Pedagogy of the Front Float: Dialogue and Aquatics Programming in Taloyoak, Nunavut

Abstract

We examine the first author’s experiences with aquatics programming in Nunavut through a Freirian lens, arguing that one can use Paulo Freire’s ideals of dialogue and collaboration to recognize recreation as a mode of social oppression and to offer ways to disrupt this oppression. Though Freire’s work is almost 40 years old, his theoretical contributions have not yet been fully realized within the recent post-colonial context surrounding physical activity, and particularly aquatics programming, in Canada’s North. Using this critical inquiry approach, we suggest that programmers can make aquatics offerings more collaborative and culturally relevant by recognizing the cultural and geographical context of northern communities, dialoguing with community members about aquatics programs, and adapting southern-based programs to the northern context.