Dolloff, L.

(2015) A Quallunaaq on Baffin Island: A Canadian experience of

decolonizing the teacher. Forthcoming In Bartleet, B.L., Bennett, D., Power,
A. & Sunderland, N. (Eds.). Arts-based service learning with First Peoples
Towards respectful and mutually beneficial educational practices. NY:
Springer Publishing.
Canada has many different indigenous groups, but Dolloff focuses on
her engagement with Inuit community of Iqaluit on Baffin Island. A
point in history that she described was the residential schools from
1930s to 1990s: children were taken out of their homes and sent
away to residential schools. There their culture was taken out from
them and they were not allowed to practice or wear anything from
their culture. In response to this abusive event, I believe one of the
worst things to be done unto a human is to take away their culture.
Within a culture, there is music, religion, customs family and a
community. Taking away culture is taking a way identity in so many
aspects.
Dolloff talks about her trip to Iqaluit and explains typical views of
Southern Canadians towards Northern Canadians. Because Canada is
such a large country, its common to have notions from one part to
another, yet it does not justify it. Dolloff explains where the views
come from: we have notions from the work of the Artpoems and
novels about icebergs, polar bears and parkas. Prior to reading this
article, I admit that I was one of the people who believed that the
Canadians from the North lived in igloos, didnt have access to
technology or electricity, and that they are hunters. She mentions of
the contemporary life in the North. They have technology but also
maintain their traditions. They do not let technology rule over them
like we do here. The youth have access to computers and social media
such as YouTube and global music.
This article is an eye-opener because she expresses her feelings
towards the people of the north. She loved working up there and has
visited many times. This is very appropriate for those who want to
pursue music education because the article is about relationships.
Teachers should always have an opened mind to all of their students
and embrace the different cultures within the classrooms.