WORDS by DANA BOWEN SALLIRMIUTUN TRANSLATION by ALBERT ELIAS
From Tuk to Tuktuuyaqtuumin the Global Ungavanun Stage Ungasiktumun Students tell their story of how climate change is “happening to us”
Nukatpiqat uqaqtut silam allanguutaagun. Qanuq “ilimaakiqpita” naniliqa
From the forest fires in the Amazon and Australia to the melting icecaps, it seems difficult to realistically deny that climate change is real.
Napaaqtut ikimayuat Amazon-mi Australiamilu maanilu siku auqimayuq. Ilumuuqtuq.
From the forest fires in the Amazon and Australia to the melting icecaps, it seems difficult to realistically deny that climate change is real. For most of Canada, its residents can vaguely see it happening, but understand most of it through something they’ve read, rather than experienced. For a group of young people living in Tuktoyaktuk, however, that hasn’t been the case. For them, the change is happening right before their eyes. “The shrinking sea levels are a big thing around here,” said 19-year-old Nathan “Muk” Kuptana. “It’s taking away part of our land— every 2-3 metres.” And Kuptana isn’t exaggerating. Sea levels are rising and the winter period is starting later and ending earlier. It’s affecting houses built
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UKIUQ WINTER 2019
Canada-mi ilurrilugu takusuitkikput. Makpiraatigunlu TV-tigunlu kisian. Nukatpiqat Tuktuuyaqtuumi taimana in’ngituq. Silam alanguutaa takumagaat saligaiqlugu. “Tariuq ikkalimaakiqtuaq maani,” 19-nik ukiulik Nathan “Muk” Kuptana uqalaktuq. “Nunakput tarium nungumaakkiga.” Kuptana ilumuuqtuq. Tariuq allanguqtuaq. Ukiullu naigliblutik. Iglut imman tikitaaqsiyait. “Nuunnaqiyait. Igluruaqtuat sila malirutaksariyaat,” Kuptana uqaqtuq. Alat Canada-mi qaunagingitkaat ilurrilugu. Nunaptingni nukatpiqat tusaasuitkait. Qangma allanguqtu-
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