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ᖁᓪᓖᑦ ᐊᑦᑎᖅᓯᕗᑦ ᓗᐊᕋ ᐸᓂᒐᔭᖕᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᔫᑭᐸ ᑰᑦᑎᕐᒥ ᓵᓚᖃᖅᑎᐅᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᐊᕐᓇᓄᑦ ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᐊᖏᓐᓂ

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Laura Panigayak, originally from Naujaat but now living in Taloyoak, is this year’s Wise Woman Award winner due to her efforts as a volunteer, fundraiser and the support she provides to youth. She’s seen here with her son Lucassie. photo courtesy of Laura Panigayak

ᓈᐅᔮᒻᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᓗᐊᕋ ᐸᓂᒐᔭᒃ ᑕᒪᑐᒪᓂ ᐊᕐᕌᒎᔪᒥ ᐱᕗᖅ ᖁᓪᓖᑦ ᓯᓚᑐᔪᒥ ᐊᕐᓇᒥ ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᐊᒥᒃ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᔫᑭᐸ ᑰᑦᑎᖅ ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᓴᖅᑭᔮᕐᔪᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᒥ ᐊᕐᓇᒥ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒥ.

ᐸᓂᒐᔭᒃ, ᓄᓇᖃᓕᖅᑐᒥ ᑕᓗᕐᔪᐊᓂ, ᓂᕈᐊᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑐᙵᕕᖃᖅᑐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᖓᓂ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ – ᑐᓂᓯᓪᓗᓂ "ᓇᒡᓕᒍᓱᖕᓂᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᓈᓚᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓᓂ" ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂ ᐅᖃᐅᔾᔨᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᒃᓴᒥᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓄᑦ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᖁᓪᓖᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐊᕐᓇᓄᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ.

ᓗᐊᕋ ᐸᓂᒐᔭᒃ, ᓇᐅᔮᕐᒥᐅᑕᓪᓚᕆᒃ ᑕᓗᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᐅᑕᐅᓕᖅᑐᖅ, ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒥ ᓯᓚᑐᔪᒥ ᐊᕐᓇᒥ ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᐊᒥᒃ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᑐᒥ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᓇᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓᓂ, ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂ ᐱᕈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᕙᖕᓂᖓᓂ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ. ᐅᕝᕙᐅᕗᖅ ᐃᕐᓂᖓᓗ ᓘᑲᓯ
.

"ᐃᓕᓴᕆᕙᕗᑦ ᓇᐃᓴᒐᒃᓴᐅᙱᑦᑐᓂ ᐃᑲᕐᕋᓂ ᑐᕌᖅᑎᑦᑎᕙᖕᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᓇᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᐸᖕᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᓂᕐᒥ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᐱᕈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ," ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖑᔪᑦ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᐃᑉᕆᓕ 20–ᒥ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓕᐊᖑᔪᒥ.

ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᒥ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖑᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᔾᔪᑕᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐸᓂᒐᔭᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᕙᖕᓂᖓᓂ ᑐᒃᓯᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᓰᐱᓕᕆᔨᑦᑎᐊᕙᖕᒥ, ᐋᖕᓕᑲᒃᑯᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ ᑲᑎᙵᓂᐅᔪᒥ, ᓄᑖᒥ ᑐᒃᓯᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕋᓛᖑᔪᓂ, ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᓂ, ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ ᐊᖑᑎᓄᑦ ᐊᕐᓇᓄᓪᓗ ᕚᓕᐹᒥ ᐱᙳᐊᖅᑎᓂ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᓛᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓐᓂᑕᐃᑦ ᐸᐃᕆᕝᕕᖕᒥ.

"ᐱᕈᖅᓴᑎᓪᓗᖓ, ᑕᑯᕙᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᐃᓄᖕᓂ ᐅᐸᒃᑐᖅᑐᓂ ᑎᒍᐊᕐᕕᓐᓂ ᐃᓄᑐᖃᕐᓂ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᒃᑯᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᔾᔪᖅᑕᐅᔭᖅᑐᖅᖢᑎᒃ. ᑕᐃᔅᓱᒪᓂ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓗᐊᖅᐸᓚᐅᙱᓚᕋ ᐃᓅᓱᒃᑑᑎᓪᓗᖓ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᓐᓇᐅᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᖓ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᕙᒃᐳᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᑭᓯᓕᖅᖢᖓ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᖅᐸᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ," ᐸᓂᒐᔭᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.

"ᐱᓕᕆᕙᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑦᑏᓐᓇᕈᒪᕗᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒍᓱᑦᑎᐊᕋᔭᖅᐳᖓ ᕿᑐᕐᙵᒃᑲ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᒃᑯᑎᒃ. ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᒥ, ᐅᐃᒐ ᐊᖏᓛᖑᖃᑕᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᔾᔪᑕᐅᕗᖅ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᔭᖃᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᓐᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᖁᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᓂ. ᐅᕙᓐᓂ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᕐᔪᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᓇᒡᓕᖕᓂᕐᔪᐊᒥ, ᐅᕙᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᓄᑦ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᖃᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᒃᓯᐅᔾᔨᕙᒃᖢᓂ. ᑐᒃᓯᐊᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕐᓂᖃᕆᐊᖃᕆᕗᒍᑦ, ᑕᐃᒫᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑦᑕᓕᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᓚᓐᓂᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᙱᑦᑐᖅ.

"ᖁᕕᐊᓇᕐᔪᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᑎᑭᑕᐅᕙᒃᐳᖓ ᐊᓯᓐᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᓪᓗᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᔭᓕᓂᖃᕐᔪᐊᖅᑐᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᐃᑲᙵᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᐃᓐᓇᓕᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᓂᑦ. ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᑦ ᐅᕙᓐᓄᐊᓲᖑᕗᑦ ᑕᐃᔅᓱᒪᓂᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥ, ᖁᔭᓕᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᕙᓐᓄᑦ ᑕᐃᑲᓃᓚᐅᕐᓂᓐᓂ, ᓈᓚᖕᓂᓐᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᕕᐊᓇᕐᓂᖅᓴᖅᑕᖃᙱᓚᖅ ᑐᓴᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓴᐳᔾᔨᓚᐅᕐᓂᓐᓂ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑉ ᐃᓅᓯᖓᓐᓂ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖄᒃᑲᓐᓂᐊᒍᑦ, ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓃᖦᖢᓂ ᐆᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᕋ ᐱᐅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᕗᖅ. ᐅᕙᓐᓂ ᑐᓂᓯᓲᖑᕗᑦ ᐃᒡᓚᕐᔪᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᖃᓱᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓱᒫᓗᒍᑕᐅᔪᓂ ᐱᓯᒪᔭᕐᓂᑦ," ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.

ᑰᑦᑎᖅ ᐱᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᐊᒥᓂᒃ "ᐊᑭᓕᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᓇᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᙱᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᐅᔪᓂ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂ. ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᒐᔪᒃᐳᖅ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᖑᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᑎᑕᐅᕙᙱᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᑲᑎᙵᓂᐅᔪᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᖃᑕᐅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᐃᕝᕕᐅᓗᑎᒻᒥ, ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᖑᔪᒥ ᑐᕌᖓᔪᒥ ᖁᕝᕙᕆᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ (ᐅᑭᐅᓕᖕᓄᑦ 13–ᓂ 30–ᒧᑦ) ᐃᓅᓪᓗᑎᒃ, ᕿᕐᓂᖅᑕᐃᑦ, ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᕿᕐᓂᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᓄᑦ (BIPOC) ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒻᒥᓂᒃ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓲᓂ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ 2SLGBTQIA+ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᒥ," ᖁᓪᓖᑦ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ.

ᑲᑎᒪᔩᑦ ᑐᓂᐅᖅᑲᐃᓲᖑᕗᑦ ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᐊᓂ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᒥ, ᐅᐱᒍᓱᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᔾᔪᒥᒋᔭᕐᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᑐᓂᓯᕙᒃᑐᓂ "ᓴᖅᑭᔮᕐᔪᐊᖅᑐᓂ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᓇᑎᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᔨᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ, ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᔨᐅᔪᓂ, ᐃᓕᓴᐃᔨᓂ, ᓯᕗᓕᐅᖅᑎᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓅᓯᓕᕆᔨᐅᔪᓂ."



About the Author: Derek Neary

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