HALUU IQALUKTUUTIAMIT. INUIN NAAMAINNAQTUT. PIKHIKPALIKMIJUQ IPAKHANI. APITAKTUK NUNAKPUT. PIKHIGAGNAT INUIN HAVAGIALAITTUTLU NUTAQQATLU INUINLU ILIHARIAJUITTUTLU. KIHIMI NIUVIKVIIT ANGMAUMAVAKTUT QUANA IILA. TINGMIAKANGNITTUTLU. INUIN TAAKTILIQIVAKTUT JALUNAIMILU EDMINTINMILU UUTAQIJUT ANILRARIAMI. QUNGNIAKTITINIAMIJUN IQALUKTUUTIAMI. INURIAKHIKNIALIQMIJUN TUUKMIATLU INUINLU TIKIQATTAQNAHUAT QUANA. ANGNAT MIQHUJANIQ TIGUMIAQLURIT ILIHAKVIKMUN ANGNIJUK. NUTAQQAT INIKNIRIIT ALIAHUKNIAMIJUT AITUHIANIK PIJUMAATUT. IILA NAAMAINNAQTURUT.
Welcome to the land of the Inuinnait, located on the southern eastern tip of Kiilinik Victoria Island. Weather is cold this time of year and then suddenly gets warm off and on lately.
Cambridge Bay has had blizzards already and the last one lasted four days. Schools were shut down, offices and public buildings were shut down. No airlines were landing due to bad weather. Many snow drifts prevented municipal services from being on the road delivering water and doing sewage pump outs and garbage pick up.
Koana, the blizzard days stopped and snow plows were out clearing roads and pathways for hamlet vehicles to begin water and sewage services, which is always badly needed, especially for families with children. For many, essential services are very important. Residents in Nunavut have learned to conserve water and to keep on hand an emergency supply of water in your place of living.
Years ago, we had no town and vehicles. Our people would always have ice to survive, and melting clean snow for cooking and washing around our tents and igluit. Life was simple and not stressful back then. Stories of how life was long ago are told today by our Elders. Today, listening to our Elders and learning from them is an important daily routine. Life without our Elders would be very difficult and our Inuit culture and traditions are strong to this day because of their strong will and commitment to keep our Inuit culture to never be forgotten and disappear.
However, the language of Inuit, especially Inuinnaqtut, is slowly disappearing and must be saved immediately. We have much to do for the future of our youth and grandchildren and communities. For residential school survivors, it was sad that Inuit were forced to speak and learn English from a totally different culture all new to our ancestors, grandparents and parents.
Growing up back then everyone only spoke Inuinnaqtut, then government slowly moved in and started building small villages where they built houses for Inuit to live in. For Cambridge Bay, this community started being built in late 1940s and began growing in early 1950s. RCMP, military/DEW Line, Hudson's Bay Company and churches began moving north and interacting with Inuit, of our ancestors.
Our Elders never hesitated to welcome newcomers to their homeland, mainly Inuit living all over the land along the ocean and nearby lakes and rivers. Then the government invented residential schools, where children were taken away, far away, to attend school. For Cambridge Bay, children were sent to Inuvik, Yellowknife, Fort Simpson and not sure where else, but that was the beginning a different way of life for many Inuit being forced away from their families and homeland.
This was also the beginning and start of loss of language for many Inuinnait and Inuit in Northern Canada. Back then, the Canadian government seemed to have authority that our ancestors did not understand at all. Not seeing and being around our parents, grandparents, Elders and not listening or hearing our language Inuinnaqtut spoken, that was the beginning of the loss of language. Let us stop and make language a priority. We can do it with the help of our Elders, who never give up or show anger towards anyone. They will always be there with us and for us. Elders have seen so many changes and challenges and yet they are always there for us all — loving, caring and teaching in their own way.
Let us protect and keep our Elders safe and happy. Rest, our ancestors, who continue to show us the way to keep our culture and traditions strong and alive for generations to come. Now it is our turn to become Elders and to keep our youth safe, to teach and love them and protect them from so much that is going on in our daily lives today. The souls of our ancestors are alive everywhere we go. Stay well, you are watched over, protected and loved, no matter who you are as an Inuk or what has happened. We will survive.
God Be With You Son.
