We Are Not A Number
by Jordan Konek
January 1st, 2012
We are becoming people that we aren’t today, we’re people that are relying on stores and money today. Nothing we can do about that today, because we are already used to it now. But to be honest, I think the Government can do a lot better than what it’s doing right now. Why is it that we disagree with so many things? Like me wanting the Government to do a lot better? That’s what makes us human I guess, but that depends on who you are and what you’re taught.
Reason why I think the Government can do a lot better is because there are a lot of Elders that have their Birthdays set to January one, these are people that were all born in one day? Or did the Government just decide to give a Birthday to 100 Inuit Elders because they didn’t do enough research on Inuit? Did they just decide to spend their money on a mining research when they can do a research on Inuit Birthdays? Or is that too lame for them? How lame is it to do fake research on Climate Change and ignore the people that are experiencing it and are trying to tell the truth? I mean this is something that’s serious and the Government will spend “their money” on saving lives in the future because permafrost melted or something. Did I forget to tell you that my Canadian Government is stupid or am I stupid? I’m not going to keep my mouth shut to the people that are telling me to get a certificate to make money and and spend money to print my certificate at a university or a college. I’m not the one knowing that aboriginal people are having housing issues because they’re not funded by the Government and their money is being spent on some kind of research for a mining corporation. I mean, it doesn’t make sense to me, they’re already making the animals look stupid, yet they’re the stupid ones. Accusing people that are spending the time with Mother Nature more often while they sit down in their offices thinking “what’s next?”. I want to sit in their offices and be as stupid as I can be to help my people. How much do I know about American History? Probably a little more than I know my culture. I am being expected to know a culture and history of all the Canadians to get a certificate. I don’t really care anymore about reading Canadian history. I’m lost, I don’t know where I’m going. It’s because this world I’m trying to create is lost yet I’m trying to keep what I can of my history. I’m doing what I can because we are not a number.
Inuit youth researcher, Amy Owingayak, attends Nunavut Sivuniksavut in Ottawa
The Nanisiniq Arviat History Project team congratulates and supports Amy Owingayak as she embarks on a new “journey of discovery” to attend the Nunavut Sivuniksavut Training Program in Ottawa.
Nunavut Sivuniksavut is college program for Inuit youth from Nunavut who want to prepare to work for the new Government of Nunavut. To read more about this year’s group of NS students, click here.
Amy has been working on the Nanisiniq Project for the last two years. “I enjoy the work we do because I am learning a lot about my history. While being a part of this project as a youth researcher, I have gained pride in my identity. I wish for other youth to continue to keep our tradition and culture alive.” says Owingayak. “I am very excited to go to NS!”
Amy will continue to work with the Nanisiniq team from Ottawa to organize their upcoming their trips to present at conferences in Durban, Washington DC and Montreal.
Congrats Amy!
Arviat project puts Inuit face on local history “We want to be there too”
May 20/2011 article by Sarah Rogers in the Nunatsiaq News:
OTTAWA — When Curtis Konek, 20, recalls the social studies courses he took at school, he remembers learning about Napoleon Bonaparte, a military leader during the French Revolution.
It’s not that the Arviat youth doesn’t appreciate history from other parts of the world — but where, he asks, is the history of the Inuit?
Konek isn’t alone in thinking his own history should have a bigger presence in Nunavut and throughout Canada.
“We want to be there too,” he said.
Inuit Elders: So Much To Do So Little Time
by Jordan Konek
May 14 2011
This blog is about the Inuit elders that have a lot of knowledge about Inuit history and Inuit culture. They are so rich with the traditional practices and are full of knowledge that I think are very important and useful for the future Inuit. We Inuit are losing our culture each time we lose an elder. We have recently lost Mark Kalluak and Job Mukyungnik who are the elders of Arviat, Nunavut. I would like to give my condolences and respect to the family that lost their leaders of their famiy.
I would like to start off by saying how we are losing a great amount of knowledge when we lose one elder. To those who think that Inuit culture should be alive and well known, now is the time for you to start asking questions that you want to know of by asking Inuit elders, because one elder lost means a millions of words to be said and be known are slowly going away, where we won’t be able to reach them.
Yesterday, we started off with a great day to start with, we went to the Nunavut Sivuniksavut to interview David Serkoak who is working for Nunavut Sivuniksavut. But as I was interviewing David, we took a break from the interview and during the break we were told that one elder has passed away from an illness. What could have I asked that elder? When I was working with Mark Kalluak, it was easy to tell that he had A LOT of respect for Inuit Culture. So, when we were working together, one of the many things he taught me was “araka *A-RAK-KA” means that he’s going outside to go home. That’s one of the things I won’t forget for a long time.
The other elder we recently lost a day after losing Mark, we lost Job Mukyungnik who also had a lot of knowledge about Inuit history. When I’m in the midst of elders, it’s really easy to show and have respect towards the elder. He was a very funny person, that’s what I’m going to remember him as. He always had someone laughing.
Given the opportunity, take that opportunity, because once you choose not to, you’re choosing to have no respect for who you are and where you came from.
Take evert opportunity given, because it’s free! One opportunity given, that one opportunity might even give you one more opportunity and so on. I have a lot of respect for the elders who are awesome, Martha Okotak being one of the funniest research elder.
Life during the Rankin Inlet Nickel Mine for Inuit
by Amy Owingayak
April 29 2011
To start with, I’d like to say that Inuit life style had completely changed for Inuit after the relocation. Inuit from Ennadai had just been relocated into a settlement and in the same year, the Mining in Rankin Inlet started. According to “The Rankin File: Inuit health and the Canadian liberal welfare state - Frank Tester” 79 Inuit from Eskimo Point worked at the Nickel Mine in Rankin Inlet. Therefore, I think it was a lot of hard work to be moving around so much and in this case, some probably had to leave their families to work. Although Inuit had always moved around living on the land, it was different to be moved to a certain place because Inuit chosed to live on the land where they wanted to for their own purposes. In other words, life was changing so quickly that most Inuit had to compromise their way of living to participate in a capitalist economy.
Secondly, it is shocking to see that the Mining set in Rankin Inlet seperated Inuit from the White People. On one hand, Inuit (from New Eskimo Settlement) had a camp of their own with no electricity, running water, or proper heating. They also lived about a mile away from the mine, can you imagine that? On the other hand, the White People lived closer to the mine in their own camps that had electricity, running water and had proper heating. Also, there is a difference between an Inuk’s wages from the White’s. Inuit made half of what the white people are making doing the same work. Another example is their movie nights were seperated ; white poeple having their movie nights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Inuit having their move nights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. As I said, it was much of a segregation between the Inuit and Qablunaaq (White People) between 1957-1962.
Lastly, it was pretty much two different world’s in the same community. The Old Eskimo settlement were the Inuit who did not work in the mine, living in shacks made from old scraps from the dump. The New Eskimo settlement were the Inuit who worked in the mine. Remember that they lived with no electricity, no proper heating and no running water. However, in the New Eskimo settlement Inuit lived in shacks built by the mine. Once they are not working anymore, they were not to live in the New Eskimo settlement, so they would have to move back into the Old Eskimo settlement which was on the other side of the hill close to the mine. In short, there is a difference between working Inuit and non working Inuit and ironically, still living the same (no heat, running water, electricity) except with a different life style.
“THE ESKIMO OF RANKIN INLET: A PRELIMENARY REPORT”
blog by Jordan Konek
April 29 2011
WRITTEN BY: ROBERT C. and LOIS A. DAILEY
The Rankin Inlet Nickel Mine 1957 - 1962
As we read the document I noticed how the word “Eskimo” was used a lot. One of the things I mentioned during the meeting is that I was a bit offended how the word “eskimo” was used quite often. In real life I am not offended by the word eskimo, but when looking back to how Inuit were treated probably gave me a thought to think that I should be offended.
After having read the document I started thinking about how it would be like to live during that time. When the Inuit were given a settlement that seemed to have fewer and less comfortable houses plus getting a pay from the mining that was half the amount of what the white people were getting. Did they feel that they should be getting a better pay and better housing? Did they know that they were treated like they were not as important? If I was there would I have known that I have the same rights as the other mine workers?
The Inuit had no electricity, no toilet, and no heating in their 500 square feet houses. Not only were the houses empty, they were also over crowded with 3 families in one house, while the white people had electricity, toilet and heating but also had only few people living in one house, not shared by 3 families.The Inuit lived a longer distance from the mine than the white people. The white people were living closer to the mine.
There were 4 different zones in the old settlement. “Zone one comprises seven tents with two or three outdoor cooking huts. This zone is occupied exclusively by families from Eskimo Point. These people secure their water from a large run-off pool a few hundred feet to the north and west.
Zone 2 consists of approximately 15 dwellings of which nine are more of less permanent, the remainder being tents that are erected in this zone are situated on a lower beach than those of zone one…
Zone 3 is built on a higher ground than that occupied by either zones one or two, and is seperated from the latter by a distance of several hundred feet. There are ten houses in this zone spread out over a larger area. Again they consist mostly of shacks with a few tents pitched here and there. Water for this zone is secured from a run-off pool located on the top of a high gravel beach that lies to the rear of the area.
Zone 4 extends Northward for almost one-thousand feet terminating on a rocky point of land. There are fourteen dwellings in this area. Only about half of these are occupied, their owners having moved to the new Eskimo Settlement.
There is a lot of information on this document. I will read through it again blog about what I think should be seen. We had a presentation going on for the community see. During one of the videos I saw, I saw that when belugas were passing by the mine Inuit quickly rushed to the water to hunt the belugas, during the working hours. I wish I was able to go hunting during regular working hours! I’d get someone to replace me because my view to the South is perfect and that’s where the geese comes from.
‘ᐃᓄᒃ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᑦ: ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᒥᒃ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᖅ’
ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᔪᖅ: ᕋᐳᕐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓗᐃᓯ ᑎᓕ
ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᓴᕕᖕᓄᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᒃᑕᕆᐊᖅ 1957ᒥᑦ 1962ᒧᑦ
ᐅᖃᓕᒪᖅᑎᒃᖢᑕ ᐅᔨᕆᓚᐅᕋᑉᑯ ᖃᓄᖅ ‘ᐃᓄᒃ’ (Eskimo) ᑕᐃᔭᐅᒐᔪᓚᐅᖅᒪᖓᑦ. ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕋᒪ ᑲᑎᒪᑎᒃᖢᑕ ᐃᖢᐃᓪᓕᒐᔭᓚᐅᕋᒪ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ ‘ᐃᓄᒃ’ (Eskimo) ᑕᐃᔭᐅᒐᔪᒃᑐᓚᐅᑦᔪᒃᒪᑦ. ᐃᓄᓯᓪᓗᐊᕕᖕᒥᒡᓕ ᐃᖢᐃᓪᓕᖅᑕᖏᒃᑐᖓ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᒐᓗᐊᕋᖓᑦ ‘ᐃᓄᒃ’ (Eskimo), ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᑭᖑᒃᒧᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᒃᑐᓂ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓱᓚᐅᖅᒪᖓᑕ ᐃᓱᒻᒥᓕᓚᐅᕋᒪ ᐃᒻᒪᖃ ᐃᖢᐃᓪᓕᒥᐊᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᖓ.
ᐅᖃᓕᒪᒐᓂᒃᓯᒪᓕᖅᑎᒃᖢᖓ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᓄᓯᖃᕋᔭᕐᓇᕐᓂᖅᒪᖓᑦ ᑕᐃᑉᓱᒪᓂ. ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᑉᔪᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᐊᓚᒥᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᓴᖕᓂᖅᓴᐅᑉᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᒥᓱᖏᓂᖅᓴᓂᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᕐᔪᐊᖃᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᑐᒐᐅᐱᒪᕐᓗᓂ ᐅᔭᕋᒃᑕᕆᐊᓄᑦ ᓇᒃᐸᐃᓇᒃᓇᖓᓂᒃ ᖃᑉᓗᓇᑦ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᑐᒐᐅᒃᑕᓚᐅᕐᓂᖏᑦᓂᒃ. ᐊᑭᓕᖅᑐᒐᐅᒃᑎᐊᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓱᐊᓚᐅᖅᐸᓂᑉᑯᐊ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒡᓗᕐᔪᐊᖃᒃᑎᐊᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓱᐊᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ? ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓚᐅᖅᐸᑦ ᐃᓄᒡᓗᐊᖅᑕᐅᒃᑕᕐᓂᒥᑦᓂᒃ? ᑕᐃᑲᓂᓯᐅᓚᐅᕈᒪ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓗᖓᓗ ᐊᑦᔨᒋᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᔪᖕᓇᐅᑎᖃᕐᓗᖓ ᐊᓯᖏᒃᑕ ᐅᔭᕋᒃᑕᕆᐊᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ?
ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᑭᒃᑕᖅᑐᖃᖏᑕᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ, ᖁᕐᕕᖃᕋᑎᒡᓗ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᖁᓪᓗᐊᕕᖏᑕᐃᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ 500 ᐊᑉᓗᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᕐᔪᐊᓂ. ᐃᓗᓕᖃᖏᑕᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐃᓄᒋᐊᒃᑐᓚᐅᑦᔪᐃᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᒋᖕᓂᒃ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐅᕙᒍᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᖃᑉᓗᓇᔭᑦ ᐃᑭᒃᑕᖅᑐᖃᖅᖢᑎᒡᓕ, ᖁᕐᕕᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᖁᒃᑎᐊᖅᖢᑎᒡᓕ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐊᒥᓱᖏᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᕐᔪᐊᒥᓯᐅᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᐊᒥᑦᖃᖏᒃᑐᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᖕᓄᑦ. ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᖓᓯᓐᓂᖅᓴᓚᐅᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᒃᑕᕆᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᑦ ᖃᑉᓗᓇᓂᒃ. ᖃᑉᓗᓇᔭᑦ ᖃᓂᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᑉᔪᑎᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᒃᑕᕆᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ.
ᑎᑎᖃᑕᓕᒃᑎᐊᒥᐊᖅ ᑕᒡᕙᓂ. ᐅᖃᓕᒪᑦᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᖓ ᑎᑎᕈᒪᕐᓗᒋᓪᓗ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᒻᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕈᒋᔭᒻᓂᒃ. ᑕᐅᑐᒃᑎᑎᓚᐅᕋᑉᑕ ᓄᓇᓕᐊᓚᓄᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒃᓴᐅᑉᔪᑎᒃ. ᑕᕐᕆᔭᐅᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᓚᐅᕋᒪ, ᕿᓇᓗᒃᑲᑦ ᖃᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᒃᑕᕆᐊᑦ ᓴᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑐᐊᕕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᕿᓇᓗᒃᑭᕆᐊᖅᑕᓚᐅᖅᒪᑕ, ᐱᓕᕆᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᐃᑲᕐᕋᐃᒃᓂᒃ. ᒪᖃᐃᒃᑐᓪᓗᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᐱᓕᕆᓐᓇᒥ! ᐃᓇᖏᖅᑕᐅᒃᓇᖅᓯᓇᕐᓗᖓ ᑕᐅᒃᑐᕈᓯᕋ ᖃᑉᓗᓇᑦ ᓄᓇᒃᓂ ᓇᒻᒪᓚᕆᒃᒪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᖕᒥᐊᑦ ᑎᑭᒃᑕᔪᒃᒪᑕ ᖃᑉᓗᓇᑦ ᓄᓇᑦᓂ.
