Nanisiniq: Arviat History Project

Beginning in 2010 in Arviat Nunavut, the Nanisiniq Arviat History Project is a multi-media history project which brings together Inuit youth and Elders to re-discover Inuit history. Follow Nanisiniq on our ‘journey of discovery’ as we uncover treasures from the past - travelling thousands of kilometres around the world, visiting four continents, co-documenting over 100 hours of video footage, examining countless archival documents, talking to over 50 Elders and re-thinking the importance of history. It’s your history- join us! 

We are thankful for the organizations and individuals who have contributed to the Nanisiniq Arviat History Project. The Sivulinuut Elders Society, the University of British Columbia School of Social Work, the Nunavut Research Institute and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada are the project’s primary partners. 

A research team of Inuit youth from Arviat screen their film “Nanisiniq” to an audience of conference-goers at the 18th Inuit Studies Conference, which took place this past week in Washington D.C. Hosted by Curtis Konek, Amy Owingayak and Jordan Konek from Arviat, the première of the film drew a large crowd to the Smithsonian Institute. The film documents two years of travel and work by the research team of the Arviat Nanisiniq history project as they interviewed elders in Arviat and traveled to the U.N. climate change conference in Durbanm South Africa to talk about climate change and its impacts on Inuit and Inuit culture. Asked how she felt about the film, a member of the audience said “it moved me to tears to understand how much these young people overcame to do this work and to see what a great job they have done of representing their history and culture.” The conference, which drew researchers from Greenland, Russia, Alaska and Canada, wraps up this weekend. (PHOTO BY FRANK TESTER)

To purchase a copy of the film or host a screening in your community contact Nanisiniq@yahoo.ca today!

Presented in Arlington Virginia at the office of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public on October 26 2012

Presented at the 15th International Congress on Circumpolar Health in Fairbanks Alaska, the following outlines the importance of history, inter-generational connectedness & participatory filmmaking as an approach to Inuit youth mental health and wellbeing, using the case study of the Nanisiniq Arviat History Project.

From April 22-27th 2012, the Nanisiniq Arviat History Project team will be attending the International Polar Year conference in Montreal Canada. This conference brings together over 2,000 researchers, policy-makers, Indigenous people and NGOs to discuss the the circumpolar world’s most pressing social issues.

Using the theme From Knowledge to Action, this year’s conference aims to contribute to the translation of new polar scientific findings that will influence global decisions, policies and outcomes for coming years. 

During this week-long conference the Nanisiniq which includes youth, Elders and UBC researchers will have the opportunity to present three pieces of research:

1) ”Inuit Youth Confront Climate Change in the Canadian Arctic” 

Date: April 24th, 1:30-3pm

Session: Indigenous Knowledge Exchange, Young Climate Change Leaders roundtable

Location: Palais des congrès, Room 516c

2) “Face to Face: Inuit and Qablunaat  (People From the South) Youth, Facebook Friends with Clashing Cultures” 

Date: April 25th, 10:30am

Session: 3.1.4 Collaborative Approaches to Research 

Location: Palais des congrès, 514 a/b

Click here for more details.

3) ” ‘We’re Cool Like That’: Inuit Youth Speak to the Arctic and Beyond”

Date: April 27th, 10:15am 

Session: 4.5.1 Polar Science goes Digital

Location: Palais des congrès, Room 514 a/b

The Nanisiniq team welcomes individuals and teams to attend these sessions. We are looking forward to meeting you!

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to get the inside scoop throughout the IPY conference. 

For media enquiries please contact April Dutheil by email at Nanisiniq@yahoo.ca or by cell phone at 1-778-689-3431.

The Nanisiniq; Arviat History Project team (former and present) have come a long ways and have done so much.

Looking back to it’s birth and all the work and effort that’s been put into it is just unbelievable. Not to forget that people “behind the scenes” who started off as an idea and the negotiating and finally submitting an application to get this project started and finishing is more than what we can think of.

It has been just about 2 years now since this project began. I remember when the local Arviat Elders Sivullinuut Society were they key people in the selection and elder advisors and working with local residents and finding researchers. To this day, the elders are still much part of the work and their involvement is greatly appreciated and we know that without their support and wisdom, we wouldn’t have gone this far, this far into it’s final stages.

Researchers from Arviat, UBC and film producers, Sivullinuut Society, Department of Education, Nunavut Arctic College / HQ, media centre, Arviat Film Society, and viewers are just a few who have made this project a big succcess.

The list goes on to our financial supporters, and many others that have contributed much and  made a huge difference being very much part of this historical study.

We do not want to forget anyone but we are much humbled by the support that’s been given in any way, small or great. You name it - it’s appreciated ! Thank you !

Anyways, as I was saying earlier, researchers have digged through old archival documents, photos and audio and videos in search of their history - the history of the Inuit specifically in Arviat, Eskimo Point in the early 1980’s, Cape Eskimo and Tikirayualaaq long before we were born.

We have found hidden treasures such as finding our ancestors. Healing came with it that filled an emptiness with complete satisfaction when for so long I had imagined what my mother’s parents looked like because I’ve never seen them. Never seen them until given a chance to view photos from the archivals that April, a UBC Research Assistant showed them to us. I’ve seen one from a family member recently but I needed a copy of my own. Today I own a complete satisfaction to finding my grandparents and own a photo of them together now on my refrigerator door !  These are the few kinds of neat things we do within this project.

So far, researchers have been travelling, giving elder interviews, filming some footages and interviewed by media. The word has spread and we have come to learn that many others are interested in this type of similiar projects for their own communities / places too. We encourage them to do their best because it will help not only their youth, but everyone around them. You won’t regret it.

As we come to a close this spring season / summer, we can look back at the accomplishments, mistakes, lessons, stuff we learned, and many more. It is starting to be exciting just thinking about the outcome of the whole project that we’ve been working hard within these two years that seem to fly by so quickly.

We look forward to continue finalizing and work as a team to produce a good documentary that we’d like to share. Stay tuned this spring and summer as we start wrapping up and … . . possibility of moving on to more projects.

Thank you !

amy-owingayak:

I am so happy that I will attend the Internation Polar Year conference in Montreal. I will finally see and get together with the Nanisiniq group which is great! And also, the second year students and my instructor from Nunavut Sivuniksavut will attend. It will be very interesting for me because in one of our classes in first year, we learned about IPY. I am looking forward for the conference!