Above & Beyond | Canada's Arctic Journal July/August 2012 by above&beyond

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AB_JA12_Cover_A&B July-August 2010 Cover 6/14/12 11:00 AM Page 2

ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ • Department of Culture and Heritage Pitquhiliqiyikkut • Ministère de la Culture et du Patrimoine ᔪᓚᐃ 1, 2012-ᒥ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓗᓂ, ᐊᑎᖓ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ, ᐃᒪᓐᓇᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᕙᒃᑭᓪᓗᑎᒃ CLEY, ᐊᓯᔾᔨᓛᓕᕐᒪᑕ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ, Department of Culture and Heritage, ᐅᐃᐅᐃᑎᑐᓪᓗ ᐃᒪᓐᓇ, Minstère de la Culture et du Patrimoine. ᐊᑎᖏᓪᓕ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᓪᓗ – ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᑦᖁᕼᐃᕿᔨᒃᑯᑦ – ᐊᓯᔾᔨᔾᔮᙱᑦᑐᑦ, ᑐᑭᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᕙᖕᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅ ᑐᑭᖓᓄᑦ. ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᕆᑎᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᕆᔭᐅᕙᒃᑐᓪᓗ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᔾᔮᙱᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑎᖓ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᑕᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ.

Effective July 1, 2012, the name of the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, or CLEY, will officially change to better reflect the work of the department. In English, it will be the Department of Culture and Heritage, and in French, the Minstère de la Culture et du Patrimoine. The names in Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun – Iliqqusilirijikkut and Pitquhiliqijikkut – will remain the same, as they translate to the same meaning. Programs and services will not be affected by the name change.

Aulaniaqtuq Taaqnirmun Aullaqtirviani 1mi, 2012mi, atia Nunavut Kavamanim Havakviata Pitquliqiyikkut taimaluuniit naitumik taivagaat CLEYmi, allanguktitauniaqtuq aulayaangat havaamun havaktainik havakviangit. Qablunaaqtun, imaitniaqtuq Havakviat Pitquhiliqiyikkut, Uiuitunutlu, tamna taimainiaqtuq, Minstère de la Culture et du Patrimoine. Taima atiit Inuktutuukhimayut Inuinnaqtuukhimayutlu – Iliqqusilirijikkut taimalu Pitquhiliqiyikkut – aulaniaqtun, numiktirutaat aatjikiiktumik aulangmanik. Havaaqhangit ikayuutikhangitlu akuuktaulimaitun talvuuna allanguqtiritikkut atianut.

À compter du 1er juillet 2012, le nom du ministère de la Culture, de la Langue, des Aînés et de la Jeunesse, ou CLAJ, du gouvernement du Nunavut (en anglais Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, or CLEY) changera officiellement pour mieux refléter le travail du ministère. En français, le nouveau nom sera ministère de la Culture et du Patrimoine. En anglais, ce sera Department of Culture and Heritage. Les noms en inuktitut et en inuinnaqtun – Iliqqusilirijikkut and Pitquhiliqijikkut – demeurent inchangés puisqu’ils transmettent le même sens. Les programmes et les services ne seront pas touchés par le changement de nom.

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Jobie Tukkiapik / ÔW g3exW4 President, Makivik Corporation & Chairman, First Air xzJ6√6, mrF4 fxS‰nzk5 x7m w4y?sb6, {5 wsf8k5 Président, Société Makivik et président du conseil, First Air

Kris Dolinki / fE{ go8r President & C.E.O., First Air xzJ6√6 x7m xsM5tp7mE, {5 wsf8k5 Le président et directeur général, First Air

Fly. Charter. Anywhere. Welcome onboard First Air, The Airline of the North. This time of year typically marks the signing of some of the largest contracts in the North, and we are proud to welcome back so many repeat customers. We are very pleased to announce two significant wins; both the Stanton Regional Hospital and Government of Nunavut Cargo contracts have been awarded to First Air and our partners Qikiqtani First Aviation and Sakku First Aviation. These contracts represent considerable travel and cargo volume, and we thank our partners for your continued confidence and business. Our codeshare agreement with Air Greenland launched June 15 has received a tremendous amount of public interest and passenger bookings. The twice weekly service, on Mondays and Fridays, from Nuuk to Iqaluit is being operated with Air Greenland’s DASH-8, seating up to 34 passengers with flying time of 1 hour and 45 minutes. The timing connects with First Air’s daily Jet flights from Iqaluit to Ottawa, so customers can conveniently make one through fare booking for travel between Ottawa and Greenland. We are looking forward to introducing several new aircraft tail designs to our customers this summer. Two of our ATR42’s will feature the Sakku First Aviation and Qikiqtani First Aviation logos, reinforcing our commitment to our joint venture partnerships with Sakku Investments and Qikiqtaaluk Corporation. A third ATR42 will display the Arctic Hare, photographed by Mr. Clare Kines, and one of our B 737-200’s will be adorned with a flock of Eider ducks, photographed by Ms. Michelle Valberg. The images selected for our aircraft showcase the culture, traditions and symbols of the North and we are very proud of the positive feedback we continue to receive. If you have the opportunity this summer, please join us on the golf course and help support a great cause. The Habitat for Humanity Iqaluit charity golf tournament takes place August 24th at Chateau Cartier in Gatineau, Quebec. With so many reasons to travel this summer, we truly appreciate your decision to choose First Air, The Airline of the North. We look forward to seeing you on our next flight.

ᖃᖓᑕᓂᖅ. ᐊᑭᓕᖅᓯᒪᔪᒃᑰᕐᓂᖅ. ᓇᒧᑐᐃᓐᓇᓕᒫᖅ. ᑐᙵᓱᒋᑦᓯ ᕗᔅ ᑎᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᖓᓐᓄᑦ, ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖁᑎᖓᑦ. ᐊᕐᕌᒍᕆᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐃᒪᐃᑦᑑᓕᕌᖓᑦ ᐊᖏᓂᖅᐹᖑᖃᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑏᑦ ᐊᑎᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᒐᔪᓲᖑᖕᒪᑕ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ, ᑕᐃᒫᒃᑕᐅᖅ ᑐᙵᓱᒃᑎᑦᑐᒪᒋᕙᕗᑦ ᐅᑎᖅᓯᒪᔪᐊᐲᑦ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᐸᒃᑕᕗᓪᓗ. ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᔭᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᑉᐳᒍᑦ ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᓵᓚᖃᕈᑎᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᕗᑦ; ᐊᐃᐹ ᓯᑖᓐᑕᓐ ᐊᓐᓂᐊᕕᖓᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᓯᑲᖅᑕᕈᑎᓄᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑏᒃ ᑐᓐᓂᖁᑕᐅᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕ ᕗᔅ ᑎᐊᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓄᓗ ᕿᑭᖅᑕᓂ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᒃᑯ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᖏᓐᓄᑦ. ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᖏᕈᑏᑦ ᐃᓗᓕᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᖃᖓᑕᓪᓗᐊᑲᓪᓚᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᓂ ᐊᖏᔫᑎᓂ, ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᖅᐸᕗᓪᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᔭᕗᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᖓᑦ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᖕᒪᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᓯᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕᓗ. ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᐊᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᖏᕈᑎᕗᑦ ᐃᐊ ᒍᕇᓐᓛᓐ ᐊᑯᑭᑦᑐᒥᐅᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᖓᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᔪᓂ 15 ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᔪᒪᔪᒋᐊᓪᓚᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᖓᑕᓛᕈᒪᔪᑦ ᐃᓂᒃᓴᓕᐅᖅᓯᒪᐅᖅᑐᒐᓚᐅᓕᕇᖅᓱᑎᒃ. ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᖅ ᒪᕐᕈᐊᖅᑎᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᓇᒡᒐᔭᐅᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᑐᐃᓐᓇᑯᓪᓗ, ᓅᒃᒥ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓄᑦ ᐊᑯᑭᑦᑐᒥᐅᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᖓᓂ ᐊᑐᕐᓗᑎᒃ DASH-8, ᐃᑭᒪᕕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᓗᓂ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ 34ᓄᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓂᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᑲᕐᕋᓕᒫᒥ ᐃᓚᓗᒍᓗ 45 ᒥᓂᑦᒥ. ᑎᑭᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓ ᓈᒻᒪᓈᕋᓱᒃᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᕗᔅᑎᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᑦ ᐊᑐᕚᒧᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓂᕆᖃᑦᑕᖅᑕᖓᓂ, ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊ ᑲᔪᓯᔪᒥ ᓯᓂᒃᑕᕆᐊᖃᖏᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᑐᕚᒥᑦ ᐊᑯᑭᑦᑐᓅᕈᒪᓐᓂᖅᐸᑕ ᐊᑲᕐᕆᔮᕈᑕᐅᒋᐊᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ. ᐊᐅᔭᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᑦᑎᔪᒫᕐᓂᐊᕆᕗᒍᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖁᑎᑦᑕ ᐃᖅᑯᐊᒍᑦ ᑕᖅᓴᒃᓴᖏᓐᓂ. ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖁᑎᕗᑦ ATR42-ᖑᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑕᖅᓴᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᒃᑯ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᑭᖅᑕᓂ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᖏᓐᓂ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᖏᖅᓯᒪᓂᕆᕗᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑎᒥᖁᑎᖏᑦᑕ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᕋᓱᒃᑎᖏᓐᓂ ᓴᒃᑯ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᕋᓱᒃᑎᖏᓐᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᒃᑯᓐᓂ. ᐱᖓᔪᖓᑦᑕᐅᖅ ATR42 ᐅᖃᓕᙳᐊᕐᒥ ᑕᖅᓴᓕᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᐳᖅ, ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓂᑰᓪᓗᓂ ᑭᓕᐊ ᑲᐃᓐᓯᒧᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅ ᓱᐴᖅᑐᖅ B 737-200 ᒥᑎᙳᐊᓂ ᐃᓕᐅᖃᐃᕕᐅᓂᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᖅᑯᖓ, ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓂᑯ ᒥᓯᐊᓪ ᕙᓪᐳᒃᒧᑦ. ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᑦ ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖁᑎᕗᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᔮᖅᑎᑦᓯᕕᐅᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ, ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᕆᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒦᓐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᑕᐃᒫᒃᓗ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᑦᑎᐊᖅᐳᒍᑦ ᐅᐱᒪᓪᓗᑕᓗ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᐅᕙᖕᒪᑕ ᐱᓂᐊᕐᓂᕆᔭᕗᑦ. ᐊᐅᔭᖅ ᐱᕕᖃᑐᐊᕈᕕᑦ, ᐊᑏ ᐊᖅᓴᒥ ᐊᓇᐅᓯᖃᑦᑕᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᐱᖃᑕᐅᓛᖅᐳᑎᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂ ᓄᐊᓴᐃᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᓄᑦ ᐃᓂᖃᑦᑎᐊᕈᑎᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂ ᓄᐊᓴᐃᓛᕐᒥᖕᒪᑕ ᒎᕝᑎᑦᓯᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒡᒌᓯ 24-ᒥᑦ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᓵᑐ ᑲᑦᑎᔭᐃᒥ ᒑᑎᓄ, ᑯᐸᐃᒃᒥ. ᐊᐅᔭᖅ ᖃᖓᑕᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᑦ ᐊᒥᓲᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᖁᕕᐊᒋᓪᓚᕆᒃᑲᑦᑎᒍᑦ ᕗᔅᑎᐊᑯᑎᒍᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᔪᒪᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓯ, ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᕆᔭᐅᖕᒪᑦ. ᑕᑯᒃᑲᓐᓂᓛᕈᒪᒋᕙᑦᑎᒋᑦ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᕐᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓂᐊᓕᕐᒥᒍᕕᑦ.

Vols réguliers.Vols nolisés. N’importe où. Bienvenue à bord de First Air, la ligne aérienne du Nord. Cette période de l’année est reconnue pour être celle de la signature des plus importants contrats dans le Nord. Nous sommes donc fiers d’accueillir un grand nombre de clients réguliers. Nous avons le plaisir d’annoncer deux grandes victoires : les marchés de l’hôpital régional Stanton et du fret du gouvernement du Nunavut ont été attribués à First Air et à ses partenaires Qikiqtani First Aviation et Sakku First Aviation. Ces marchés représentent un volume élevé de voyages aériens et de fret. Nous remercions nos partenaires de leur confiance et de leur soutien continu. Notre accord de partage de code avec Air Greenland a été inauguré le 15 juin et il a suscité un très grand intérêt de la part du public et un nombre très élevé de réservations de passagers. Le service entre Nuuk et Iqaluit a lieu deux fois par semaine, offert par Air Greenland sur ses DASH-8. Il peut accommoder 34 passagers et la durée du vol est d’une heure 45 minutes. L’horaire est organisé de manière à ce que les passagers puissent avoir une correspondance avec les vols réguliers de First Air d’Iqaluit à Ottawa; ainsi, les clients peuvent se déplacer entre Ottawa et le Groenland en un seul trajet, ce qui est très pratique. Nous comptons présenter à nos clients plusieurs nouveaux symboles pour l’empennage de nos aéronefs cet été. Deux de nos ATR42 arboreront des logos de Sakku First Aviation et de Qikiqtani First Aviation, ce qui marquera notre engagement envers nos partenariats de coentreprise avec Sakku Investments et la société Qikiqtaaluk. Un troisième ATR42 présentera la photographie du lièvre arctique de M. Clare Kines, tandis qu’un de nos B 737-200 sera décoré d’un vol d’eiders, photographié par Mme Michelle Valberg. Les images sélectionnées pour nos aéronefs reflètent la culture, les traditions et les symboles du Nord et nous sommes très fiers des rétroactions positives que nous continuons de recevoir. Si vous en avez la possibilité, joignez-vous à nous sur le terrain de golf cet été et aidez-nous à soutenir une bonne cause. Le tournoi de golf de bienfaisance Habitat pour l’humanité Iqaluit se déroulera le 24 août à Château Cartier, à Gatineau, au Québec. Avec autant de raisons de voyager cet été, nous apprécions sincèrement votre décision de choisir First Air, la ligne aérienne du Nord. Nous espérons vous retrouver lors de notre prochain vol.

ᐱᒻᒪᕿᐅᑎᑦᑕᕗᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓯ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐅᒃᑯᑦ,ᖃᖓᑕᔫᖁᑎᖓᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᑕᖅᑐᒥᑦ. We value your support and thank you for making First Air, THE AIRLINE OF THE NORTH. Nous apprécions votre soutien et vous remercions de votre appui à First Air, LA LIGNE AÉRIENNE DU NORD.

First Air Focus ᕗᔅ ᑎᐊᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᑕᑯᒋᐊᕐᓂᖅ

Hospitality Agents Mona Qamanirq and Stanley D Alooq (Katolic Mautaritnaaq, Julian Oyukuluk and Judy McLeod, not pictured)

featuring the

Hospitality Agent Team

ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᔩᑦ ᐃᓘᓐᓇᑎᒃ

At First Air, we put a great deal of emphasis on en have the best service experience possible. One ar providing service to our Inuit customers in their“first”language.

First Air introduced the position of Hospitality Agent in 2011 as an initiative through our Sivurariaqnik program upon identifying the opportunity to provide language support at two of our main airport gateways, Ottawa and Winnipeg. Today, the success of our Hospitality Agents has proven to be a service enhancement in our day to day operation and specifically for Inuktitut unilingual passengers travelling for medical attention.

ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᕐᑯᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᓯᒋᐊᓐᖓᔪᔪᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒥᒃ ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᒥᒃ 2011 -

Our Hospitality Agent team in Ottawa includes Katolic Mautaritnaaq and Stanley D Alooq from Baker Lake; Mona Qamanirq and Julian Oyukuluk from Arctic Bay. Judy McLeod, from Rankin Inlet, is our Hospitality Agent in Winnipeg.

ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨᕗᑦ ᐋᑐᕚᒥ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᔪᑦ ᑲᑐᓕᒃ ᒪᐅᑕᕆᑦᓈᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᑖᓐᓕ ᑎ. ᐊᓘᖅ

With a focus on meeting and greeting all First Air customers at the airport, Hospitality Agents are all fluently multi-lingual and provide customer service in Inuktitut, when needed. They assist with the check-in process, make announcements at the departure gate, welcome passengers at the baggage area upon arrival, and provide other general customer service assistance to our unilingual passengers. While fluency in Inuktitut is key, our Hospitality Agents also have excellent people skills and a special way of making our unilingual passengers feel comfortable. Stanley has been recognized for his sense of humour and ability to keep passengers smiling; Mona can often be seen assisting with our charters and other special assignments; Julian is a real team player and is often helping at the arrivals gate; Katolic has demonstrated a strong ability to react quickly under pressure as seen in a recent medical emergency situation; and Judy’s cheery disposition is a wonderful smiling presence to bid passengers farewell on their travels or welcome them to their arrival destination. Whatever the situation calls for, our Hospitality Agents are committed to providing exceptional customer service to all our passengers. Katolic, Stanley, Mona, Julian and Judy – your dedication and enthusiasm is appreciated. Thank you for going above and beyond in your eﬀorts every day. We value training, personal development and encourage career advancement within First Air. If you share our commitment to safety and service, we encourage you to join our team. To learn more about employment opportunities within First Air visit firstair.ca/employment or sivurariaqnik.ca.

ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔭᒋᐊᕈᑎᒋᑦᓱᑎᒍ ᓯᕗᕙᕆᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᔭᐃᓚᐅᖅᓱᑕ ᐱᕕᑦᓴᖃᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓯᔪᓂᒃ ᒪᕐᕉᓐᓂ ᐅᑕᖅᑭᕕᓪᓗᐊᑕᖁᑦᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᐋᑐᕚᒥ ᐅᐃᓂᐲᒡ-ᒥᓗ. ᐅᓪᓗᒥ, ᑲᔪᓯᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᔨᑦᑕ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑦᓯᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕐᓂᐅᑉ ᐱᕚᓪᓕᖅᓯᒪᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥᓪᓗ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑦ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᕙᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕕᓕᐊᖅᓱᑎᒃ. ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᒃ; ᒫᓇ ᖃᒪᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᔫᓕᐊᓐ ᐆᔪᑯᓗᒃ ᐃᒃᐱᐊᕐᔪᒻᒥᒃ. ᔫᑎ ᒪᒃᓕᐅᑦ, ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᔨᕗᑦ ᐅᐃᓂᐲᒡᒥ. ᑐᕌᒐᖃᖅᓱᑕ ᑲᓱᐃᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒥᓪᓗ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᕐᑯᓐᓂ ᓂᐅᕕᖅᑎᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᔫᒃᑯᕕᒻᒥ, ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᔩᑦ ᐃᓘᓐᓇᑎᒃ

ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᓐᖏᑦᑐᒥᒃ

ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᒥᒃ

ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ

ᓂᐅᕕᖅᑎᓂᒃ

ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᖅᐸᒻᒥᔪᑦ

ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑦ,

ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᓴᕆᐊᖃᕋᐃᒻᒪᑦ. ᐃᑲᔪᖅᐸᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅᑐᓂᒃ, ᑐᓴᕋᑦᓴᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᐸᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᕆᐊᖅᑐᕕᒻᒥ, ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᕙᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᑎᑭᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᑦᓯᕐᕕᓐᓂᒃ ᓄᐊᑦᓯᕕᓐᓂ ᑎᑭᒐᐃᒻᒪᑕ, ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑎᑦᓯᕙᑦᓱᑎᓪᓗ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕕᑦᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐅᖃᓲᓄᑦ. ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑦ

ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᐊᕐᓂᖅ

ᑐᓐᖓᕕᐅᒐᓗᐊᖅᓱᓂ,

ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᔨᕗᑦᑕᐅᖅ

ᐃᓄᓕᕆᒍᓐᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥᔪᑦ

ᐊᑲᕐᕆᑎᑦᓯᒍᓐᓇᓯᐊᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ . ᓯᑖᓐᓕ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓯᒃᑲᖓᔮᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐅᓯᔭᐅᔪᓂᓪᓗ ᖁᖓᑦᑎᑦᓯᓲᖑᑦᓱᓂ; ᒨᓇ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᒐᔪᑦᑐᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᖃᖓᑕᑎᑕᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓄᓪᓗ ᐊᑑᑎᒐᔪᐃᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᑎᓕᓯᔾᔪᑕᐅᔪᓄᑦ; ᔫᓕᐊᓐ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᕈᓐᓇᑦᓯᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᕋᔪᑦᓱᓂᓗ ᑎᑭᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐹᒥ; ᑲᑐᓕᒃ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑦᓯᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕕᓕᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ

ᓴᓐᖏᔪᒻᒪᕆᒻᒥᒃ

ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔭᒋᐊᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ

ᑐᐊᕕᕐᓇᖅᑐᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ; ᔫᑎᐅᑦᑕᐅᖅ

ᑕᕝᕙᐅᕗᑏᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ

ᐊᐅᓪᓚᓯᔪᓂᒃ

ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᔨᕗᑦ

ᑐᓂᒪᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ

ᑎᑭᑦᑐᓂᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ

ᐊᑦᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᖃᕋᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ

ᑕᐃᒪᐃᔪᒻᒪᑦ

ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᔪᖅ

ᖁᖓᒐᔪᑦᓱᓂᓗ

ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑦᑎᑦᓯᑦᓱᓂ. ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ

ᐊᑑᑎᒐᓗᐊᖅᐸᑦ,

ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ

ᐃᓄᖅᑭᓐᓂᖓ ᐱᐅᓂᖅᐹᓂᒃ

ᓂᐅᕕᖅᑎᓄᑦ

ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᐅᑎᓂᒃ

ᐅᓯᔭᓕᒫᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ. ᑲᑐᓕᒃ, ᓯᑖᓐᓕ, ᒨᓇ, ᔫᓕᐊᓐ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᔫᑎ - ᑐᓂᒪᓂᕆᔭᓯ ᑲᑦᓱᖓᐃᓐᓂᓯᓗ ᖁᔭᒋᔭᐅᕗᑦ. ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ ᐅᖓᑖᓅᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᖅᐸᒃᑲᑦᓯ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑦᓴᑦᓯ. ᐊᑐᖅᑐᖁᑎᖃᓪᓚᕆᑦᑐᒍᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖅ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑎᓕᐅᕆᕙᑦᓱᑕᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᑦ ᐃᓗᐊᓐᓂ ᓯᕗᕙᕆᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓗᐊᓐᓂ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᕐᑯᑦ. ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᒍᕕᑦ ᑐᓂᒪᓂᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐃᓇᑦᓯᕗᒍᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᑎᓐᓄᑦ. ᑐᑭᓯᒋᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᒍᑦᓯ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᑦᓴᐃᑦ ᒥᑦᓴᐃᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᕐᑯᑦ ᑕᑯᒋᐊᕆᑦ ᐅᕗᖓ firstair.ca/employment or sivurariaqnik.ca.

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

above&beyond Publisher & Editor Tom Koelbel About The North Josh Pearlman Advertising Doris Ohlmann (Ottawa) 613-257-4999 Circulation Patt Hunter Design Robert Hoselton, Beat Studios email: editor@arcticjournal.ca Toll Free: 877-2ARCTIC (227-2842) PO Box 683, Mahone Bay, NS B0J 2E0 Volume 24, No. 4

July/August 2012

The Renaissance in Inuit Art Marketing Interest grows and contemporary galleries respond Recent events in Ontario’s art market demonstrate how much Inuit art is changing in terms of its scale, style, media, and collectors, as well as a growing interest by dealers in both contemporary and traditional art forms. — Victorial Gaitskell and Edward Atkinson

Striving for Balance in Nunavut Modern Education meets Traditional Inuit Knowledge Seen as an important stepping-stone toward building a meaningful curriculum that reflects the culture and traditional values of Inuit, while Nunavut continues to fully integrate into the Western system of education, Nunavut’s Education Act is meant to bring the two worlds — the Inuit way and the Southern way — into balance. — Teevi Mackay

SCULPTOR PAUTA SAILA’S DANCING BEAR (1984, STONE AND IVORY, 23" HIGH). © DIETER HESSEL, COURTESY WALKER’S AUCTIONS, OTTAWA

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arcticjournal.ca Celebrating 24 years as the popular in-flight magazine for First Air, The Airline of the North.

Arctic International ICC Chair Honoured

43 Environment Species at Risk by Rebecca Deatsman

11 Arctic Herders by Bryan and Cherry Alexander

49 Adventure Nain to Kangiqsualujjuaq by Jerry Kobalenko

17 About the North 39 Arts, Culture & Education Sinuupa

55 Northern Bookshelf 57 Special Report St. Jude’s Re-Opening by Lee Narraway 58 Inuit Forum Pleased to meet you. My name is Terry. by Terry Audla

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July/August 2012

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July/August 2012

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A R C T I C I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Inuit Circumpolar Council Chair Honoured

Aqqaluk Lynge (right) with Dartmouth College President, Jim Yong Kim, at Commencement ceremonies June 10, 2012.

reenland’s Aqqaluk Lynge, Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), has been officially awarded the honorary degree (Doctor of Humane Letters) by the renowned American University, Darmouth College, in New Hampshire. The prestigious title was awarded by the president of Dartmouth College, Jim Yong Kim. Aqqaluk Lynge has had very close ties to Dartmouth College since 2006.He helped the university in establishing a recognized program on Arctic environmental policy. Lynge also helped create an exchange program for students from the Greenland University Ilisimatusarfik

and Dartmouth College. In 2008, Aqqaluk Lynge affiliated with the university as a senior researcher, and has participated in several projects and conferences at the campus. The honorary doctorate was awarded for Lynge’s extensive human rights work for the world’s indigenous peoples, but especially for his longstanding efforts for Inuit in the ICC and his membership in international and regional forums such as the UN Permanent Forum and the Arctic Council.

Fabulous Creations by the Artisans of Nunavik

Kuujjuaq, QC Box 729 J0M 1C0 CANADA | Tel: 819-964-1848 Fax: 819-964-1950 | e-mail: info@nunavikcreations.com | online shopping: www www.nunavikcr .nunavikcreations.com eations.com

July/August 2012

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Nenets draught reindeer graze during a rest stop on their autumn migration, Yamal, 1993.

Arctic

Traditional Life in the Arctic Text and photos by Bryan and Cherry Alexander

Herders in summer O, warmth of summer Gliding over the land in waves! Not a gust of wind, Not a cloud – And in the mountains, The belling reindeer, The sweet reindeer In the bluish distance O, how it pulls me, O, how it fills me with delight! Greenlandic herder, 20th century

fter winter releases its grip on the Arctic, migration to summer pastures gets underway. In the Yamal, herds with long routes travel anything from 25–70 km in a day; those with shorter migrations may move only 10–25 km. The herds don’t travel all the time — herders normally rest them for a day or two after each journey, and their progress also depends on weather and pastures on the way. Along their route, most herding families have a depot where they leave their winter tents and fur garments, and collect lighter sleds, clothes and equipment. By the time the Nenets reach their summer pastures, they have usually been joined by their school-age children, who are flown there by helicopter for the summer holidays. Often the women, children and elders will camp near good fishing places while the young men take the herd to more distant pastures. During summer on the tundra, reindeer graze on a wide variety of tundra plants including birch and willow leaves. I have always enjoyed being at summer camps on the tundra. There is usually a relaxed atmosphere, and the kids combine playing with helping their parents do chores. Boys go with their father to watch the herd, or check fishing nets set on nearby rivers and lakes, while girls help their mother with tasks such as washing up, collecting water and chopping firewood.

July/August 2012

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Inside a corral, a young Nenets woman harnesses a draught reindeer, 1993.

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July/August 2012

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Inside a reindeer-skin tent, a Nenets mother comforts her baby. Yamal, northwest Siberia, 1996.

The calving season stretches from late April until June. (May is Ty Nits Iry in the Nenets language, and this translates aptly as ‘the month of mass calving’.) This is a very busy and anxious time for the herders, as they try to move pregnant females to sheltered areas with ample pasture. They also need to keep a close watch on the herd, as predators such as wolves, wolverines, bears, eagles and ravens all see newborn reindeer as an easy source of food. The calves enter a frozen world, to which they adapt remarkably quickly. Within a few minutes of birth, a calf will stand in a wobbly way and suckle; within an hour, it can walk and follow its mother. She gives it all her attention, licking it, sniffing it and learning its features, and at the same time, the calf learns to recognize her from all the other females in the herd — this is essential for its survival. The Arctic weather poses serious danger for newborn calves. The height of the calving season is a time of changeable conditions, and blizzards (which the Nenets call suyuhut — ‘storm of the newborn calves’) are common. During these, experienced mothers position their calves between their forelegs to protect them from driving wind and snow. Such severe weather can be disastrous, as herder Sergei explained to me: “We had a three-day blizzard in May — afterwards, we found the bodies of 150 reindeer calves that had frozen to death”. The Nenets usually adopt a few calves as pets. These pets, which they call avki (singular avka), are often sick or orphaned, but some are chosen because they have particularly nice markings or colour; white calves with blue eyes, generally considered special, are a popular choice. While they’re small, avki are kept close to camp, often with a bell round their neck so they don’t get lost. The care of these pets tends to be left to Nenets children; this responsibility helps them learn about

reindeer, and prepares them for their adult life as herders. In summer, the children are sent off to collect reindeer moss for their avki, but they also feed them boiled fish. Most avki develop a passion for bread too, and will often hang around camp hoping for a handout — on one occasion, I even witnessed an adult avka running off, clenching a sack full of loaves firmly in its teeth. Although many avki get a rough start in life, they usually end up with a well-fed, cushy existence, and they’re seldom slaughtered for meat — some live as long as 20 years. “Avki are like a member of the family, just like one of the kids,” Nina, from a herding family, told me. “I had an avka called Timoyku who grew into a big bull — he was so spoilt. When the mosquitoes were bad in the summer, he would shuffle into our tent on his knees. We used to let him stay there, even though his huge antlers got in the way.” Not only do the Nenets recognize the personality of each avka, but the avki also seem to recognize the personality of individual herders — which ones are worth approaching for a scratch or a titbit, and which ones they should avoid. The Nenets name for July is Nenyang Iry — ‘the month of mosquitoes’. This is appropriate, as July is the worst month for these pesky insects. Northern mosquitoes may not carry diseases like malaria, but they make life miserable for herders and reindeer alike. The men often build fires around their reindeer, burning wet willow as the smoke drives the mosquitoes off; according to a Nenets folk tale, the forest witch Parneko was burnt on a fire and it was her ashes, blown around the world, that turned into the first mosquitoes. Herders often choose summer pastures in coastal areas because the cool sea breezes keep the mosquitoes at bay. When they’re particularly bad, reindeer calves are brought inside the family’s tent, where the smoky atmosphere acts as a deterrent. Mosquitoes are more than an irritant; they pose a real health threat to the herd. One Russian scientist estimated that during the summer, a reindeer loses up to two litres of blood from bites, and they can also cause the animals to lose weight and strength. At this time, reindeer should eat a whole range of plants to put on fat for the winter, but when they’re tormented by mosquitos, they stop eating, and either keep walking or stand in lakes and rivers in search of relief. Cool wind and smoke are most effective at keeping the insects away. By August, the mosquito plagues begin to subside. This is also the start of the berrypicking season, as northern fruit such as mountain cranberries, cloudberries and blueberries begin to ripen; women and children often head off across the tundra carrying plastic bowls and buckets to fill. Some berries are eaten fresh and some are boiled up with sugar to preserve them for winter. At this time of year too, women are busy working with skins, and making fur clothing for the coming winter. By late August, the days shorten, and after the first frosts, the trees start to turn yellow, brown and red. It’s an amazingly beautiful time of year, and for a brief two or three weeks the tundra is a blaze of colour. Also at this time, mushrooms begin to appear and this can cause another problem for herders — reindeer have a real passion At a camp in the Polar Ural Mountains, Kristina, a Khanty woman, hangs out her washing. Yamal, northwest Siberia, 2007.

July/August 2012

above & beyond

Outside a corral, Alexei stands with his lasso, 1993.

During a ritual, Hek (a Nenets elder) uncovers idols from his sacred sled so he can ‘feed’ them with reindeer fat. Yamal, northwest Siberia, 2001.

for mushrooms and can smell them from a considerable distance. When mushrooms are plentiful the animals don’t have to wander so far, but in dry summers, when mushrooms are scarce, the reindeer wander off to find them, creating extra work for the men who have to round them up constantly. Although many Nenets like mushrooms too, the herders generally leave them for their animals. In the Yamal, late August is the time when helicopters fly from camp to camp, picking up children and taking them back to boarding school. (All schools in Russia begin their academic year on 1st September.) Occasionally, parents want to keep children with them, and they deliberately hide their offspring when the helicopter arrives. This normally happens when children show a natural aptitude for herding; the parents believe that having a son or daughter to help them and take good care of their reindeer when they get old is a sound investment for the future. Some years ago, I met Leonid, a Khanty man from a reindeer-herding family. At the time, he was head of the orthopaedic department at the regional hospital in Salekhard. When I remarked to him that

Nadia, a Nenets woman, picks mountain cranberries in the autumn. Northwest Siberia, 2001.

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his parents must be very proud of his achievements, he told me that on the contrary, they were disappointed, as they had wanted him to help look after their reindeer. By the beginning of September, most herders will have gathered their reindeer and begun the journey back to winter pastures. To begin with, they travel only short distances, perhaps 5–12 km a day, but once the first snows settle, and travel by sled becomes faster and easier, they will make longer journeys. Traditionally in autumn, selected reindeer are slaughtered for meat while they’re still fat from grazing at their summer pastures, and this is normally done when the herders are close to their home village. As they continue on their journey south, they stop once more at their depots to retrieve their winter tents, warm clothes and sleds before continuing toward the forest shelters where they will spend another winter. Autumn is another precarious time for the herders and their reindeer. The weather is unstable and severe storms are common – as in spring, there is an ever-present risk of pastures icing over. This has been happening more in the Yamal in recent years, and some scientists are attributing it to climate change. Sergei, a Nenets reindeer herder, told me how a few years ago, when he and his herders were migrating south with their reindeer, they experienced very cold weather in early November. Then, the temperature suddenly warmed to well above zero before plummeting to minus 30°C. This happened several times in a few weeks, leaving an impenetrable layer of ice, which the herders, as they do in the spring, broke up with shovels so their reindeer could feed. The late arrival of winter snow in recent years has increased the herders’ work, as the reindeer tend to range more on clear ground. Once there is snow, the animals stay closer together, particularly in forest areas. Arctic herders are used to coping with climate variations from year to year, a reality reflected in the Saami saying: “One year is not another year’s brother”. Most herders I spoke to in the Yamal were unconcerned by climate change. Jakov, from the Tambey area, told me, “I am not worried by climate change because I think it will be good for us; there will be more vegetation for our reindeer to eat”. These herders are far more concerned at the prospect of losing their animals and pastures to the oil and gas industries that are increasingly encroaching on their territory — these threaten both their livelihood and their culture. Yerti, a Nenets herder from the Salemal tundra, stated simply: “We are not people without our reindeer”. Editor’s Note: All photos and text published here represent unaltered excerpts from Bryan and Cherry Alexander’s book titled, Forty Below, Traditional Life in the Arctic — released November 2011. This fascinating hard-bound book is available for purchase online by visiting: www.arcticapublishing.com

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About the North

Inuit Prints: Japanese Inspiration Since the introduction of printmaking to Cape Dorset by James Houston half a century ago, the hamlet is widely celebrated for creating a unique northern aesthetic around the art form.That said, the Japanese origins of the art form as it was introduced to the North are less widely known. Shortly after bringing the technique to the North,Houston travelled to Japan to study under master printmaker Un’ichi Hiratsuka. Lessons learned were brought back to Cape Dorset, heavily influencing the work created there. Curated by Dr. Norman Vorano, Inuit Prints: Japanese Inspiration explores this spectacular cultural cross-pollination with prints, a display of tools and a film documenting a 2002 visit by Japanese washi printmakers to Canada’s North. The exhibit shows at the Winnipeg Art Gallery until August 26.

The 1959 print, Polar Bear and Cub in Ice, by Niviaksiak shows the Japanese influence explored in a new exhibit at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

Seeking nominations for inspiring collaborations

S. and A. Inspiration Foundation Founders Sima Sharifi and Arnold Witzig are all smiles as they launch the Arctic Inspiration Prize at the International Polar Year Conference in Montreal.

Launched this spring at the International Polar Year Conference in Montreal,the Arctic Inspiration Prize is now open for nominations.The prize, which will be given out annually and administered by ArcticNet Network of Centres of Excellence, is worth $1 million. Split between up to five winning groups, the award will honour the successful collaborative efforts of those gathering and applying Arctic knowledge to projects that have tangible and positive impacts in Canada’s Arctic in the areas of culture, economy and the environment. The prize has been made possible through an endowment from the S. and A. Inspiration Foundation. Founders Arnold Witzig and Sima Sharifa, both immigrants to Canada, intend the prize as a contribution to the future of the country they now call home.The nomination deadline is October 1, 2012. A high profile selection committee will include Inuit environmental champion and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Sheila Watt-Cloutier, recording artist Susan Aglukark, Dechinta founder Erin Freeland Ballantyne and CBC’s Peter Mansbridge. Nomination forms can be found at www.Arcticinspirationprize.ca.

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About the North

Celebrating local flavour

All blueberries are not created equal. This handful of wild fruits from Nunavut is loaded with more beneficial compounds than a handful grown further south.

Northern country food is drawing wider attention as people increasingly recognize the health, economic and cultural benefits that come along with a localized diet. A Nunavut food security coalition including Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.and the Government of Nunavut hopes to see greater prevalence of the foods

in Northern diets by working to increase its availability in schools and daycares, protect country food species and support active hunters and informal country food networks. One such network is Project Nunavut, an Iqaluit based initiative aimed at providing hunters with a market to sell their surplus

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food as a means of offsetting the high costs associated with hunting in the Arctic. The monthly event takes place in Iqaluit square with anywhere from eight to 15 hunters selling and upwards of 100 customers who typically buy up the food in minutes says Project Nunavut Executive Director William Hyndman. Despite this popularity, the food security coalition also plans to explore ‘targeted commercialization’ to help increase the appeal of country foods to consumers who still aren’t convinced; a campaign that may be bolstered by recent research findings. A study out of Norway is indicating that coldwater shrimp, like those found in our Arctic waters, contain natural chemicals that may be significant in fighting hypertension or high blood pressure. Additionally, findings out of the University of Alaska Anchorage are showing that levels of beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory chemicals in blueberries are significantly higher in fruits that grow in harsh northern climates as compared to those growing further south.

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About the North

More than mosquitoes

short summers and cold conditions. Many of them have dark bodies in order to absorb more heat from the sun, which speeds up their activity levels. Additionally, the body fluids of some species contain cryoprotectants; fluids that Mallory explains are ‘like antifreeze,’ which forms ice crystals that damage tissue.This allows some insects to survive unfrozen at temperatures as low as -60°C. Common Insects of Nunavut was produced in partnership with the Nunavut Department of Education and published by Iqaluit based Inhabit Media. Printed in both English and Inuktitut, hundreds of copies of the book will be distributed to schools and libraries across Nunavut. The book is also available through Inhabit Media or online through the iTunes Dark colouration and fine hairs help insects absorb and retain heat during the short Arctic summer. store where the Inuktitut version can motivated the lion’s share of entomological be downloaded free of charge. Inhabit Media research further south. is set to add further to the ‘of Nunavut’ series Not surprisingly, Northern insects show with books on rocks and minerals, birds and fish due for release within the next year. some fascinating adaptations to manage

Shown here in English, the colourful and captivating Common Insects of Nunavut is also available in Inuktitut.

Although less romanticized than the iconic polar bears or muskox that roam the tundra, Arctic insects are finally getting a nod in a new guidebook written by former Iqaluit resident Carolyn Mallory. Appropriately titled Common Insects of Nunavut, the book is part of a series of guidebooks that includes Common Plants of Nunavut. It was her research for the plant guide that sparked the author’s interest in insects and began her six-year process to create Common Insects. The book, which also contains traditional knowledge and anecdotes, fills a surprising gap in available information on Northern fauna, according to publisher Neil Christopher. The gap is largely attributed to the absence of agriculture in the North, an industry that has

July/August 2012

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About the North

Incubating success in Arctic cod research

Spring collecting of Arctic cod by hook and line through ice holes in Resolute Bay.

Diver and researcher, Takuji Oyama, collects Arctic cod under the ice in Resolute Bay.

Yellowknife Catholic Schools

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Grades 9–12 English/French Immersion Principal: Coleen McDonald Ph: (867) 873-4888 Fax: (867) 873-5732 5010–44th Street, Box 2880 Yellowknife, NT X1A 2R2

Grades K–8 English Principal: Simone Gessler Ph: (867) 873-5591 Fax: (867) 873-8578 5023–46th Street, Box 1650 Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P2

Our district provides a strong, moral, ethical environment for our students. We encourage a loving, Christian perspective which supports Catholic principles and thought.

Central Services Office: Claudia Parker, Superintendent Box 1830 5124–49th Street, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P4 Ph: (867) 766-7400 Fax: (867) 766-7401

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For the first time in North America and perhaps the world, Arctic cod have been captive bred at the Vancouver Aquarium. Harsh and often remote Arctic conditions have made studying the fish in their natural habitat a huge challenge. This breakthrough in captive breeding opens the door for research to better understand this important Arctic marine species. Major challenges included synchronizing the harvest of viable sperm and eggs from wild cod that spawn in February beneath the blanket of sea ice as well as ensuring the water temperature in rearing tanks was suitable both for the young fish and the live food they need to survive. Danny Kent, Vancouver Aquarium curator of British Columbia waters and a lead on the project sees the success as an opportunity for researchers to explore the species development and their response to warming seas as a result of climate change. Indeed, the hatching process has already informed this line of questioning. In the ocean, eggs will incubate, free floating for two to three months in temperatures hovering near 0°C. Incubation at the lab succeeded at 3.5°C, a temperature that saw the hatching of 500 to 600 larvae after about one month. Understanding this keystone species is critical to understanding the Arctic marine food chain. Because they are a food source for species like Narwhal, Beluga, Seal and Arctic Char, the health of Arctic cod populations is a strong indicator of the health of their marine ecosystem. They are also a food source for Inuit across the country as the species ranges from the Beaufort Sea to Labrador and South into Hudson’s Bay.

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About the North

This spring the Polar Environmental Atmospheric Research Lab (PEARL) was crippled by federal cuts that saw its funding disappear despite statements from government that the Arctic is a high priority. The news was a devastating blow to researchers working out of the station but also the collaborative global effort of environmental scientists to monitor and record atmospheric changes that help us to better understand the very real processes of climate change. As one of very few High Arctic research stations on the planet the gap in data collection that will result from these cuts has broad implications, not least of which is the potential loss of climate scientists forced to seek opportunities elsewhere. The news brought an outpouring of public support and unsolicited donations from Canadian and international donors to the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Science (CFCAS) which handles the transfer of funds to PEARL. CFCAS presented $12,000 in donations to lab director James Drummond at a special press event at the recent International Polar Year conference in

PEARL pushes onward: An update

The Polar Environmental Atmospheric Research Lab is trying to maintain some operations despite lack of funding. If forced to close, the cost to reopen would be huge and prohibitive.

Montreal. Although only a small fraction of the labs $1.5 million annual budget,the money will be used to send a student up to do maintenance work on the equipment and to automate as much equipment as possible such that some measurements may be taken remotely.

PEARL is hoping it will receive funding from a new federal Climate Change and Atmospheric Research Program by the new year however,the available funds will be much lower than those available for climate research even a decade ago. To make donations in support of polar atmospheric research, visit www.cfcas.org.

The 2012 Great Northern Canada Writing Contest

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES EXTENDED TO AUGUST 31, 2012!

life in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut or Nunavik. Previously published items are not eligible. Entries should be typed and double-spaced with the title, but not your name, on each numbered page. Please submit a separate cover sheet with your name, address, phone number, email address, word count and whether your piece is fiction or non-fiction.

Entries must be mailed to: Great Northern Canada Writing Contest Box 1256,Yellowknife NT X1A 2N9

Or emailed as a WORD attachment to: info@northwordsnwt.ca with CONTEST ENTRY in the subject line. Please do not put your story in the body of the email.

Deadline is August 31, 2012. That means they must be postmarked by that date.

First Prize is $500 and publication in above&beyond, Canada’s Arctic Journal Special Emerging Writer Prize of $250 and publication in above&beyond, Canada’s Arctic Journal, for writers who have never been published for payment. To qualify, identify yourself “emerging writer” on the cover sheet you submit with your entry.

Winners will be announced in Fall, 2012.

For more information go to:

www.northwordsnwt.ca

The following are not eligible: Staff and contractors of above&beyond magazine and their families, writers who have been published in above&beyond, Canada’s Arctic Journal in the last five years, organizers and paid staff of the NorthWords Writers Festival and their families.

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About the North

Project North scores with Arctic communities

Youth in Qikiqtarjuak, Nunavut, pose all smiles in their new gear to play their favourite game.

Michelle Valberg fell in love with the Arctic during her first visit North several years ago. Captivated by the raw, untarnished beauty of the land, and warmth of its people,Valberg, a renowned photographer, was determined to share the Arctic with fellow Canadians, and give back to its people. Thus began Project North, a charitable organization with a vision to improve the lives of Inuit children through the promotion of

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sport, and the fostering of pride in Arctic culture through education-based programs. “It was important for me to show other Canadians how beautiful the Arctic truly is and help demystify unfounded stereotypes, while helping to grow the experiences of Inuit children,” said Valberg. The main focus of Project North and its committee has been the donation of hockey equipment to children in northern

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About the North

Adding more energy to the organization was its successful Casino Royale fundraising event in May, hosted by the British High Commissioner to Canada, Dr. Andrew Pocock and Mrs. Julie Pocock at Earnscliffe, their official residence and former home of Sir John A. Macdonald. Pictured here left to right: Mrs. Julie Pocock, High Commissioner Pocock, Project North Vice-President Jeff Turner, President Michelle Valberg and Vice-President Leslie Coates.

communities. Through various initiatives, the charity raises money to buy equipment, which is then personally delivered by Valberg, sponsors and Committee members to northern communities. Since its inception, Project North has delivered more than $300,000 worth of equipment to 11 Nunavut communities. Primary sponsors include the NHLPA Goals & Dreams Fund and First Air. “The sheer joy the equipment brings, to both the youth and the community as a whole, makes all the effort worthwhile,“ says Valberg. “Many of us take for granted what it means to be able to play hockey, and participate in a team sport,” she adds.“But for many of these Inuit children, it is the first time they put on skates, or hit a puck.” The charity also welcomed Laureen Harper as its Honourary Chair earlier this year. “Project North is doing outstanding work to enrich the lives of Inuit children. We all know that sport has a positive impact on children, and by donating hockey equipment to Project North, you can share our great winter game with kids in remote northern communities,” says Harper. Mrs. Harper isn’t the only fan of Project North in her family. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper was the first person to purchase a hockey bag from Gear Up, a new online component of Project North, where individuals can buy equipment to be sent to northern communities. The charity has also caught the attention and support of NHL athletes.Chris Phillips of the Ottawa Senators has acted as the organization’s Honourary Captain since its inception more than three years ago.

“Growing up, hockey was such a positive influence in my life,” says Phillips.“To be able to share that with children that may not otherwise have access to proper equipment is absolutely incredible.” Adding more energy to the organization was its successful Casino Royale fundraising event in May. The James Bond-themed fundraising party saw 100 guests gamble away pretend money, and enjoy a night of espionage.

The evening raised $55,000 for Project North, a crucial effort that will see several more hockey bags delivered to communities over the summer months. “The momentum around Project North is nothing short of amazing, but I truly feel we have just scratched the tip of the iceberg, so to speak,” says Valberg.“We want to continue to grow the organization, and expand the ways in which we can help improve the lives of children in our Arctic.”

Stay tuned… This summer, two Inuit girls will be chosen to attend the Canadian International Hockey Academy, and take part in its Girls’ High Performance Camp. Their experience at the camp, and the skills they bring back to their community and local hockey team, will be documented in an article for above&beyond. For more information on Project North, please visit: www.projectnorth.ca

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The renaissance in Inuit art marketing Interest grows and contemporary galleries respond by Victoria Gaitskell and Edward Atkinson ecent events in Ontario’s art market demonstrate how much

Inuit art is changing in terms of its scale, style, media, and

collectors, as well as a growing interest by dealers in both

contemporary and traditional art forms. In one major shift, Feheley Fine Arts of Toronto, a leading commercial gallery

incorporated in 1961 and specializing in high-quality original

Canadian Inuit art, has just moved farther south from its long-time midtown location into the heart of the city’s premier art district. Patricia Feheley, the gallery’s Director, explains: “The old place was fine up to five or six years ago, when most graphics averaged 20 x 26 or 30 x 40 inches. But right now there is a lot of interest in 4-x-8-foot drawings. If I displayed a lot of them, the old place didn’t have enough space for visitors to stand far enough back to view them properly, which was disadvantaging the artists, so I moved to adjust to the new scale that

Sculpture of a sea goddess by an unidentified artist (ca. late 1950s-early 1960s, stone and ivory, 8” long) that sold in Walker’s May-2012 auction for $15,340.

contemporary artists are working in.”

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Feheley says her previous location in Toronto’s Yorkville district, traditionally an enclave of exclusive showrooms and pricey designer boutiques, was strategically chosen years ago to emphasize that Inuit art’s best examples are fine art as opposed to gift shop crafts, a concept she says the public now understands. Her new location in Toronto’s historic downtown St. Lawrence Market district now places Inuit art in the same neighbourhood as well-known galleries of contemporary art, with the goal of attracting more attention to Inuit art from mainstream contemporary art collectors. Feheley, who is known for her dedication to championing emerging Inuit artists, affirms: “We deserve to be here. This new gallery set-up takes Inuit art more into the realm where it should be.” Feheley often collects the art she shows in her gallery during her two annual trips to the North. She frequently visits Cape Dorset, which is equipped with a drawing studio. In addition, she handles several artists living in the South and obtains art objects from Dorset Fine Arts, the wholesale marketing division of the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative of Cape Dorset. “This is an exciting time when Inuit artists are realizing they do not necessarily have to follow tradition; that they can be different and start to inject larger scale, different subjects, and colour into their work,” Feheley says. She adds that another cultural turning point was reached when contemporary Inuit graphic artists like Annie Pootoogook and Shuvenai Ashoona gained national and international attention and broke into the contemporary art world where previously people did not think Inuit art belonged. Another breakthrough that has occurred in the last three to four years is that major museums have started collecting the work of contemporary Inuit artists and including large-scale works. "In Ontario, the Art Gallery of Ontario [AGO, Toronto] and the National Gallery of Canada [Ottawa] now have strong contemporary Inuit art collections.

Standing Bear by Henry Evaluardjuk (ca. 1974, whale bone, 11” high). The piece sold in Walker’s May-2012 auction for $22,420.

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Feheley aligns with contemporary galleries

Manitoba collector Marie Bouchard. Behind her are works from her collection of Baker Lake wall hangings that went on exhibit at Feheley Fine Arts in April and May 2012 (left to right): Abundance by Mary Kuutsiq (1993) and Traditional Camp Scene by Mary Yuusipik Singaqti (1989).

Corporations are also buying it now and buying large,” says Feheley. Since she found her new gallery space a year ago, she has remodelled it to incorporate a central white-walled display area named Centre Space, a revolutionary concept of a gallery within a gallery, especially designed to accommodate contemporary exhibitions complete with video and performance art. She shares Centre Space 50:50 with Pierre-François Ouellette of Pierre-François Ouellette Art contemporain (Montreal). In February 2012, Feheley re-opened at the new location with the inaugural exhibition, Dorset Now, a group spectacle of contemporary Inuit drawings by artists including Shuvinai Ashoona, Itee Pootoogook, Tim Pitsiulak, Ohotaq Mikkigak, and Jutai Toonoo. Simultaneously, Ouellette launched his first show in Centre Space, a large-scale exhibition titled Unwrapping Rodin by international photographic artist Adad Hannah. It coincided with the presentation of two videos by Hannah at the Art Gallery of Ontario’s installation, Watch This Space: Contemporary Art from the AGO Collection. Feheley says that these kind of simultaneous, avant-garde exhibitions help to expand her gallery’s Inuitart clientele by bringing in a totally different crowd of devotees of leading-edge contemporary art derived from both Center Space and the AGO. The prestigious TorontoDominion (TD) Gallery of Inuit Art recently acquired a pencil crayon and ink drawing, The World In Her Eyes (2011), by Shuvinai Ashoona. The TD Gallery of Inuit Art, a cooperative project of the bank and Cadillac Fairview, began as an initiative for Canada’s 1967 Centennial celebrations. Allen Thomas Lambert, president and chairman of the bank at the time of the collection’s founding, acquired an affection for the North, starting in 1946-7 when he managed the bank’s Yellowknife, Northwest Territories branch, then a two-room log cabin. Feheley, who often brings her clients to view the TD collection, says, “If you want to see the best of Inuit art, this is where you go.”

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At any given time only about 200 of the collection’s 700 items are on display on the ground floor of one tower of the bank’s modern downtown-Toronto complex. In the past, Feheley assisted with re-cataloguing the TD Inuit art assets and set up the current gallery. Feheley’s father was Melville Francis ‘Budd’ Feheley (1917-2009), an advertising executive and collector of international and Canadian art, who started his own Eskimo art collection in the 1950s. He also co-chaired the committee appointed to help the TD bank select works for its Inuit art collection, served as a founding member of the Canadian Eskimo Art Committee (later Council), and was the publishing agent for art books that included George Swinton’s Sculpture of the Eskimo (1972). Feheley grew up helping her father catalogue works of art, acquired further extensive education and experience in her field, and took over as Director of Feheley Fine Arts when her father retired in 1992. She presently serves as a board member and past president of the Art Dealers Association of Canada and has contributed numerous articles to the Inuit Art Quarterly (published by the Inuit Art Foundation).

The Bouchard Collection and Jutai Toonoo: Traditional and contemporary worlds

Dark Side of Me, self-portrait by Jutai Toonoo (2012, 41.5 x 29.75”).

Below: Cape Dorset artist Jutai Toonoo works on an abstract drawing of cancer cells during his solo exhibition at Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto (May 2012).

During April and May of 2012, Feheley Fine Arts mounted two successful, simultaneous exhibitions that dramatize the combined marketplace that exists today for both contemporary and traditional Inuit art. The traditional portion, The Bouchard Collection: Wall Hangings from Baker Lake, consists of selected tapestries from the private collection of Winnipeg cultural historian Marie Bouchard, who lived in Baker Lake and participated in the local art community for a decade starting in 1986. The 13 artists whose works are represented in the exhibition include: Irene (Tiktaalaaq) Avaalaaqiaq, Victoria Mamnguqsualuk, Miriam Marealik Qiyuk, Nancy Sevoga Kangeryuaq, Mary Yuusipik Singaqti, and Winnie Tatya. The wall hangings are created by appliquéing cut-out felt forms onto a background of duffel cloth or wool, then embellishing the work with embroidery. Generally each one takes from two to six months to complete.

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The World In Her Eyes, pencil crayon and ink drawing by artist Shuvinai Ashoona (2011, 46.5 x 94.5”), recently purchased by the TD Gallery of Inuit Art (Toronto) for an undisclosed sum.

Miss My Wife, oil stick drawing by Jutai Toonoo (2012, 29.75 x 41.75”).

Bouchard especially admires the contrast between the hardships of the women artists’ existence and their lively artistic expressions: “The outpouring of life in the tapestries reaffirms their lives, their faith in Mother Nature, and faith that the land will provide,” she explains. Today the Baker Lake Printmakers’ Co-operative and Jessie Oonark Centre are building on Baker Lake’s artistic heritage. Body Contemplation, the solo exhibition occupying Centre Space while the Bouchard collection is on exhibit, features the work of Jutai Toonoo of Cape Dorset. Toonoo is famous for his bold, dramatic drawings and portraits with expressive colour and a fearless use of subject-matter, sometimes in the form of biting commentaries about his social concerns. Some of his more tender works show a profound appreciation for relationships or female anatomy. Toonoo’s oil-stick drawing Miss My Wife (2012) shows his left eye shedding a tear because he missed his wife, Nina, while she was away in Iqaluit. While visiting Toronto for his May exhibition, he produces several large abstract drawings of healthy human cells fighting cancer cells in honour of two people in his circle who are presently hospitalized with cancer.

(Left:) Patricia Feheley, Director of Feheley Fine Arts, Toronto, shown here with Cape Dorset artist Tim Pitsiulak at the Toronto International Art Fair (October 2011).

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Although Walker’s Fine Art & Estate Auctioneers of Ottawa have operated since 1937, the company only recently began holding auctions of Inuit art. The move was fuelled by consignments from two important private collections: the estates of John and Mary Robertson, founders of Robertson Galleries in Ottawa, and Bill Larmour, an Arctic arts and crafts development officer. Ingo Hessel, an Ottawa curator and author on Inuit art, was appointed by Walker’s to organize the company’s new Inuit art section. Hessel’s books include Inuit Art: An Introduction (2002) and Arctic Spirit (2006). He says that auction sales represent a secondary market for Inuit art, in contrast to the gallery market, and that pieces more than 25 years old, which often end up on the auction block when collectors or heirs who inherit art collections decide to downsize their holdings, are especially successful at auction. Hessel has also found that buyers at auction are especially interested in quality, although the art does not have to be big or particularly expensive. “We select art that really speaks to people on the qualitative, emotional and psychological level,” he explains. In Walker’s May 2012 auction sale, over a dozen pieces fitting this profile fetched prices of $10,000 or more, while a landmark 1984 sculpture of a Dancing Bear by Pauta Saila of Cape Dorset attracted a bidding war among a dozen serious contenders, resulting in a selling price of $94,400 — the second-highest price ever achieved at auction for a piece of Inuit art. Currently Walker’s and Waddington’s of Toronto are Canada’s chief auction houses with separate departments devoted to Inuit art. Both hold their auctions of Inuit works twice annually, in May and November. Typically, Feheley Above: Woman’s Head, stone sculpture by Jutai Toonoo (2011, 16 x 8.5 x 5”). An inscription incised on the back reads: “women are the keepers of every culture”.

High quality, older works, and foreign markets at Walker’s

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Ingo Hessel, Head of the Inuit Art Department at Walker’s Auctions, Ottawa.

Stencil print of Two Hawks Fighting by Ohotaq Mikkigak (1961, 30 x 30”) that sold in Walker’s May-2012 auction for $9,440.

shamans, and especially the coming together of the worlds of animals and humans. He says when buyers purchase a piece, either in the North or the South, they are also gaining the opportunity to learn about Inuit art from ground zero. He suggests the next step for a buyer after acquiring her or his first piece is to get more information about Inuit artists and their art by going to the reputable galleries in the South, either in person or via the Internet, to look at their exhibitions and learn from the staff and owners, all of whom passionately love Inuit art. After collectors have acquired more information, they may feel better equipped to try bidding at auction. Hessel says an attraction of the auction market is that it caters to a wide range of buyers, offering some attractive smaller pieces costing $200, $300, or $400 as well as what he calls “killer” pieces costing $20,000 or $30,000. “So beginning buyers have a chance to dip their toes into the water without breaking the bank or making a terrible mistake,” he adds.

Fine Arts stages a major contemporary show timed to coincide with these sales. To date Walkers has held its auctions in Ottawa but also gives buyers the opportunity to preview the merchandise for several days in Toronto. Hessel says next time Walker’s is considering reversing locations by holding the preview in Ottawa and auction in Toronto, since Toronto offers a bigger market and better access by air for a growing number of buyers from the United States and Europe. Hessel’s current European buyers include galleries in England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and the Netherlands. “I think when Europeans are exposed to Inuit art, they fall in love with it for the same reasons the rest of us do: It’s an accessible, democratic art form that is attractive on many levels,” says Hessel. “While it is beautiful and interesting, it also possesses a kind of folk art appeal in the highest possible sense of the word. It is made by folks for folks with a lack of pretension and honesty, which has a universal appeal. Whatever socio-economic background people come from, they can generally relate to it — a refreshing contrast when one looks at the rest of the contemporary art world.” Hessel says the significance of Inuit art comes from the skill of the artists, and even more importantly the rich oral tradition of Inuit legends, and traditional beliefs in spirits,

Oil stick drawing of healthy cells battling cancer cells by Jutai Toonoo (May 2012, on paper, 50 x 193”), executed while the artist was in Toronto for his solo exhibition at Feheley Fine Arts.

July/August 2012

above & beyond

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Iqaluit You have found your destination.

City of Iqaluit

Visit our parks, tour the city, experience the great outdoors, hike our trails, cruise the beautiful waters of historic Frobisher Bay or shop for Inuit art/crafts and carvings. Breathe in our clear, cool Arctic air. Soak in the rich Inuit culture.

Iqaluit… Nunavut's capital… a place where there's always more to enjoy.

city.iqaluit.nu.ca For more information on the City of Iqaluit please contact: Tel.: 867-979-5600, E-mail: info@city.iqaluit.nu.ca or write: City of Iqaluit, Box 460, Iqaluit, Nunavut, X0A 0H0

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Modern Education meets Traditional Inuit Knowledge

s9lu wo8ix3i6 vhwK6 W6fygc6tA5 wkw5 cspmiz8i4 Text and photos by Teevi Mackay ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑐᖅ ᑏᕙᐃ ᒪᑲᐃ

Premier Aariak in her office at the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐊᓪᓚᕕᒻᒥᓂ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᐃᖃᓗᓐᓂ.

July/August 2012

above & beyond

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Premier Aariak and the Honourable Louis Tapardjuk pose with the elders after their teaching certification ceremony. ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᓗᐃ ᑕᐹᕐᔪᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᔫᒃ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᕐᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᖃᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔨᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᑕᖅᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓇᓪᓕᐅᓂᖅᓯᐅᕐᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᓱᑎᒃ.

he first ever Elders Teaching Certification Ceremony, held in Igloolik, Nunavut, on April 25, made for an historic and fondly memorable day. Nunavut Premier and Minister of Education, the Honourable Eva Aariak, and the Deputy Minister of Education, Kathy Okpik, travelled to the community for the day to mark this proud occasion. The event had already been announced in advance on local radio and upon her arrival, community residents and organizers of the event warmly greeted Premier Aariak and her team with open arms. In the words of the Premier, the certification of elders, as teachers, is part of the “made in Nunavut, made for Nunavummiut” Education Act passed in September 2008. The day-long visit began first at the Hamlet of Igloolik offices where the Premier spoke with community leaders about Nunavut’s Education Act and how it is preparing the territory for a bilingual Nunavut education system. She then toured local schools followed by a delicious caribou stew and bannock luncheon at the Ataguttaaluk High School, where the official afternoon ceremony would take place. Seen as an important stepping-stone toward building a meaningful curriculum that reflects the culture and traditional values of Inuit, while Nunavut continues to fully integrate into the Western system of education, the Act is meant to bring the two worlds — the Inuit way and the Southern way — into balance. Born and raised in Arctic Bay, Iqaluit is today home to the Premier and her family. Her own education however, began in Arctic Bay. Once the limited education system that existed there at the time could no longer accommodate the level of learning she needed, she was moved to Churchill, Manitoba, to attend the residential school. Aariak said her schooling in Churchill was a positive experience and she has nothing but good memories of her time there. A few years later she moved to Ottawa to advance her studies.

arcticjournal.ca

July/August 2012

ᓯ

ᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔩᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓇᓪᓕᐅᓂᖅᓯᐅᕐᓂᖅ, ᐊᑑᑎᔪᖅ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒻᒥ, ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ, ᐃᑉᐳᕉᓪ 25, ᐊᑐᑎᒐᔪᐃᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᑑᑎᓂᐅᕗᔪᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᓇᑦᓯᐊᖅᓱᓂᓗ ᐅᓪᓗᖅ. ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒥᓂᔅᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᐄᕙ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᖏᓕᖓ ᒥᓂᔅᑕᐅᑉ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᑳᖠ ᐅᒃᐱᒃ, ᐃᒡᓗᓕᓕᐊᔪᔫᒃ ᐅᓪᓗᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑐᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᑖᑦᓱᒪᓐᖓᑦ ᐊᑑᑎᔪᒥᒃ. ᐊᐅᓚᓂᐅᔪᖅ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔭᐅᑎᑕᐅᑦᓱᓂ ᓯᕗᕐᖓᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓂ ᓈᓚᐅᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᑭᒻᒪᓪᓗ, ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᓖᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᐃᔭᖅᑏᓪᓗ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑐᓐᖓᓱᑎᑦᓯᔪᐹᓘᔪᔪᑦ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᕐᒥᒃ ᑎᑭᖃᑎᖏᓐᓂᓪᓗ. ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖏᓐᓂ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᑎᐅᑉ, ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔨᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ, ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ “ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ, ᓴᓇᔭᐅᕗᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᓄᑦ”ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᖅ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑕᐅᔪᒧᖅ ᓯᑦᑕᕝᕙ 2008. ᐅᓪᓗᓕᒫᖅ ᑎᑭᓯᒪᓂᕆᔭᖓᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᖃᖅᓱᓂ ᕼᐋᒻᒪᓚᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒻᒥ ᐊᓪᓚᕝᕕᖏᓐᓂ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᖃᖅᓱᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓂ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᑉ ᒥᑦᓵᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐸᕐᓇᐸᓪᓕᐊᒻᒪᖔᑕ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᓐᖏᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᒻᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᕐᒥ. ᐳᓚᕋᓯᔪᒻᒥᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓐᓄᑦ ᑭᖑᕐᖓᒍᑦ ᑐᑦᑐᒥᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐆᔪᖅᑐᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐸᓚᐅᒑᖅᑐᖅᓱᑎᓪᓗ ᐅᓪᓗᕈᒻᒥᑕᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐊᑕᒍᑦᑖᓗᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐊᓗᒻᒥ, ᐅᓐᓄᓴᒃᑯᓪᓗ ᐊᑑᑎᓂᐊᖅᓱᓂ ᓇᓪᓕᐅᓂᖅᓯᐅᕐᓂᖅ. ᑕᑯᓐᓇᖅᑕᐅᑦᓱᓂ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᒻᒥᒃ ᐊᓪᓗᕆᐊᕐᓂᐅᒋᐊᖓ ᐱᕈᖅᐊᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᓯᕐᓂᒧᑦ ᐊᑑᑎᓕᒻᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᕋᑦᓴᒥᒃ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑎᑦᓯᔪᒥᒃ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ

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Those years of learning at residential school and in Ottawa prepared her well for a return to the North. She began her working life as a teacher in varying capacities that included teaching Inuktitut. She also worked in the human resources sector before tackling journalism as a CBC television and radio broadcaster. Her media experience eventually led Aariak to become the communications manager for the interim commissioner of Nunavut before the transition of the territories. After Nunavut was created in 1999, Aariak “was thrilled” when the Territory’s first Legislative Assembly chose her to become Nunavut’s Languages Commissioner. Referring to the new office, “I had to start it right from scratch” she says. Determined to make the Commissioner’s office relevant for Nunavummiut she practiced one of the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) foundational principles: Qanuqtuurungnarniq, the concept of being resourceful — a central component of the traditional Inuit approach to tasks and situations. Aariak flew to Yellowknife to learn the ways of the NWT Language Commissioner’s office. She also spent a great deal of her time travelling across Nunavut to inform people about the office. By the time she left her position as Languages Commissioner, it was a fully functioning arm of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. Aariak also helped to create the Official Languages Act of Nunavut, which includes English, French and the Inuit languages (of Nunavut) passed in June 2008. She has also spearheaded the development of “the very special Inuit Language Protection Act.” Approximately 85 per cent of the Nunavut population are Inuit, about 70 per cent of whom speak either Inuktitut or Innuinaqtun. Legislated protection was important to protect against the further erosion of the Inuit language. Today, the Nunavut government is working on the Uqausivut Plan, a policy strategy that addresses the implementation of this Inuit Language Protection Act. All government departments are working to finalize and submit their plan for this and the process will begin once submissions are received.

Leonie Qrunnut gladly poses with her Innaq Inuksiutiliriji certificate. The certificate recognizes Qrunnut's expertise to teach Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in Nunavut schools in the areas of sewing, traditional skin preparation and family issues. / ᓕᐅᓂ ᖁᕈᕐᓄᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒻᒪᕆᑦᓱᓂ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᕗᖅ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᖅᓱᓂ ᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐃᓄᒃᓯᐅᑎᓕᕆᔨ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᒧᑎᒥᓂᒃ.ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᖓ ᐊᑦᑐᐊᔪᖅ ᖁᕈᕐᓄᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᐊᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᐊᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓐᓂ ᒥᖅᓱᕐᓂᕐᒨᖓᔪᓄᑦ, ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᒥᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓚᒌᓐᓅᖓᔪᓄᑦ.

ᐊᑐᖅᑐᖁᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᑲᔪᓯᓯᒪᐃᓐᓇᓱᓂ ᐃᓚᒍᑦᓯᐅᔾᔨᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᕐᓂᒥᒃ, ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᖅ ᐊᑐᕈᒫᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᑲᓱᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᕐᕉᓐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᓂᒃ — ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖓᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖓᑦ - ᓇᓕᒧᒌᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᒃ. ᐃᓅᓯᒪᑦᓱᓂ ᐃᒃᐱᐊᕐᔪᒻᒥ ᐱᕈᖅᓴᐅᔭᐅᓯᒪᑦᓱᓂᓗ, ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᓄᓇᒋᓕᖅᑕᖓ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᐅᑉ ᐃᓚᖏᑦᑕᓗ. ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖓ, ᐱᒋᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ, ᐃᒃᐱᐊᕐᔪᒻᒥ. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᐃᓱᓕᒻᒪᑦ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᓕᖏᓐᓂᓪᓗ ᐱᑕᖃᓐᖏᒻᒪᑦ, ᓄᑦᑎᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᑰᔾᔪᐊᕌᓗᒻᒧᑦ, ᒫᓂᑑᕙᒧᑦ ᓇᔫᑎᒋᐊᖅᑐᖅᓱᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒻᒧᑦ ᓇᔪᒐᓕᒻᒧᑦ. ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᑰᔾᔪᐊᕌᓗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖅᓯᒪᓂᒥᓂᖓ ᐊᑑᑎᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᐅᔪᓂᓪᓗ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᔭᑦᓴᖃᖅᓱᓂ ᑕᐃᑲᓃᑦᓱᓂ. ᐊᕐᕌᒍᐃᑦ ᖃᑦᓯᒐᓛᑦ ᐊᓂᒍᕐᒪᑕ ᓄᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐋᑐᕚᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᓱᓂ. ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᓯᒪᓂᒥᓂᖏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᑐᕚᒥ ᐸᕐᓇᐃᕈᑎᒋᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᐅᑎᕋᔭᕐᓂᕐᒥᓄᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒧᑦ.ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᖃᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖃᖅᓱᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔨᐅᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᓐᖏᑦᑐᓂ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᑎᑦᓱᓂ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᖅ. ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᒻᒥᔪᖅ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᔨᕈᓚᐅᓐᖏᓐᓂᕐᒥ ᓰᕖᓰᒃᑯᑦ ᓈᓚᐅᑎᖏᓐᓂ ᑕᓚᕖᓴᖏᓐᓂᓗ. ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᓂᕐᒥᓄᑦ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᖃᑦᑕᐅᑎᓂᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕈᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᒻᒥᔪᖅ ᑲᒥᓯᓇᐅᑲᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐊᕕᑉᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ 1999-ᒥ, ᐋᕆᐊᒃ “ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ” ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑏᑦ ᓂᕈᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᐄᕙᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᒥᓯᓇᐅᓂᐊᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ.ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᓱᓂ ᓄᑖᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᓪᓚᕝᕕᒻᒥᒃ, ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᒋᐊᖃᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔭᕋ ᐱᑕᖃᓐᖏᑦᑐᒥᒃ” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.

Elders enter their teaching certification ceremony, each symbolically escorted by a child and young person. / ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᑎᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᑐᓂᑦ ᑕᓯᐅᖅᑕᐅᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᓱᕈᑦᓯᒧᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᑦᑐᒧᓪᓗ.

ᑲᑦᓱᖓᐃᑦᓱᓂ ᑲᒥᓯᓇᐅᑉ ᐊᓪᓚᕝᕕᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᑦᑐᐊᓂᖃᑦᓯᐊᖁᔨᑦᓱᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᓄᑦ ᐱᔭᕆᐅᖅᓴᕈᑎᖃᔪᔪᖅ ᐃᓚᖓᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᑦ ᑐᓐᖓᕕᒋᔭᖓᑦ:ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᖅ,ᐃᓱᒻᒪᓯᖅ ᐊᑑᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ — ᐃᓗᓕᓪᓗᐊᑕᕆᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᖓᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᒋᐊᓕᓐᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓐᓂᐅᔪᓄᓪᓗ. ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᔭᓗᓇᐃᓕᐊᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖅᓱᓂ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᒥᓯᓇᐅᑉ ᐊᓪᓚᕝᕕᖓᓄᑦ. ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖃᑦᑕᖅᓱᓂᓗ ᓄᓇᕗᓕᒫᒧᑦ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᑎᑦᓯᒋᐊᖅᑐᖅᓱᓂ ᐊᓪᓚᕝᕕᖓᑕ ᒥᑦᓵᓄᑦ.ᐅᖃᐅᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᒥᓯᓇᐅᒍᓐᓃᕋᒥ, ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑦᓯᐊᓕᔪᔪᖅ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᑦᓱᓂ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᒻᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ. ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓯᒪᒻᒥᔪᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓰᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᖓᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᔪᖅ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑐᑦ, ᐅᐃᕖᑎᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ,ᓗ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᓂᒃ (ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ) ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑕᐅᔪᔪᖅ 2008. ᓯᕗᓕᖅᓯᒪᒻᒥᔪᖅ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑕᐅᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ “ᐊᔾᔨᐊᓐᖏᑦᑐᓪᓚᕆᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓴᐳᔾᔨᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᒧᐊᖅ.” 85% ᒥᑦᓵᓃᑦᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑦ ᐃᓅᕗᑦ, 70%-ᖏᑦ ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ. ᐱᖁᔭᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᓴᐳᔾᔨᓯᒪᓂᖅ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᓯᒪᒻᒪᑦ ᓴᐳᔾᔨᒍᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓄᖑᑉᐸᓪᓕᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᑉ. ᐅᓪᓗᒥ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᖅᑯᓯᕗᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎᒥᒃ, ᐊᑐᐊᒐᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᐸᓗᖓᐃᔭᐅᑎ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑕᐅᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᑖᑦᓱᒪ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖓᓐᓂᒃ ᓴᐳᔾᔨᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᑉ. ᐃᓘᓐᓇᑎᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᒥᓂᔅᑕᐅᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᔭᕇᔭᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᑐᓂᓯᒐᔭᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎᒥᒃ ᑕᕝᕗᖓ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᕐᓗ ᐱᒋᐊᕋᔭᖅᓱᓂ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᒋᐊᓕᓕᒫᑦ ᐱᔭᐅᓯᒪᓕᖅᐸᑕ. ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥ ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᑦᓱᓂ ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ ᑲᓇᓐᓇᖓᓂᒃ ᐅᑦᑑᕙ 28, 2008-ᒥ ᓂᕈᐊᕐᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐊᑦᓱᕉᑎᖃᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᖅᓴᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᓯᐊᓐᓂᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑐᓐᖓᕕᐅᔪᒥᒃ: ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᕐᓂᖅ, ᐃᓱᒻᒪᓯᖅ ᐱᔨᕐᓯᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ

July/August 2012

above & beyond

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At the Igloolik Hamlet office, Mayor Paul Quassa discusses policy with the Premier. ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒻᒥ ᕼᐋᒻᒪᓚᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᕝᕕᖓᓐᓂ ᐹᓪ ᖁᐊᓴ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑐᐊᒐᕐᒥᒃ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᒧᑦ.

First elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut representing Iqaluit East in the October 28, 2008 election, Aariak strived to practice another IQ principle: Pijitsirarnaq, the concept of serving and she describes the experience (of being elected) as a very special day in her life. Sitting in Premier Aariak’s office I had the opportunity to ask her about how she felt the moment she was chosen by her colleagues to be the Premier of Nunavut. She described that day, November 14, 2008, as a surreal and exciting time. The actual selection process, she admits is “slow”. With two other MLA’s vying for the position, it took a whole day of deliberations before she was chosen. The process begins with another elected member putting forward a nominee’s name for the Premier’s position. Traditionally, an Inuk “leader was someone who inspired people to work well together, whose intelligence, competence, and regard for the well-being of the community were proven. Such a leader rarely made mistakes and had thus earned the confidence of the people” (Bennett and Rowley, Uqalurait: An oral history of Nunavut, McGillQueens University Press, 2004). The IQ principle of Asjiqatiglingniq, decision-making by consensus is seen in the way in which Premier Aariak obtained her leadership role and in the way in which decisions are made in the Legislature of Nunavut. During our conversation, Premier Aariak emphasized again that her mindset is to balance her traditional thinking with the demands of the Western world. She tries best to balance the two in order to accommodate the relevant needs and requirements of her people in today’s world. Soon after becoming Premier, Aariak initiated what she calls “a Report Card” on the previous government. Not for the purpose of giving a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ grade, but for the purpose of seeing where Nunavut was, what was working and what needed to be changed. She knew too that the 10th anniversary of Nunavut was approaching. Nunavut was created not by war, but through civil negotiations, which birthed the Nunavut land claims agreement, “an agreement that was the first of its kind in the world,” Aariak adds. 34

arcticjournal.ca

July/August 2012

ᓇᓗᓇᐃᔭᐃᑦᓱᓂᓗ ᐊᑑᑎᓯᒪᔭᒥᓂᒃ (ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᓂᕐᒥᒃ)ᐊᔾᔨᐅᖏᑦᑐᒻᒪᕆᐅᑦᓱᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᖅ ᐃᓅᓯᖓᓂ. ᐃᑦᓯᕙᑦᓱᖓ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᑉ ᐊᓪᓚᕝᕕᖓᓂ ᐱᕕᖃᔪᒐᒪ ᐊᐱᕆᒋᐊᖓ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᑉᐱᓐᓂᐊᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᖔᖅ ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᒐᒥ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎᐅᖃᑎᒥᓄᑦ ᓯᕗᓕᓂᖅᑎᐅᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ. ᓇᓗᓇᐃᔭᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔭᖓ ᑕᐃᓐᓇ ᐅᓪᓗᖅ, ᓅᕙᐃᕝᕙ 14, 2008, ᑲᒪᓇᖅᑐᒻᒪᕆᐅᓯᒪᒋᐊᖓ ᖁᕕᐊᓇᓪᓚᕆᑦᓯᒪᑦᓱᓂᓗ. ᐊᐅᓚᓐᓄᓪᓗᐊᑕᖓ ᓂᕈᐊᕐᓂᐅᑉ, ᐅᖃᖅᓱᓂ “ᓱᒃᑲᐃᑦᑐᖅ”. ᒪᕐᕉᓐᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑏᓐᓂᒃ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᕈᕋᓱᐊᖅᑐᖃᖅᓱᓂᑦᑕᐅᖅ, ᐅᓪᓗᓕᒫᑦ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᖅᑕᖃᕆᐊᖃᔪᒧᖅ ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᓐᖏᓐᓂᖓᓂ. ᐊᐅᓚᓂᐅᔪᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᖃᓲᖅ ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᓂᕈᐊᕋᑦᓴᓕᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᐅᑉ ᐃᓂᖓᓄᑦ. ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᖅᑎᒍᓪᓕ, ᐃᓄᒃ “ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᑎᓕᐅᕆᖃᑦᑕᓲᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᓄᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖁᔨᑦᓱᓂ, ᓯᓚᑐᓂᖓ, ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖓ, ᖃᓄᐃᓐᖏᑦᑑᓂᖓᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓂ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᑦᓱᑎᒃ. ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᖅ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᑕᒻᒪᕋᔪᐃᑦᑐᒥᓂᖅ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᓱᖏᖅᑑᑎᒋᔭᐅᒍᓐᓇᓕᖅᓱᓂ ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ (ᕗᕐᓇᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕋᐅᓕ, ᐅᖃᓗᕋᐃᑦ: ᐅᖃᐅᓯᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᐅᓯᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ, ᒪᒋᐊᓪ-ᑯᐃᓐᔅ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᓴᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᖓᓂᒃ ᑐᓴᕋᑦᓴᐃᑦ 2004). ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖓᑦᑕ ᑐᓐᖓᕕᒋᔭᖓᑦ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᖅ, ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᒋᕗᖅ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐱᓯᒪᑦᓱᓂ ᓯᕗᓕᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕈᑕᐅᔪᓪᓗ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐋᔩᕈᑕᐅᕙᑦᓱᑎᒃ. ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒌᑦᓱᓄ, ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐅᖃᕆᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᔪᔪᖅ ᐃᓱᒪᖓ ᐋᖅᑭᑦᓯᒪᒋᐊᖓ ᓇᓕᒧᒌᓕᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓱᒻᒪᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑑᖅᑐᓂᒃ. ᐱᕕᓕᒫᒃᑯᑦ ᓇᓕᒧᒌᑦᑎᑦᓯᒐᓱᐊᖅᐸᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᑲᐅᓈᕆᒐᓱᐊᖅᓱᓂ ᐊᑦᑐᐊᔪᓄᑦ ᑭᓐᖒᒪᒋᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᓕᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᖁᑎᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᒥᐅᓕᖅᑐᖅ. ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᕈᓚᐅᖅᓱᓂ,ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔭᐃᒋᐊᖅᓯᒪᒧᖅ ᑕᐃᔭᒥᓂᒃ “ᕿᒥᕐᕈᔾᔪᑏᑦ” ᒐᕙᒪᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ. ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᓐᖏᓯᐊᖅᓱᓂ “ᐱᐅᔪᑦ” ᐱᐅᓐᖏᑦᑐᑦ” ᐃᒪᐃᓕᓂᐊᕆᐊᑦᓴᖅ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᓱᓂ ᓇᒦᓕᕐᒪᖔᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ, ᓱᓇᐃᑦ

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She wanted to hear from the people and wanted their help because they are the recipients of services and programs. The Government of Nunavut received feedback from Nunavummiut through radio shows, letters, questionnaires, websites, and public meetings pertaining to how the government needed to improve. From this information, Premier Aariak and the cabinet with the concurrence of the regular members, created the Tamapta Mandate (Building Our Future Together) — setting the priorities and mandate of the Government of Nunavut. Another helpful IQ principle, Piliriqatigiingniq, stresses the importance of working collaboratively together for a common purpose. To set the direction for their programs and services from the ground up, Premier Aariak, started with the voice of Nunavummiut. The Nunavut Education Act, also created through extensive consultation with Nunavummiut, balances traditional Inuit values with the Western system of education. The Act has “a lot of emphasis on our culture”, she says. The Education Act mandates that elders will teach in Nunavut’s education system, which is why elders in Igloolik were recently certified to teach in Nunavut schools. Elders will “work in the same capacity as regular teachers” and they will teach culture and language in various subjects.

Premier Aariak was given a tour of the Ataguttaaluk High School with Francis Piugattuk, Chair of the Igloolik District Education Authority, and met visiting teacher Bence Csaba. / ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᑎᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᑕᒍᑦᑖᓗᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐊᓗᒻᒥᒃ ᐊᐃᑉᐸᖃᖅᓱᓂ ᕗᕌᓐᓴᔅ ᐱᐅᒑᑦᑐᕐᒥᒃ, ᐃᑦᓯᕙᐅᑕᕆᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᐊᓂᖅᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᖃᑎᖃᖅᓱᑎᓪᓗ ᑎᑭᓯᒪᔪᒥᒃ ᕙᓐᔅ ᓴᕙ.

Recently, the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Education signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Agnico-Eagle Mining Company for the purpose of working together to ensure that the Nunavut curriculum increases Inuit youth capacity to pursue skills and training in trades and professional careers. This partnership aims to give Inuit youth access to training opportunities and jobs in the mining sector after high school. Rankin Inlet’s Nunavut Trades Training Centre, which opened in 2010, will play a huge part in accommodating the training needed in this area. The Government of Nunavut also has partnerships with southern universities in order to train Nunavummiut in the North. For example, recently 21 students have graduated with a Master’s Degree in Education, in affiliation with the University of Prince Edward Island and presently there are 17 students enrolled in the second cohort who are set to graduate next year.

Premier Aariak and Abraham Ulayuruluk exchanged a few words outside after the elder's teaching certification ceremony. Ulayuruluk received certification to teach in the areas of story telling, drum dancing, singing, hunting and tool making. / ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐃᕗᕋᕼᐋᒻ ᐅᓛᔪᕈᓗᒃ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒌᑦᑑᒃ ᓯᓚᒥ ᑭᖑᓂᖓᓂ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐅᓛᔪᕈᓗᒃ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓂᕐᒨᖓᔪᓂᒃ, ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐃᓐᖏᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐊᖑᓇᓱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓴᓇᕐᕈᓯᐅᕐᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ.

ᑲᔪᓯᑦᓯᐊᕐᒪᖔᑕ ᓱᓇᐃᓪᓕ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᖔᑕ. ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓪᓗᓂᓗ 10-ᓂᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓂᒃ ᓇᓪᓕᐅᓂᖅᓯᐅᕐᓂᕆᔭᖓᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᑎᑭᑉᐸᓪᓕᐊᓕᕆᐊᖓ.ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᑦ ᐅᓇᑕᕐᓂᒃᑰᖏᖅᑐᖅ,ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐊᐃᕙᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓄᓇᑖᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒍᑎᒧᑦ, “ᐊᖏᕈᑎᐅᔪᖅ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᔾᔨᖃᕋᓂᓗ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ,” ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ. ᑐᓴᕈᒪᑦᓱᓂ ᐃᓄᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᒍᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᒍᒪᑦᓱᓂᓗ ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᖅᑕᐅᕙᒻᒪᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᐅᔪᒃᑯᑦ. ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑕᐅᓕᔪᕗᑦ ᓄᓇᒻᒥᐅᓄᑦ ᓈᓚᐅᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᕐᑳᓚᕋᖅᑎᑦᓯᕙᑦᓱᑎᒃ, ᑎᑎᖅᑲᑎᒍᑦ, ᐊᐱᖅᑯᑎᑎᒍᑦ, ᐃᑭᐊᖅᑎᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᓇᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᑎᑕᐅᕙᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐊᑦᑐᐊᔪᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᕚᓪᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᖔᑕ.ᑖᒃᑯᓇᓐᖓᑦ ᑐᓴᖅᑕᒥᓐᓂᒃ,ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕿᐊᒃ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑏᓪᓗ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᖏᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᖃᑎᖃᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᒃ, ᓴᖅᑮᓕᔪᕗᑦ ᑕᒪᑉᑕ, ᑎᓕᓯᔾᔪᑕᐅᔪᖅ (ᐱᕈᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᖅ ᓯᕗᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᒃᑯᑦ)-ᐋᖅᑭᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᐅᑎᒋᐊᓕᓐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᒥᒃ ᑐᓐᖓᕕᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᖏᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ. ᐊᓯᐊᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᑐᓐᖓᕕᐅᔪᖅ,ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᖅ,ᐊᑦᓱᕉᑎᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᖓᓂᒃ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᐅᑉ ᑖᑦᓱᒪᓐᖓᓴᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᕐᓗᑎᒃ. ᑐᑭᒧᐊᑦᑎᑦᓯᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᕆᔭᒥᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕋᐅᑎᒥᓐᓂᓪᓗ ᓄᓇᒥᒃ ᐱᖓᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᖁᒻᒧᑦ.ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ,ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᖃᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓂᐱᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑦ. ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᖅ, ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᔪᒻᒥᔪᖅ ᐃᓗᓕᖅᑐᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᓱᒪᓯᐅᕆᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᓂᒃ, ᓇᓕᒧᒌᓕᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᖅ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖅᑎᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᖁᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᖓᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ. ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᖅ “ᐊᑦᓱᕉᑎᖃᓪᓚᕆᑦᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑎᓐᓂᒃ”, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᖅ ᑎᓕᓯᓯᒪᒻᒪᑦ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᐊᕆᐊᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᐅᑉ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ, ᑕᐃᒪᐃᒻᒪᑦ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒻᒥ ᒫᓐᓇᕈᓗᒃ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᔪᕗᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᒍᓐᓇᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓐᓂ. ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ “ᑕᐃᒫᑦᓴᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔨᓪᓚᕆᑦᑎᑐᑦ” ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᐊᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᒥᓪᓗ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᓐᖏᑦᑐᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑕᐅᔪᓂ. ᒫᓐᓇᕈᓘᔪᔪᖅ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᒥᓂᔅᑕᐅᕕᖓᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑎᓕᐅᔪᒧᑦ ᑐᑭᓯᐅᖃᒪᑎᒌᒍᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᒡᓃᒍ-ᐄᒍᓪ ᐅᔭᕋᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᖓᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᓂᐊᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᑦᓯᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕋᑦᓴᐃᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᓐᖑᐸᓪᓕᐊᒍᑕᐅᒐᓗᐊᕐᒪᖔᑕ ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᒪᓂᖃᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᓴᓇᔨᐅᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᓪᓚᕆᓐᓅᖓᔪᓂᓪᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖃᕐᓗᑎᒃ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᖅ ᑐᕌᕐᓂᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᕕᖃᖅᑎᑦᓯᒍᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᓐᓂᒃ ᒪᒃᑯᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕋᑦᓴᓂᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᓂᓪᓗ ᐅᔭᕋᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐊᓗᒻᒥᒃ ᐱᔭᕇᓚᐅᕐᓗᑎᒃ. ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᖖᖓᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ, ᒪᑐᐃᔪᔪᖅ 2010, ᐊᖏᔪᒻᒪᕆᒻᒥᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓗᑎᒃ ᑕᕝᕗᖓᖓᔪᓂᒃ. ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᖃᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᓂ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᓴᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᕐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ. ᓲᕐᓗ, ᒫᓐᓇᕈᓘᔪᔪᖅ 21 ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐱᔭᕇᔪᔪᑦ ᐸᐃᑉᐹᖁᑎᒻᒪᕆᑦᑖᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᓴᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᖓ ᐳᕆᓐᔅ ᐊᑦᕗᑦ ᐊᐃᓚᓐ ᒫᓐᓇᓗ 17-ᖑᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐊᐃᑉᐸᐃᖏᓐᓃᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᔭᕇᕈᒫᕐᓂᐊᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᒍ. ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐱᒃᑯᒋᔭᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅᓱᓂ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᔪᖅ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ

July/August 2012

above & beyond

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Premier Aariak proudly acknowledges that presently there are more Nunavummiut students accessing post secondary programs than ever before. Nunavut is seeing an influx in applicants for Nunavut Arctic College programs, as well as more and more Nunavut students attending and excelling at southern universities. However, this turn of events did not come so quickly. Premier Aariak noted that Inuit have gone through tumultuous changes since the 1950s and 60s when Inuit were asked to move to central communities so that their children could attend school. During this time parents were not involved in the children’s education. It was a negative experience for the parents as they had to distance themselves from their tradition and release their children into the school system. The teachers at the time, unfortunately, did not promote parental engagement. Today’s Government of Nunavut however is encouraging parental engagement in the school system as never before. Premier Aariak stresses that parents need to be involved in the education of their children as it is part of the backbone of success for the territory. Her goal is to ingrain this value in the minds and hearts of parents. “Most of all they have to ensure that their children are attending school,” says Aariak, to combat the high rate of non-attendance in Nunavut schools. Other factors, too, need to be considered. Nunavummiut face many serious social problems, such as the housing shortage, which facilitates overcrowded and unhealthy living conditions, and the lack of food security. For a child to be fully engaged in school, Aariak says, “they need to be provided with adequate food, proper housing, parental love, support and encouragement.” She strongly believes that even while many Nunavummiut face challenges, parents still have a role to play in the education of their children. Part of the Government of Nunavut’s mandate is to try to address social problems at their root cause. The Nunavut Department of Social Services has created a Mobile Addictions Treatment (MAT) pilot program – a treatment team that will offer a regional, residential treatment program in Cambridge Bay and serve Nunavummiut in the Kitikmeot Region. This pilot initiative is the interim solution before an actual treatment centre is created in Nunavut. The MAT program was developed in response to the Nunavut Social Services Review report published in July 2011. A Child and Youth Representative is also recommended in the same report, and the Government of Nunavut acted swiftly. Legislation will be introduced in June and the actual office will be created once legislation is passed. This Representative will be appointed to “protect and promote the rights and interests of children and youth,” says Aariak. The Government of Nunavut is also putting more of an emphasis on early childhood education to ensure that children have a good start in life.

All of the elders just before they received their Innaq Inuksiutiliriji certificates. ᐃᓄᑐᖃᓕᒫᑦ ᐊᐃᑦᑐᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕋᑎᒃ ᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐃᓄᒃᓯᐅᑎᓕᕆᔨ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᒥᓂᒃ.

arcticjournal.ca

July/August 2012

Thomas Kublu shakes hands with Premier Aariak after receiving his Innaq Inuksiutiliriji certificate to teach Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in the areas of hunting, traditional dance and survival skills. / ᑖᒪᔅ ᑯᕝᓗ ᑎᒎᑎᔪᖅ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃᒥᒃ ᐊᐃᑦᑐᖅᑕᐅᕋᓵᖅᓱᓂ ᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐃᓄᓯᐅᑎᓕᕆᔨ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᓐᓂᕐᒧᑦ , ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᒧᒥᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᓐᓇᒐᓱᐊᕈᑎᓂᓪᓗ.

ᓯᓚᑦᑐᓴᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᓕᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᒪᑕ. ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᑕᑯᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᖅ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᓐᖏᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕋᓱᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᓴᕐᕕᖓᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕋᑦᓴᐅᔪᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᒥᓱᕈᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᓴᕐᕕᔾᔪᐊᓕᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓐᓄᑦ ᑲᔪᓯᑦᓯᐊᖅᑐᐊᓘᓪᓗᑎᒃ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ,ᑕᕝᕙᓴᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑎᑭᐅᑎᓯᒪᓐᖏᒻᒥᔪᖅ.ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓈᓗᒃ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᐸᓪᓕᓂᐊᒃᑰᖅᓯᒪᒋᐊᖏᑦ 1950ᖏᓐᓂᓂᑦ 60-ᖏᓐᓂᓪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᑦᑎᖅᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓕᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᕈᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕈᓐᓇᖁᔭᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᕿᑐᕐᖓᖏᑦ. ᑕᐃᑦᓱᒪᓂᓕ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᑲᒪᓐᖏᑦᓯᐊᔪᔪᑦ ᕿᑐᕐᖓᖏᑦᑕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᐱᐅᖏᑦᑐᐹᓘᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕆᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐅᖓᓯᓪᓕᐅᒥᒋᐊᖃᖅᓯᒪᒐᒥᒃ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᓴᒃᑯᐃᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᕿᑐᕐᖓᒥᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓐᓄᑦ. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔩᑦ ᑕᐃᑦᓱᒪᓂ, ᒪᒥᐊᓇᖅ ᑑᒐᓗᐊᖅ, ᐃᓚᐅᑎᑦᓯᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᓐᖏᒻᒪᑕ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ. ᐅᓪᓗᒥᓕ ᒐᕙᒪᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐃᓇᑦᓯᕙᓪᓕᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᐅᑎᖁᔨᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᐅᑉ ᐃᓗᐊᓄᑦ ᐃᒫᓪᓚᕆᒃ. ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑦᓱᕉᑎᖃᖅᓱᓂ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᑎᓐᓂᖃᕆᐊᖃᕆᐊᖏᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᕿᑐᕐᖓᖏᑦᑕ, ᑐᓐᖓᕕᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᑲᔪᓯᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ. ᑐᕌᒐᕆᔭᖓ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᖓ ᐃᓱᒻᒪᓯᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐆᒻᒪᑎᖏᓐᓄᓪᓗ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᑎᖁᓪᓗᒍ.“ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᑦᓯᐊᕆᐊᓖᑦ ᕿᑐᕐᖓᖏᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᓕᕋᓗᐊᕐᒪᖔᑕ”, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ, ᐅᓇᑕᕐᓗᒍ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᓐᖏᓗᐊᕐᓂᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓐᓂ.

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The Education Act of Nunavut sets out that the education system will endeavour to have students graduating grade 12 bilingually in Inuktitut and English by 2020. Premier Aariak said that the first 20 years will be a challenge because the implementation process takes time. It takes time to create a Nunavut curriculum, to hire teachers who can accommodate that curriculum, and to develop Inuktitut education material. The retention of teachers in Nunavut at times is a problem, in part, due to the lack of housing. For example, some teachers have to room with another teacher due to the housing shortage. This is an issue that the Government of Nunavut is constantly trying to address. Premier Aariak noted Nunavut has a lot of dedicated teachers who spend much of their time fully engaged in the schools and in the community. For instance, in Taloyoak, Gina Pizzo, the Principal for the Netsilik School, was named one of Canada’s outstanding principals for 2012.

As well as dedicated teachers, the teaching of Inuit elders will play a part in developing a rich Nunavut education system. Innait Inuksiutilirjit is the certification term for the elders to teach in the education system of Nunavut. This term translates as “Elders teaching the way of the Inuit”. During Premier Aariak’s speech at the Elders Teaching Certification Ceremony in Igloolik she said, “Your involvement in our schools helps us to better reflect the local needs and values of each individual community. It helps us to strengthen the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit foundation of our schools and encourages life-long learning.” The Honourable Louis Tapardjuk, the MLA for Igloolik, also spoke at the elders teaching certification ceremony saying that the Nunavut Education Act calls for elders to be recognized. He said, “when I was growing up, our culture was belittled...with this new piece of legislation we are now given the right and dignity.” He added that elders, “will now be working as equals.” Premier Aariak ran for election because she was ready to serve Nunavummiut. The IQ concept of pijitsirarniq, guides her commitment to public service. Speaking to the Igloolik audience, Aariak said that there is at least one thing that stands out each day while she serves Nunavut as the leader of the government. On this particular day it was the certification of elders under the Education Act.

ᐊᓯᖏᑦ ᐃᓗᓕᖏᑦ, ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᐅᖃᓯᐅᑎᒋᐊᖃᕐᒥᔪᑦ. ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑦ ᓵᓐᖓᑦᓯᒻᒪᑕ ᐊᒥᓱᐊᓗᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒨᖓᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᓇᐃᓗᑕᕐᓂᒃ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᐃᓪᓗᑭᑦᓴᕐᓂᖅ, ᐃᓪᓗᐃᓪᓗ ᐃᓄᖃᓗᐊᖅᓱᑎᒃ ᐃᓅᑦᓯᐊᕐᓇᕈᓐᓃᖅᓱᓂ, ᓂᕿᑦᓴᖃᑦᓯᐊᓐᖏᓐᓂᕐᓗ. ᓄᑕᖅᑲᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᐊᕈ, ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ, “ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑎᑦᓯᕕᐅᒋᐊᓖᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᓂᕿᓂᒃ, ᐊᖏᕐᕋᖃᑦᓯᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ, ᐊᖓᖅᑳᒥᓄᑦ ᓇᓪᓕᒋᔭᐅᓗᑎᒃ, ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓯᔭᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᑎᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓗᑎᓪᓗ.” ᐅᑉᐱᕈᓱᓪᓚᕆᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥᐅᑦ ᐊᑦᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒦᒃᑲᓪᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᑦᓴᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᕿᑐᕐᖓᖏᑦᑕ. ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓚᖓᑦ ᑎᓕᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᒋᓯᒪᔭᖓᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᖃᕋᓱᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᓇᓐᖓᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥ ᐊᑲᐃᓪᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ, ᐊᒫᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒥᓂᔅᑕᐅᕕᖓᑦ ᐃᓄᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᓴᖅᑮᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᑦᑕᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᐃᕆᓴᐅᑎᓅᖓᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᓅᓕᓴᐃᓃᑦ (MAT) ᐆᑦᑐᕋᐅᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᐅᔪᑦ - ᒪᒥᓴᐃᔩᑦ ᒪᓂᒪᑎᑦᓯᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᕕᑦᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᒥᓂᕐᓄᑦ ᒪᒥᓴᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᖃᓗᑦᑑᑦᑎᐊᕐᒥ ᐱᔨᕐᓯᕐᓗᑎᓪᓗ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑕᓂᒃ ᕿᑎᕐᒥᐅᓂ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐆᑦᑐᕋᐅᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔭᓐᓂᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᑯᓐᓂᖅᓯᐅᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕈᑕᐅᑲᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᒪᒥᓴᐃᕕᓪᓚᕆᒻᒥᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑐᖃᓕᓐᖏᓐᓂᖓᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ. MAT ᐊᐅᓚᓂᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔭᒋᐊᕈᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓄᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᔭᐅᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓂᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᔪᓚᐃ 2011. ᓱᕈᑦᓯᓄᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᑦᑐᓄᓪᓗ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᓯᒪᒻᒥᔪᖅ ᑖᒃᑯᓇᓂᑦᓴᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐅᓂᒃᑲᓂ,ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓱᑲᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔭᒋᐊᕈᑎᖃᖅᓯᒪᑦᓱᑎᒃ. ᐱᖁᔭᑦᓴᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᓛᖅᑐᖅ ᔫᓂᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓪᓚᕕᐅᒐᔭᖅᑐᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᓗᓂ ᐱᖁᔭᖅ ᐊᓂᒍᖅᑎᑕᐅᒌᑐᐊᖅᐸᑦ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᔨ ᑎᓕᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ “ᓴᐳᔾᔨᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᑎᑦᓯᓗᑎᓪᓗ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᔪᒪᕆᔭᖏᓐᓂᓪᓗ ᓱᕈᑦᓯᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᑦᑐᓪᓗ,”ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ.ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᐊᑦᓱᕉᑎᖃᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᒋᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᒥᑭᔫᑏᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᑦᓯᐊᕈᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓱᕈᑦᓯ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓂᖃᑦᓯᐊᕋᓗᐊᕐᒪᖔᑕ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥ. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐋᖅᑭᑦᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᖅ ᑲᔪᓯᖃᑦᑕᑦᓯᐊᕈᓐᓇᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᐱᔭᕇᖅᑐᑦ ᖁᑦᓯᓐᓂᓕᒻᒥᒃ 12 ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑐᓪᓗ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᖓᓂ 2020. ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᐃᑦ ᐊᕙᑎᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᑦ ᐊᑦᓱᕈᕐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕆᐊᖏᑦ ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᖅ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᖃᓲᖑᒻᒪᑦ. ᐱᕕᖃᕆᐊᖃᖅᓱᓂᓗ ᓴᖅᑮᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕋᑦᓴᓂᒃ, ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔨᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᒍᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕋᑦᓴᓂᒃ, ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᓗ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᑦᓴᓂᒃ. ᐸᐸᑦᓯᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔨᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐱᓇᐃᓗᑕᐅᒻᒥᔪᖅ, ᐃᓚᖓᒍᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᓱᓂ, ᐃᓪᓗᖃᑦᓯᐊᖏᓐᓂᖅ. ᓲᕐᓗ, ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔩᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔨᐅᖃᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓪᓗᒥᐅᖃᑎᖃᕆᐊᓖᑦ ᐃᓗᑕᖃᑦᓯᐊᖏᓐᓂᖓᓄᑦ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓱᒫᓗᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᒐᓱᐊᖏᓐᓇᖅᑕᕋᓗᐊᖓᑦ. ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐅᖃᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔨᑕᖃᕆᐊᖓ ᑐᓂᒪᓂᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕕᒻᒦᔭᕋᐃᓐᓇᓲᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓂᓗ.ᓲᕐᓗ,ᑕᓗᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ,ᔩᓇ ᐱᔪ,ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖅ ᓇᑦᓯᓕᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖓᓐᓂ,ᑕᐃᔭᐅᔪᔪᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᑦᓯᐊᕙᐅᓂᖅᐸᐅᒋᐊᖓ 2012-ᒧᑦ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᓂᒪᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔩᑦ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᖏᑦ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᒍᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑦᓱᐃᑦᑐᒻᒪᕆᒻᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᖓᔪᓄᑦ, ᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᐃᓄᒃᓯᐅᑎᓕᕆᔩᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᒋᔭᖏᑦ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᑐᑭᖓ “ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᔪᑦ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ”. ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐅᖃᓕᒪᓂᖃᖅᓱᓂ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᕐᓂᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒻᒥ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, “ᐃᓚᐅᑎᓐᓂᕆᔭᓯ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔭᒋᐊᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓂ ᑭᓐᖒᒪᒋᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᖁᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᓂᓪᓗ ᐊᑐᓂᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓄᑦ. ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᓴᓐᖏᓕᖅᐹᓪᓕᑎᑦᓯᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᑦ ᑐᓐᖓᕕᒋᔭᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐃᓇᑦᓯᓂᖃᖅᓱᓂᓗ ᐃᓅᓯᓕᒫᕐᒨᖓᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ.” ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᓗᐃ ᑕᐹᕐᔪᒃ, ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᖅᑎ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒻᒧᑦ, ᐅᖃᓕᒪᔪᒻᒥᔪᖅ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᓯᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᓱᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᖅ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᕐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᖁᔨᒻᒪᑦ. ᐅᖃᖅᓱᓂᓗ, “ᐱᕈᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓪᓗᖓ, ᐱᖅᑯᓯᕗᑦ ᒥᑭᓪᓕᑎᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᔪᔪᖅ… ᐅᓇ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐱᖁᔭᑦᓴᖅ ᑕᕝᕙᐅᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖃᓕᖅᑎᒍ ᐱᒃᑯᒋᓂᖃᓕᖅᓱᑕᓗ.” ᐅᖃᖅᓱᓂᓗ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ, “ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐊᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒋᔭᐅᔫᓗᑎᒃ.” ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᓯ ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᓂᕈᐊᕋᑦᓴᐅᓚᕿᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᓕᕐᓯᒪᒐᒥ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᓄᑦ.ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᓱᒻᒪᓯᖅ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᓐᓂᖅ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓕᑕᕆᔭᖓ ᑐᓂᒪᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᑕᖅᑲᐅᖓ ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ. ᐅᖃᓕᒪᑦᓱᓂ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒻᒥᐅᓄᑦ, ᐋᕆᐊᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᑦ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᓚᒡᒐᐃᑦᑐᖅᑕᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐱᔨᑦᓯᖅᓱᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᓂᒃ ᓯᕗᓕᖅᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂ. ᐅᓪᓗᒥᓕ ᐊᑑᑎᔪᖅ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᐃᑦ ᐊᑖᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᔪᐊᑉ. ᒫᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐋᑐᕚᒥ, ᐃᓱᒪᖅᓱᖅᓱᓂ ᐊᐃᑦᑐᐃᕙᑦᑐᖅ, ᑏᕙᐃ ᒪᑲᐃ, ᐱᔭᕇᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᕗᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᑕᒪᒋᓕᖅᑕᖓ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖓ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑳᕈᑕᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᓴᕐᕕᖓᓂ ᐋᑐᕚᒥ.

Currently based in Ottawa, freelance contributor Teevi Mackay is a graduate of Nunavut Sivuniksavut and in her 4th year studying Journalism at Carleton University in Ottawa. July/August 2012

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A R T S , C U LT U R E & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

S I N U U PA Sinuupa on the rocks. (L-R): Drummer David Paul Neil, lead singer and songwriter Etua Snowball, bass player Pat Blonk and guitarist Rob MacDonald.

Rocks from dusk to dawn ast profiled by Canada’s Arctic Journal over 10 years ago (March/April 2001) it would not be an unfair question were one to ask - what has talented Inuit rocker Sinuupa been up to since then? Though he’s not recorded new music in over a decade, the short answer is, he’s been busy. Sinuupa’s previous album Arctic Darkness, released in 1998, fueled interest enough in his talent and song to launch a performance career that has taken him all over the world. He has performed overseas in Norway, Bordeaux, and Paris, France, and somewhat closer to home in Greenland. He is also still a major part of the ever-expanding northern music scene and a frequent performer in his hometown of Kuujjuaq, Nunavik. Celebrities such as actor Liam Neeson and well-known Canadian television troubadour Wayne Rostad of On the Road Again fame have come to hear Sinuupa play. His music has taken him North to South too; to Montreal, where he performed with Quebecois legend Richard Desjardins and from one end of the country to the other as far west

Etua Snowball (a.k.a. Sinuupa) fillets his catch by his boat after a fruitful summer’s day fishing on the Kuujjuaq River.

July/August 2012

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A R T S , C U LT U R E & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Snowball in Montreal before a show, ready to take on the city with his music.

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as Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics and eastward again to Ottawa, Toronto and Moncton, New Brunswick, for a television appearance with popular aboriginal artist Florent Vollant of Kashtin. If anything, Sinuupa’s post Arctic Darkness period has been nothing less than a highly personal and transformative musical journey through a cultural and artistic evolution of identity, space, time and global and Arctic change. What he has seen and experienced in his travels has broadened his own perspectives on our rapidly changing world and opened the door to new impressions and thoughts concerning the lives of others. His education and international touring have also positively enhanced his awareness of how Inuit and their culture are perceived around the world. Travelling throughout the global community we all share and interact in today also made him realize how distances between cultures have become much shorter, whether through faster, more efficient means of transportation or more road links to remote areas, or through the Internet, and the entire gamut of modern media available to more people than ever before and how this new and enhanced interconnectivity between us impacts all of our lives. With native blood running deep in his veins, it became all the more imperative then, for this once carefree young man to get his important message across through his music — to have the voices of his people heard and to show the world more about the Inuit way of life, their deep tie to a precious fragile environment of their homelands and how the Arctic is being affected by all that is transpiring in our rapidly shrinking world. For Inuit, taking the direct route to anywhere has always been an exercise in the obvious, the way to survive. And certainly, no exception, Sinuupa is not one to take any unnecessary detours in his efforts to make his point. He initially began delivering his message in his own Inuktitut language through the softer folksy lyrics of his first album, Nunaga (1995), then he moved on to using English on his second album, Arctic Darkness, to reach out directly and share his concerns with a much wider audience. In English or in Inuktitut, his message over time has evolved and matured with the man. Never afraid to speak the blunt truth, Sinuupa’s newfound lyrical prose in either of the two languages on his recently released third album Culture Shock is served straight up, hard on the rocks, no sugar added and

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A R T S , C U LT U R E & E N T E R TA I N M E N T guaranteed to take hold of you one way or another while shedding light on issues too often hidden in the dark. Even his [artist] name takes a stand.Legally known as Edward Snowball, as Etua to his kith and kin, Sinuupa, the name his fans know him as, is a mere pronunciation of his last name in Inuktitut. The outspoken singer-songwriter chose this name for himself as a way to mock the government that so insensitively changed his family’s original pedigree, Aputiarjuk, to compensate for their own lack of Inuktitut verbal skills to a more effortless translation “Snowball” before they simply tagged his people with a number. Though “Sinuupa” has no inherent meaning in the Inuktitut language, it definitely bears personal meaning for him as an expression of his own independence and personal pride in his Inuit heritage. This deep pride Etua not only expresses openly in his songs, but also wears it and shares it in every day life with his kids and young people in his community where he teaches his resilient native language with a McGill University’s honours degree under his belt. But even if his demeanour as a teacher may be gentle and well mannered, his artistic persona is far from status quo. Appearing reserved at first glance perhaps, once Sinuupa takes the stage to sing his people’s praise, he definitely connects — breaks the ice! Having also produced music for a few northern organizations infomercials and more recently for a play presenting the legend of Kautjajuk, the ill-treated orphan, adapted for Nunavik’s first youth theatre company, Etua certainly doesn't intend to keep his music to himself. One thing is for sure, he won’t settle behind his desk or in his home studio forever. With a voice as deep as Elvis himself, this northern performer likes to funk it up with a mix of country and blues,and even a hint of rap. Recording along with some of Montreal’s best musicians (guitarist Rob MacDonald, drummer David Paul Neil and bass player Pat Blonk) Sinuupa’s music and stage presence light up to shine bright as the Northern star he is.

above&beyond Sinuupa’s music is available for all to enjoy on iTunes and other digital outlets, as well as in stores in Nunavik, namely at Kuujjuaq’s airport gift shop, Tivi Galleries, Newviq’vik and the Northern store; in Nunavut through Malikkaat in Iqaluit; and soon across the North. To find out more about Sinuupa, log on to his official website www.sinuupa.com or follow him on Facebook.

CULTURE SHOCK

— by Etua Snowball, aka Sinuupa, covers a lot of musical territory.The new CD is as musically vast and culturally rich as the North.Sinuupa’s songs transect an experiential road map of content and style hard to pin down. Play it once, set it aside, play it again.What’s this? Missed that last time around. The expansive highway of tunes Sinuupa explores had the sound receptors in my head a-flutter.This is one singer-songwriter willing to put it all out there, not afraid to say what needs to be said.This CD is a highly personal venture… one with purpose. Plug in your ear-buds to go on an adventurous exploration of languages and musical styling(s).The Inuktitut track (translated‘mamartuq’) for example, leans toward a runaway Rock-a-Billy mash, heated by delicious dashes of spicy Cajun influences. Certainly not to spoil the party or give it all away, listeners to Culture Shock will be heading down their own road sampling the driving rock of “Down To My Dollar” one minute, only to be redirected next cut to more swirling acoustics tempered by tasty hints of jazz. Everyone will have their own favourite track, but for me it is “Autumn Relations.” It took me aback — delivering a driving electro-rock dynamic reminiscent of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding.” But hey, if you’re not into that, there’s country rock to be found on the rhythmic “Wind Whispers” track. There’s even some melodic mellow scattered here and there on this CD too. Altogether Sinuupa’s Culture Shock is every bit an ear-buds, headphones worthy experience. An expressive, highly accomplished compilation of musical and cultural story telling performed by a very talented northern entertainer and his band. Way to bring it on!

Trent Walthers July/August 2012

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ENVIRONMENT

n June 15, 1996, three biologists flew over the newly established Wapusk National Park in north-eastern Manitoba in a small plane.They were conducting surveys of breeding Canada Geese in the area, flying so low over the tundra that they could count individual eggs in the nests. As they headed up the coast of Hudson Bay, Dale Humburg spotted a bear on the ground below them. In disbelief, he asked the pilot to circle back so they could take photographs. There was no mistaking the brown fur, humped back, and dish-shaped face: this was not a polar bear, which they were accustomed to seeing occasionally, but a grizzly bear.

That the park would appeal to grizzlies wasn’t surprising — it’s nearly inaccessible to humans and is full of bear food in the form of berries, fish, caribou, and moose. However, the sighting was significant for one striking reason. It was the first confirmed report of a grizzly bear in the area since regular research had begun there over 30 years earlier. At least eight more grizzly sightings have since been reported in the park, bringing them into territory that has historically been inhabited solely by polar bears. Why are these two species colliding now, and what does it mean for their future? To answer these questions, we first need to understand how they originally diverged.

July/August 2012

Grizzlies move into Polar bear territory

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ÂŠ PIERRE DUNNIGAN

ENVIRONMENT

Kissing Cousins Most mammal species alive in the world today diverged from their relatives at least a million years ago. For a while, polar bears seemed to be a glaring exception to this rule,with genetic analysis suggesting they split off from their brown bear cousins less than 200 thousand years ago, a mere moment in evolutionary time.In fact, polar bears appeared to lie within the brown bear family tree, rather than being a separate lineage: brown bears from certain Alaskan island chains are more closely related to polar bears than to brown bears from other parts of the world. Or are they?

Polar bears, like all plants and animals, have two distinct sets of DNA.One is carried in the nucleus of each of our cells, 50 per cent of which comes from mom and 50 per cent from dad. However, a second set of DNA exists in our mitochondria, the tiny organs within our cells that provide the energy needed for cells to function. These are inherited exclusively from our mothers, because sperm cellsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mitochondria are destroyed after entering the egg. Until recently, most research on the relationship between brown and polar bears had been carried out using mitochondrial DNA.When a comprehensive study comparing

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their nuclear DNA was finally done, a different picture emerged. The study, which appeared in Science in April 2012 and led by Frank Hailer, pushes the actual divergence of polar and brown bears back to at least 600 thousand years ago, still recent but longer ago than was previously believed. It also places polar bears firmly on their own separate branch of the family tree. According to Hailer and his colleagues, the reason that mitochondrial DNA tells a different story is that even after polar bears first branched off into a separate lineage, warm periods between ice ages periodically brought them back into contact with their brown cousins, and when this happened, hybridization was the result. Female brown bears must have mated with male polar bears, and their offspring entered the polar bear population, bringing brown bear mitochondria with them.

Rise of the Grolar Bear? Under normal conditions, polar bears and grizzly bears encounter each other rarely, if at all. Polar bears spend most of their time out on the sea ice hunting seals, their favourite prey, and even when they return to land to have cubs or avoid the summer break-up of the ice, they stick close to the coastline.Grizzly bears, on the other hand, are faithful land-

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ÂŠ CLAUS VOGEL

ENVIRONMENT

dwellers, ranging through tundra and forest in search of varied food including caribou, spawning fish, and even berries and other vegetation. However, as climate change takes hold, it appears that grizzlies are expanding northward just as melting ice forces polar bears ashore for longer periods of time.

No one can say for certain whether individual incidents are directly related to global warming, but in the last decade, two polargrizzly hybrids have been confirmed in Canada. The first,shot on Banks Island in the Northwest Territories in 2006, attracted interest when officials noticed that despite having a polar

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bearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s white fur, it had the shallow face and humped back characteristic of a grizzly. DNA analysis proclaimed that it was the offspring of a female polar bear and a male grizzly. The second case was even more interesting. In 2010, an Inuk hunter shot what he initially believed was a polar bear on Victoria Island.

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ENVIRONMENT

An Uncertain Future

The bear’s patches of brown fur again caught the attention of biologists,and it turned out to have a polar/grizzly mother and a pure grizzly bear father, the first documented secondgeneration hybrid. Hybrid animals are often sterile — the classic example is the mule,

which is the result of a horse/donkey cross and is almost never capable of having young of its own. However, the 2010 find confirmed that not only are the two species of bear interbreeding in the High Arctic, they are producing offspring that are fertile.

Polar bears have weathered periods of warming and hybridization in the past,but the effects of global warming are causing the Arctic climate to change at a faster rate than ever before. Bears aren’t the only animals likely to experience increased hybridization as a result — a 2010 paper in Nature suggested 12 pairs of species that may interbreed as climate change shifts their ranges, and some have already been reported in the wild, such as beluga/ narwhal crosses sighted off Greenland. Is hybridization good or bad? Unfortunately, this question has no simple answer. As polar bear populations decline and individuals become rarer and more scattered, it will be difficult for them even to find each other. If this causes them to mate with grizzlies instead, the blend of traits hybrids inherit from their parents might be beneficial in the short term, but hybridization is not a solution to the threats posed by climate change. A bear that’s sort of good at catching seals and sort of good at catching caribou might not be good enough at either one to survive very long. Over time, so much of polar bears’ genetic distinctiveness could be lost through mixing with the more abundant grizzly bears that they effectively are hybridized right out of existence — that is, if habitat loss, pollution, and other threats don’t drive them to extinction first. Because polar bears’problems have global causes, conservation efforts have been complicated and slow. The United States has designated them as a threatened species, but with a special stipulation that allows fossil fuel exploration in their habitat to continue. Last November, after years of controversy and debate over polar bear hunting in the North, they were finally declared a“species of special concern”under Canada’s Species At Risk Act. As worldwide awareness of the causes and effects of climate change increases, we can only hope that our efforts to save this symbol of the Arctic wilderness will be successful. For a species that’s been thriving in a harsh environment for 600 thousand years, time may finally be running out.

Rebecca Deatsman 46

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ADVENTURE

The hills are mostly bare along the frozen George River, except for convenient bands of black spruce trees along the shore amongst which we could camp out of the wind.

EXPEDITION 2012

t was one of those epic expedition days that continued long after dark: My partner, 24-year-old Noah Nochasak, and I were pulling heavy sleds on our skis along the frozen George River in northern Quebec. Stubbornly, we were trying to reach a distant outfitter’s cabin where we could dry our equipment after weeks in a tent. Even with a headlamp, it was impossible to see more than 50 feet. We had been travelling for 13 hours. Noah’s leg, tweaked a few days earlier, was aching.We strained to see signs of the cabin in the blackness. Finally, an angled roof outlined against the night sky. We had reached the camp, but after this marathon day, the injury to Noah’s leg became serious and threatened to end the expedition. Noah Nochasak first e-mailed me in spring, 2011 after hearing about my previous expe-

ditions from a friend in his hometown of Nain, Labrador.His questions about polar bear alarm fences and fibreglass pulks led to long phone conversations. I was intrigued: Noah was the first Inuk I’d ever met who was interested in long-distance, self-propelled travel. For three generations, snowmobiles and motorboats have replaced dog team and foot travel, but the amount of gasoline they require limits how long you can be out there. Besides, machines go so fast that hunters can travel almost anywhere and back within a week. I once went caribou hunting with an Inuit friend, and we snowmobiled 300 kilometres in a single day; we were home in time to watch a movie on television that evening. Friends have told me that they can carry a maximum of six days fuel on a typical qamutiq. Meanwhile, a qajaq can hold a month’s worth July/August 2012

Nain to Kangiqsualujjuaq

Noah and I, frost-nipped and tanned, at our arrival in Kangiqsualujjuaq.

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ADVENTURE

The ice around the rapids on the George River was rough, but nothing as rough as the tidal ice of Ungava Bay we encountered at the river’s mouth.

of food and supplies, and a sled two months or more. Such long journeys put you in touch with the slow, ancient rhythm of the land. The previous winter, Noah had tried to snowshoe our current route from Nain to Kangiqsualujjuaq himself.With a young guy’s cockiness,he ignored terrain and simply cut up mountains and down valleys like a surveyor’s

On the ever-windy barrens we built a snow wall to protect the tent from a coming storm.

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line.Trying to be as traditional as possible, he used a short, heavy qamutiq to carry his load. Top-heavy with gear, it tipped over frequently. He also tried to use a seal oil lamp, but an unpressurized stove like this one takes half a day to melt enough drinking water for even one person at 30 below.In the end,he didn’t get far. His kayaking began more successfully.When we first spoke, he was building his second qajaq. He even found a tree near Nain from which he made a 17-foot keel strip. Over the frame, he stretched and sewed heavy canvas, then applied marine varnish. By coincidence, my wife Alexandra and I were heading to Labrador that July to qajaq for four weeks. We met Noah in Nain, and he paddled with us for the first two days. Noah seemed like a great guy, and his dreams did not have a lot of ego behind them. He simply seemed to want to pay homage to traditional travel through a series of long journeys. Later that summer, on his first big trip, he kayaked 300 kilometres alone from Nain to Hebron. He didn’t want to travel solo, but like all of us, he sometimes did so because partners, especially Inuit partners, were hard to find. That fall, I decided to try to help him realize his dream of walking 550 kilometres in winter from Nain to Kangiqsualujjuaq, in Nunavik. The route had mystique for him; his father had often snowmobiled there and described the town as a more old-fashioned community than Nain. I couldn’t teach Noah anything about hunting, snow house building or other traditional skills, but I’d done 16 man hauling expeditions of that length before, and knew

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As the expedition continued, repairs were necessary nearly every evening. Here, Noah tweaks the tip of his ski pole.

what was required physically, mentally and logistically to succeed. The question was, how would a 55-yearold white guy and a 24-year-old Inuk mesh their ways? I was a typical white adventurer, organized, fit, Type A. I planned expeditions

like military campaigns,weighing every morsel of food to the ounce. Noah was more casual, but this time he acquired a few important items of modern gear, such as a fibreglass sled and a good sleeping bag. Although he brought some raw seal and caribou meat,

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most of our food consisted of granola, freezedried dinners and snacks from the local grocery. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When the hunting is poor, you can always bag some Mars Bars at the Northern store,â&#x20AC;? he joked on Facebook before we left.

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ADVENTURE

Noah records the day’s impressions in his journal during relaxing moments.

Noah and his father, Levi Nochasak.

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We left Nain on February 22. As we hauled through the streets of Nain, well-wishers took photos and gave Noah bon voyage hugs. Our 250-pound loads scraped reluctantly across the cold snow. Soon,we began our climb up a creek toward Labrador’s interior plateau. We followed an old hunting route known as the Pearly Gates, because of the narrow slot near the top.Beyond, the terrain levelled, trees disappeared and the barrens began. As a High Arctic specialist, I’m used to tundra, but Labrador’s barrens are more violent than the gentle snowfields of Ellesmere Island. In the 1970s, several hunters from Nain died here in a hurricane. It was not a place to take lightly. My previous crossings of Labrador’s barrens were sprints of 50 kilometres across narrow sections, limiting exposure to two or three days. But here, the barrens stretched almost 200 kilometres to the George River.We had to be conservative: We camped only where we could nail our tent solidly to windblown ice, and we patiently sat out too-windy days. You can fight ahead for a few kilometres when it’s -25°C with a 40 kilometre per hour wind, but the effort is more than the distance is worth. In our 18 days on the barrens, we were tent bound for four days – unusual for Arctic travel, where a single layover day is rare. Before the expedition, I wondered how a 24-year-old would handle man hauling. Arctic travel requires patience and doggedness, not adrenalin. But Noah’s patience, if anything, went deeper than mine. He had inherited that marvellous Inuit acceptance of conditions beyond one’s control.“An elder told me once, never complain when you’re out on the land,” he said. “The hardest part,” Noah admitted later, “is how hard we had to work for so little mileage. One day it took us nine hours to cover 18 kilometres. It takes half an hour to cover that distance by snowmobile.”

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ADVENTURE I navigate with map and compass almost exclusively, relying on a GPS only for backup. But it’s hard to identify subtle landmarks while wearing goggles and face mask, when it’s too cold to stop.Our route looked like a beeline on the map, but in practical terms it meandered drunkenly around low knolls and along small ponds or creeks that, masked by snow, looked no different from the surrounding tundra. A trip of several weeks quickly ceases to feel like a trip, with a remembered beginning and an approaching end. It feels like you’ve been doing this daily routine for years. We each had our tasks: I set up the tent and did the cooking; Noah banked the tent with snow and chopped ice for drinking water. Soon, the chores become automatic. “We’re like a married couple, except our marriage lasts only a month and a half,” said Noah. After nearly three weeks on the barrens, a long downhill led us to the frozen George River, just north of what explorers called Indian House Lake, a traditional summer centre for Innu nomads. On the downhill, Noah’s sled overtook him and wrenched his leg.The injury felt minor at the time but it had serious consequences later. The George River extended all the way to our destination, Kangiqsualujjuaq – the former George River Post.The forest resumed along the shore and we spent each night in exquisite calm, among black spruce trees. In summer, the George River is popular with anglers who come for the trout and salmon fishing. Occasionally, we passed outfitters’ cabins. Typical for the north, they were left unlocked, and we slept in them. The epic day to reach the first of these cabins aggravated the damage to Noah’s leg. He tried to favour it, but then the other leg began to trouble him.The problem escalated from inconvenience to crisis. We had to shorten our hours. Twice, we rested for two days. I wasn’t sure whether we’d be able to complete the trip. Fortunately, by wrapping both legs in bandages every morning and limiting our travel to seven or eight hours a day, Noah’s injuries didn’t worsen. Then my turn to struggle came. At a lodge we spent two days with volunteers for the Cain’s Quest snowmobile race.Perhaps I picked up a stomach bug from one of them, because I couldn’t eat for the next four days. For the first two days, I was able to travel, but for the last two, I lay in the tent. Eventually, my appetite returned. Expeditions with new partners are blind dates: they can be preludes to a lifelong

relationship, or they can be disasters. Despite the age difference, Noah and I got along famously. I admired his mental toughness and unwavering dedication to his dream, while he came to look on the physical abilities of older guys in a new light. He made me feel very much like a respected elder, imparting the wisdom of the trail to an avid learner. In early April we reached the mouth of the George River and ran into the formidable tidal ice of Ungava Bay, home to some of the highest tides in the world. Bad weather continued to bedevil us. On this 44-day trek, we had had just four sunny, windless days. Usually I pull into a village at the end of a journey and maybe one sleepy dog looks up briefly before going back to sleep. But Noah’s quest had captured the imagination of people in Nunatsiavut and Nunavik.As we approached town,a fire engine’s siren summoned residents of Kangiqsualujjuaq to the beach. Almost half the town of 900 came out to greet us. The local Canadian Rangers fired celebratory shots in the air. The mayor, Kitty Annanack, greeted us officially. Then we shook hands with a long line of people. It took an hour. Personally, I never had a desire to man haul from Nain to Kangiqsualujjuaq.This route was Noah’s dream, but my part in it gave me one of the most remarkable travel experiences of my life. Best of all, Noah’s passion may inspire other Inuit to take to the land again, as their

Noah proudly displays a “thumbs up” attitude a few hours before our happy arrival in Kangiqsualujjuaq.

great-grandfathers and ancestors did so well, for so many centuries.

Jerry Kobalenko

Residents lined up to meet us and shake our hands in congratulations.

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NORTHERN BOOKSHELF

Great reads for all ages Arctic Voices: Resistance at the Tipping Point Subhankar Banerjee, Random House, 2012 A pristine environment of ecological richness and biodiversity, home to generations of indigenous people for thousands of years, full of vast quantities of oil, natural gas and coal while being largely uninhabited, the Arctic has a world of issues to explore. World-renowned photographer, writer, and activist Subhankar Banerjee brings together first-person narratives from more than thirty prominent activists, writers, and researchers to address issues of climate change, resource war, and human rights with stunning urgency and groundbreaking research in Arctic Voices. Join Gwich’in activist Sarah James’ impassioned appeal,“We Are the Ones Who Have Everything to Lose” from the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen in 2009. Acclaimed historian Dan O’Neill describes his recent trips to the Yukon Flats fish camps. Other contributors include Seth Kantner, Velma Wallis, Nick Jans, Debbie Miller, Andri Snaer Magnason, Alex Shoumatoff, Rebecca Solnit, Michael Klare, George Schaller, George Archibald, Cindy Shogan, and Peter Matthiessen.

Isuma: The Art and Imagination of Ruben Komangapik Inhabit Media, 2011 RubenAntonKomangapik is one of the Arctic’s most gifted sculptors.His work has been exhibited across Canada with pieces on permanent loan to the Museum of Nature and Culture in Montreal. In Isuma, Ruben’s vibrant, provocative sculpture, and his artistic process are brought to life by photographer mangapik arresting images. Part autobiography, part art object, this book will introduce Canadians to one of the Arctic’s most talented young artists.

Ilagiinniq: Interviews on Inuit Family Values Edited by Leo Tulugarjuk, Inhabit Media, 2011 Through interviews with current elders from three regions of Nunavut, Ilagiinniq: Interviews on Inuit Family Values provides a wealth of information on traditional family life.Covering relationships between siblings, elders and grandchildren, uncles and aunts, husbands and wives, and in-laws, this book is an indispensable resource of information on how Inuit families traditionally lived, and how traditional ways can be implemented in the modern world.

July/August 2012

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SPECIAL REPORT

n iconic landmark has been resurrected in Iqaluit. The unique snow-white, iglooshaped church has been rebuilt on its original site.A new St Judeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anglican Cathedral replaces the previous church, erected in 1972 and destroyed by fire seven years ago. Although the new design is larger and the seating capacity has doubled to 420 people, the exceptional Inuit cultural influences have been retained. Altar and communion rails are styled after qamutiik (sleds), crosses are made from narwhal tusks and sealskin baskets are used to collect offerings. Several of these artefacts were salvaged from the fire.

Construction on the new building has been ongoing for the past three years and the final price tag may reach $8 million. The loss of the cathedral was devastating for the community but with faith and determination, the fund-raising committee has so far raised more than $600,000 in Iqaluit alone plus another $13,000 from the offerings at the opening dedication service. Worldwide, donations have amounted to $5 million, including an anonymous half million-dollar donation. The Anglican Diocese of the Arctic covers the largest area in the world, four million square kilometres and serves 80,000 people from around the Northwest Territories,Nunavut and Nunavik. Notably, Queen Elizabeth II always made a point of going to the Cathedral July/August 2012

ÂŠ LEE NARRAWAY (4)

Precious Place of Worship Returns

each time she visited Iqaluit. She turned the soil for the original church and has gifted a silver bowl that is still used in the baptismal font.

Lee Narraway above & beyond

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INUIT FORUM

Pleased to meet you. My name is Terry. o many people throughout Nunavut, Nunavik, I am likely a familiar face.I was a police officer with the Kativik Regional Police Force in Kuujjuaraapik and Akulivik, Nunavik.For 10 years,I was the Executive Director of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA). And for the past year I served as the Executive Director of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI). During my tenure at QIA, the organization launched a court injunction to stop seismic testing in Lancaster Sound, and at NTI, I helped finalize a Resource Revenue Policy and deposited the first royalty payment of $2.2 million into that policy’s Trust. Folks on Twitter might know me as the guy who razzes Sea Shepherd “Captain” Paul Watson with his keyboard and suggests song lyrics on the beauty of sealing to Sarah McLachlan. But to most people, I am just Terry. I am a descendant of High Arctic Exiles, relocated from Inukjuak. I grew up in Resolute Bay during the oil and gas boom. My father was a member of the Indian and Eskimo Brotherhood Association and worked with the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (ITC) during its formative years. I am inspired by the work of our early leaders such as Jose Kusugak, whom we all miss, and Jacob Oweetaluktuk of Nunavik, who said during ITC’s first meeting in 1971, “Our culture is still here, but in the near future it is not going to be the same as it used to be…. We have to find an organized voice amongst ourselves so we may direct our lives the way we want them to be.” Those words still ring true. In taking up my new role as President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, I pay respect to the leaders who came before me, and I promise that I will continue their passion. Just as Jacob advocated 41 years ago,

New ITK President’s first day on the job in Ottawa: Terry Audla (right) with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister John Duncan, and Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq.

ITK must play a central role in helping Inuit seize control of our lives. We can do this by representing Inuit with a unified voice at the national level. Inuit unity has always been in our strength.We must protect the concept of one voice for Canadian Inuit to ensure that our representational role remains unquestioned. Inuit are still fighting to play a primary role in the conservation of our environment while retaining control of our resources (renewable and non-renewable). Inuit are still fighting for Inuit-specific, Inuit-directed education. Inuit are still fighting for the right and support to speak our Inuit language. Inuit are still fighting for equitable health care. Inuit are still fighting to protect and preserve our culture.

The time has come for us to develop our resources so that we can begin to win these battles. We must take control of our own destinies by developing our own resources and ensuring Inuit are ready to participate in this process. We are ready to jump on board and focus on ending social injustice and poverty through economic development. The rest of the world is coming for our resources. This must happen only with Inuit at the steering wheel and on our terms. Qujannamiik, Nakurmiik, Matna, Koana, Qujaannaini.

Terry Audla

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami 75 Albert Street, Suite 1101 Ottawa, ON K1P 5E7 t. (613) 238.8181

arcticjournal.ca

July/August 2012

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