Pistes d'exploration

Locate Nunavut on a map. How many kilometres is it from your school? How long would it take to get there? Compare the population with that of your town.

Research facts about the people living in Nunavut. Share these facts with the class.

Discuss the characteristics of folktales. Compare this story with a legend or pourquoi (origin) tale. Create an anchor chart listing the unique qualities that define each one. Every time a legend, folk tale or pourquoi tale is read in class, add its title to the chart.

Write an alternate ending for the story. 

Predict what will happen after the iglu and the aglu are thick and strong. Discuss your prediction with a partner and the class. Review your predictions after reading.

Identify how the man in the story wants to protect his family and environment. Compare this with how adults protect their families and environment today. Are they working alone?

Look at the story structure. Which other stories have a similar structure? Using this folk tale as a model, create the storyline for a modern version of the story.

The Legend of the Fog, Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World, ThePolar Bear Son: An Inuit Tale

Mots-clés

Folklore , bears , courage , Far North , Inuit , legends , resourcefulness

Commentaire descriptif

Inuit legend has it that the nanurluk, a giant polar bear, had a fierce nature and an insatiable appetite for whales, seals ... and Inuit. The author tells the story—passed down through the generations—of how one man and his wife overcame the fearsome and nearly invincible beast through courage and cleverness. The prose is straightforward, describing the hunter as he plays out his strategy to outsmart the bear. Detailed blue-tinged illustrations portray the cold and desolate environment of the Arctic, changing to warm yellows and browns inside the iglu once the bear is no longer a danger. This folk tale has some graphic elements of violence (when the bear is finally wounded) that aptly reveal the harsh environment in which many Inuit communities once lived, as well as their resilience in the face of such hardship. It provides a look into Canada’s rich Inuit culture and can help launch a discussion about native legends and traditions. A helpful glossary and pronunciation guide for Inuktitut words are included.