viewings

According to Karen Ryan, the curator for northern Canada, the museum regularly arranges private viewings of artefacts for people who are trying to get in touch with their history.

"For us, it's important for Inuit to come here to see the collections that they want to, so that they can learn more about what we have and how that fits within their society today," Ryan said.

Dean, who spent three years in a residential school, said the tour helped her remember the incredible skills and artistry of her forebearers, despite the often difficult conditions they lived under.

"With colonization and residential schools and all this stuff for many years I had questions: who am I and what happened to us Inuit, she said.

As Manitok Thompson ran her hands across an elaborately beaded parka she added, "The only thing that's missing is my ancestors, walking in here and conversing with us. I've heard a lot of my past but I've never touched what they touched. It means a lot to me."