Reflections of the North

The Canadian north is still a mystery to most Canadians. What is it like to live in a constant winter temperature of 40 below zero, with barely 2 to 3 hours of daylight? What is it like to live in a community that lives off the land, where a caribou hunt to provide the winter’s meat is a matter of life or death? The children are taught life-saving proficiency skills in a very direct way by elders and grandparents. Often, the survival skills of hunting and fishing take precedent over learning the three R’s; Kirk accompanied them on hunts, learning along with his students. Kirk writes as he thinks: in pictures. Very visual, he paints charming, amusing and memorable tales of those who cross his path. Who can forget the picture of a shaggy Cross Fox, seizing a scrap of muffin, racing away to bury it, and then coming back for more? Kirk’s own illustrations highlight the book, including portraits of his students, and studies of everyday life in the north. His words and his art capture a northern Canada that we may explore with him.