There are four Inuit regions in Canada, collectively known as Inuit Nunangat. The term “Inuit Nunangat” is a Canadian Inuit term that includes land, water, and ice. Inuit consider the land, water, and ice, of our homeland to be integral to culture and way of life.
"Inuit Nunangat is the Inuit homeland in Canada, encompassing the land claims regions of Nunavut, Nunavik in Northern Quebec, Nunatsiavut in Northern Labrador and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of the Northwest Territories. It is inclusive of land, water and ice, and describes an area encompassing 35 percent of Canada’s landmass and 50 percent of its coastline. " Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (https://www.itk.ca/inuit-nunangat-map/)
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Inuksuk: Sharing Experiences of Nunavut: An Interactive EBook
This interactive eBook provides readers the opportunity to explore aspects of Inuit culture including geography, culture, history, government, and activism. It is based on several learning excursions made by students and staff of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School board, located in Southern Ontario, as they met with Inuit teachers, guides and elders to gain first-hand experience of life in Nunavut. Interactive elements include video clips, panoramic and 3D images, sound bites of the Inuktitut language and syllabic script, and quizzes to engage student inquiry. The respectful dialogue and partnership between northern and southern communities documented here signals an act of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners. It is a powerful tool for raising awareness about Inuit culture and Canada's most northerly communities to spark the interest and respect of all readers, from K-12 students to their teachers.
A clip about the official bird of Nunavut, Ptarmigan, from the interactive e-book "Inuksuk: Sharing Experiences of Nunavut"
A clip about the traditional multi-purpose tool, the Ulu, from the interactive e-book "Inuksuk: Sharing Experiences of Nunavut"
"When the earth was new, words had the power to breathe life into the world. But when creating animals from breath, sometimes one does not get everything right on the first try!
Based on a traditional Inuit story passed forward orally for generations in the South Baffin region of Nunavut, this book shares with young readers the origin of the caribou and the walrus — and tells of how very different these animals looked when they were first conceived. (From Inhabit Media)" (CBC Books)
Michael Kusugak grew up in Repulse Bay, NWT (now Nunavut). During his childhood, his family travelled by dog sled, living a traditional Inuit lifestyle. He is the author of twelve children's books, including: The Littlest Sled Dog, The Curse of the Shaman, T is for Territories, Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails, winner of the Ruth Schwartz Award; Hide and Seek; My Arctic 1, 2, 3; and Baseball Bats for Christmas; and was co-writer of A Promise Is a Promise (with Robert Munsch). Michael Kusugak lives in Sooke BC, and spends most summers in his cabin in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. Michael is listed on the National Speakers Bureau. Click here read his full bio and learn more about Michael…
In this short film, we learn about the Inuit way of life, as Derrick Pottle talks about his knowledge as an Inuit hunter, carver and guide. He shares his perspective on keeping tradition alive in a changing world.
This podcast series examines Canadian history that we never learned in school, and things we may need to unlearn. In this episode, Secret Life of the North, the hosts discuss the history and stories of the North, such as the forced relocation of the Inuit, the Eskimo Identification System, and the impacts of colonization.
Angry Inuk (Trailer)
Into the Arctic Film Trilogy
On August 23, 2010, the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper declared that the protection of Canada's sovereignty over its northern regions was its number one and "non-negotiable priority" in Arctic policy. "Arctic sovereignty" which strikes a chord that resonates powerfully today is not a new issue. In 1953 the Canadian Government fearing a USA occupation of the Canadian Artic relocated seven Inuit families from Northern Quebec to the High Artic to stake out its territory. The families were dumped on barren land in the middle of winter with only tents, oil lamps and wooden crates to keep warm. Thirty years later, the federal government finally provided assistance to the exiles,enabling them to return to their ancestral home in Northern Quebec.
Susan Aglukark, an Inuk artist, singer, songwriter who has won 3 Juno and a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement. For Susan, art has played a significant role in her healing journey and in the re-writing of her narrative, she believes it plays an important role for indigenous youth who are dealing with contemporary identity issues today. “Our children and youth are strong and resilient, they still believe very strongly in their culture, in Inuit or Indigenous culture, and they are still fighting every day to find their place.”
A video featuring two Inuit youth throat singing “The Love Song.”
Inuit Drumming and Dancing
"Kayley Inuksuk Mackay and Tiffany Kuliktana Ayalik are Inuit style throat singers performing ancient traditional songs and new compositions."
Inuktut is the Inuit language as it is spoken in Nunavut. The Government of Nunavut slected the term Inuktut to represent all of the Inuit dialects spoken in Nunavut, including Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun. In this way Inuktut is recognized as a single language.
Is there a Canadian culture? Is there an Inuit culture? An Inuktitut word for "way of life" is inuusiq. Based on the word for person, inuk, it means something like "the way of being a person."
Nunavut has the largest landmass out of all the provinces and territories in Canada - and yet, it is an area that many of us know the least about. In this episode, we look at the forced relocation of the Inuit, the Eskimo Identification System, and the dog slaughter perpetuated by the Canadian government.
This podcast series examines Canadian history that we never learned in school, and things we may need to unlearn. In this episode, Secret Life of the North, the hosts discuss the history and stories of the North, such as the forced relocation of the Inuit, the Eskimo Identification System, and the impacts of colonization.