Nunatsiaq News - Nanisiniq film premier at 18th Inuit Studies Conference
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!
April 25, 2012- Elder Martha Okotak shares her thoughts on the International Polar Year conference, Montreal and involvement with the Nanisiniq Arviat History Project
Northern News Services: Arviat film festival highlights history
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Tuesday, September 20, 2011
ARVIAT
The Nunavut Arctic College Learning Centre is scheduled to host a special event involving the Nanisiniq Arviat History Project this coming week.
The Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Film Festival will begin at 6 p.m. CST in Arviat on Tuesday, Sept. 27, with works done by the Nanisiniq group, as well as Zacharias Kunuk and Ian Mauro.
The films will be seen simultaneously at Toronto’s York University.
A festival objective is to highlight Inuit youth researchers Jordan Konek, Curtis Konek and Amy Owingayak’s trip to the 17th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, this coming November, and to raise awareness among Inuit communities on the importance of having an Inuit voice at the conference.
After the festival, the Arviat youths will be connected with the Toronto audience for a question-and-answer period.
The online event will feature a chat room and Twitter feed for international participation.
Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change by Zacharias Kunuk and Ian Mauro will be shown at the Arviat festival, as well as three works by Jordan Konek: Experiencing Climate Change from the Perspectives of Inuit Elders and Youth; Introduction to Nanisiniq; and the short, humorous video, Martha’s Gang.
Nanisiniq Arviat History Project members Joseph Thompson, Amy Owingayak and Jordan Konek, back row from left, April Dutheil, Curtis Konek, Martha Okotak and Helen Konek, sitting from left, and Silas Illangiayok and Tamar Mukyunik, front right, gather for a team dinner in Arviat recently. - photo courtesy of Nanisiniq Arviat History Project
Arviat and Toronto link together with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Film Festival
Written by Rachel Hirsch, York University
York University’s Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability (IRIS) and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) are co-hosting a series of virtual activities to help organize in advance of the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties in Durban, South Africa (COP17).
The Nanisiniq Project is partnering with York University to screen the following films in parallel on September 27, 2011 starting at 6 p.m CST in Arviat and 7pm EST at York University:
- Line-up (all films available online):
1) Nanisiniq: Journey of Discovery
2) Meet the team
3) Martha’s Gang
4) Experiences of Climate Change from Elders
5) Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change
We are synchronizing with Arviat, Nunavut so that we all watch the movies at the same time and then can have a dialogue with Arviat youth/community members and Toronto youth/community members afterwards. For those who cannot attend the event in person, we will be circulating a link for the online dialogue as soon as it is available. Join our Facebook event for the link.
Arviat: Join us at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 at the Arviat High School.
York University: Join us at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 at the Curtis Lecture Hall (CLH) F
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada and Arviat Youth Address Fatherhood Through Acting
September 14, 2011
To shoot their educational film on Inuit fatherhood, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada has been working with Arviat youth actors from John Arnalukjuak High School’s drama class. Jordan Konek from the Nanisiniq: Arviat History Project has been assisting Pauktuutit both as a camera operator and producer. After filming in Arviat, Jordan will accompany Pauktuutit for two days of filming in Coral Harbour and two more in Iqaluit. To read about Jordan’s experience working on the fatherhood project, click here.
One of the outcomes of this week-long filming is the production of a 30-minute DVD by Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada on the subject of fathering in Inuit communities in the north. Its purpose is to empower Inuit men to embrace parenting with all its joys and challenges and to gain an understanding of positive parenting as a path toward personal and community healing. The DVD will also be accompanied by a user’s guide in booklet format.
Special thanks to the Arviat youth actors who volunteered their artistic talent to this worthwhile cause!
A great example of Piliriqatigiinniq (working together).
Do You Know Jordan Konek!? He’s….
by Jordan Konek
September 14, 2011
Today, I started working with Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada. We did our workshop this morning and this afternoon. We started off our workshop by introducing each other, the Pauktuutit team and the High school students. Each group was chatting about what they do and what they’re trying to do.
Then an interesting for myself came up, one of the high school students started talking about who they know and how they know them. One of the Pauktuutit members said: “oh you know this guy?!” student replies and says “yes! we know each other!”. That’s what I love about coming from Nunavut, when they meet someone new and they start talking about where they come from and who they know. They somehow are automatically forced to act real happy, I think it’s the human nature. But I love it even more when some replies “he/she’s my cousin!!”, that’s what I love! And then they become friends, which is always a good thing.
The team here is already going real well and I can already see the whole team making friends with each other and enjoying their times here together. Everyone has been taking part and listening to each other. It’s nice to have the Pauktuutit group making a film about fatherhood and to have the youth and elders involved in this program that Pauktuutit is hosting.
We will be going to Coral Harbour and Iqaluit, Nunavut to do more filming about fatherhood. I’m looking forward to working with the crew that we have and it would have been more exciting for the young drama kids who have been very cooperative. We recently did a little film skit this afternoon and Pauktuutit will be making a documentary using some of that film we shot. I am also putting together a short film especially made for the drama kids who deserve a big thank you and to Gord Billard and the John Arnalukjuak High School who gave these kids some time to take part in this Pauktuutit program.
YES I KNOW HIM!
