Kivalliq News Feb. 13

Page 1

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Vol 25 No 8

$1.00

แ–ƒแ“ชแ“—แ“ˆแ“„แ‘ฆ

Nunavut's Award-Winning Voice of Kivalliq

แŠแ’ฅแ“ฑแŠแ“—แ–•แ“‚ แ‘•แ‘ฏแ’ƒแ“ดแ…แ‘Žแ‘•แ…แ”ชแ–… แ•™แƒแ”…แณแ’ƒแ‘ฏแ‘ฆ แ‘Žแ‘Žแ•‹แ•แ••แ…แ“ฒแ’ฅ แ“‡แ“—แ“‡แƒแ–…แ“ฏแ•—แ–… แ–ƒแ“ชแ“—แ“ˆแ‘ฆ แ“„แ“‡แ•—แ’ปแ’ฅ แ…แ–ƒแ…แ“ฏแ–ƒแ•ˆแ“แ“‡แ–…แณแ‘ฆ แƒแ“…แ–ƒแ‘Žแ’ฅแ’ƒ แŠแ‘ญแ•‹แ–…แ‘แ•แ“‚แ•แ’ฅ แŠแ”พแ”จแ’Œแ™ฑแ“แ“‚แ•แ’งแ‘ฆ, แ‘ฎแ“‡แ…แ”พแ”ญแ’ƒแ“ดแ•แ“‚แ•แ’งแ‘ฆ แ“‡แ“•แ’งแ’Œแ™ฑแ“แ“‚แ…แ”ชแ’ฅ

Dear Qallunaat Viral Facebook post outlines ways non-Inuit in Nunavut can address racism, economic disparity by Sandra Inutiq

Special to Kivalliq News

(Editor's note: Sandra Inutiq originally posted this letter to her personal Facebook page where it has been shared over 1,000 times. Inutiq is allowing us to feature it here for our readers.) I have thought a lot about the level of damage having a highly transient white population does to Nunavut. The indifference to social conditions, policy inertia and all the collective micro-aggressions that maintain Inuit in not getting ahead in poverty conditions. Here are ways that maybe you can be a better white person, or may I suggest, maybe even an ally?! I don't hate you by posting this. It's out of love for myself that I share it! Even though this is primarily addressed to white people, even non-whites who can be complicit to white supremacy โ€“ including Inuit (even me!) either to get ahead or not to be left behind, it is also addressed to you. I hope this stimulates a healthy discussion. 1. You are a visitor, on Inuit homeland. No matter how long your family has been in Canada or Nunavut, you are a settler on Inuit land. 2. Proximity: Being close to Inuit does not make you an expert and a voice for Inuit, including having Inuit children/ having adopted an Inuk child, an Inuk spouse, family or friends. Having lived in or travelled back and forth to the North for a number of years, even knowing some Inuktitut. These situations do not give you Inuit identity, or the right to claim authority over the subject of Inuitness or defining answers for Inuit; Asking other white or outsiders how long they have been here is a common question to seemingly test legitimacy in the North, as if competing for expertise. Going further, just because you have travelled to exotic places does

are not saying it, please do not just let this mentality pass not make you automatically culturally sensitive. unchallenged. 3. Ways that power is maintained: Using working in 6. Claiming reverse racism: This is often exclaimed when Nunavut or with Inuit to embellish your resume; After working with or studying Inuit, many become an "expert" on Inuit one does not get a job, education/training opportunity, some or Inuit Nunanga. These situations make people kind of benefit, or are made to feel uncomfortable with their privilege. Reverse racism or appear to be more 'equitably minded', 'culturally sensitive', therefore more appealing to hire, แƒแ–…แ‘ฒแ–…แ‘แƒแ••แ–•แ’ฅ แ“ดแณแ“แ“‚แŠแ–…แ‘Ž racism against white people is not a thing. It or work with. We have sleuths of consultations does not exist. The premises of racism is colแŠแ’ปแ’ช แฑแ’‹แŠแ–…แ‘Žแ‘ฆแ‘Žแ”จ onialism and transcontinental slave trade and that arrive on daily flights from the south, a lot แ“ตแ“แ‘แ•‹ แƒแ“…แ‘Žแ–… the subsequent years of oppression based on of men with white heads. idea of white supremacy that ensued from those 4. Meritocracy is a system that assumes events. These show through disparity in social everyone is on a level playing field i.e. education, skills and experience are considered to conditions and inequity today. To be a racist hire or give economic opportunity. Meritocracy you need both prejudice and power. People of assumes these competencies are fairly concolour can be prejudiced against white people, sidered and applied, a system that privileges but white people simply are not experiencing white people already and the reason why we disempowerment. need employment equity efforts. In meritoc7. You cannot be the one to judge whether racy, adding 'cultural awareness' to that list an act is racist, culturally insensitive or makes one become irresistible and most desirappropriate. Also, by saying "I'm not racist" or able to hire. "There is no racism" does not absolve racism 5. Attitude that the North/Inuit Nunangat or responsibility not to be. You are assuming is inferior and backwards: Statements that because you cannot see it, it does not exist. If infer it is a punishment being here "Can't wait an Inuk, or person of colour is calling something out, pay attention and listen. Listen to get out of here", "I've been here for five years" with a tone of voice that infers it is like Lawyer and activist to those that face racism e_v_e_r_y d_a_y! Including superficial small talk (sending a mesa jail sentence, "Only in Nunavut would this Sandra Inutiq sage you're not worth relating to), being spoken happen" (insert shitty event). There are enough down to, not being listened to and clear difmiserable people that are here for earnings and experience who cannot seem to leave due to the 'golden hand- ferential treatment. Mostly that the system tells you in many cuffs' of economic opportunity. These miserable people have ways your life is not worth anything or very little. If there are mainly Inuit spaces, allow that to be, either by excluding yourhuge impacts on the morale of workplaces and the communself or by listening (and not talking). ity. Guess what? There are daily flights going south. You are welcome to leave, taking your shitty attitude with you. You Please see Assimilation, page 3 are doing more harm than good by being here. If you yourself

แ”…แ‘ณแ‘ฆ แ•ฟแ”ชแ’ƒ

Scott Qiyuk

แ–ƒแ’ชแ“‚แ‘ฆแ‘แŠแ–…

แŠแ’ฅแ“ฑแ“‚ แŠแ’ชแ•ˆแ•แ“‚ แ‘•แ‘ฏแ“ฏแ’ชแ•—แ–“ แƒแ“…แ“ฏแ“แ“‚ แŠแ–‘แ“‡แ“ฑแ–ƒแ‘ฆแ‘•แ•แ“‚แ•แ“‚แ‘ฆ, แ‘ญแ“ฏแŠแ“‚ แฑแ“šแ…แ–…แ“ฏแ’ชแ™ฑแ“šแ–“, แ‘ญแ“ฏแŠแ“‚ แ…แ“‡ แ‘แ’ƒแ‘แ–แ‘Žแ‘ฆแ‘Žแ“แ“‚ แฒแ“แ“‡แ“šแ…แ•แ’ชแ‘ฆ แ‘•แƒแ’ซแ’ƒ แ–แ‘ญแ•†แŠแ–ƒแ“šแ…แ–…แธแ•‹. แŠแ–“แ”ชแ–…แ‘ณแ’ƒแ‘ฒ แ“ดแƒแ“šแ”… แŠแ’ปแ’ช แ’ฅแ…แ•†แŠแ’ป แ•ฟแ”ชแ’ƒ, แŠแ…แ“ชแ“›แ–แ“แ“‡แ–…แ–ขแ‘Žแ’ƒ แƒแ“…แ“ฏแ–ƒแ“šแ…แ–…แ‘แ“‚, แ–แ‘ญแ–…แ“ฏแ”ญแ•†แŠแ–ƒแ“šแ…แ–…แ“ฏแ’ชแ•—แ‘ฆ แŠแ’ปแ’ช แฑแ“—แ‘Žแ’ƒ แŠแ’ชแ•ˆแ•แ’ฅ แ†แ’ชแ”ชแ“แ“‡แ–แ“ชแ“—แ’‹แ‘ฆ, แ‘•แƒแ’ชแ“แ“‡ แ“ฏแ•—แ“‚แŠแ“‚ แŠแ’ชแ•ˆแ“šแ…แ–…แ“ฏแ’ชแ™ฑแ“šแ–“ แ‘•แ‘ฏแ’ƒแ“ดแ…แ‘Žแ‘ฆแ‘Žแ“‚แ•แ’งแ‘ฆ แ–แ”ญแ“•แ“‚แ“แ“‚ แ†แ’ชแ”ชแ•แ’งแ‘ฆ. แŠแ‘•แ…แ“ฏแŠแ–…แ–ขแ–“ แ‘แ“ดแ“šแ…แ–…แ“ฏแ’ชแ•—แ–“ แ‘•แƒแ’ชแ“แ“‡แ‘ฆแ‘•แƒแ“แ“‡แ–… แ…แ“‚แ’ƒแ‘ณแ–‘แ”ชแ’ฅ แฑแ”ชแ’ชแ™ฑแ–ฆแ–ขแ“‚ แ–ƒแ“„แƒแ‘ฆแ‘‘แ”ชแ’ฅแ’ƒ แ†แ’ชแ”ชแ’ฅแ’ƒ แ‘ญแ“ฏแŠแ“‚ แƒแ“ฑแ’ชแ“šแ…แ–…แณแ–…, "แฑแ’แ’ƒแ‘ฏ แ‘•แ•แ“‚แ–“ แ“‚แ•†แ”ชแ“แ“‡แ–…แ“ฏแ‘•แƒแ“แ“‡แ•แ“‚แŠแ–…แณแ–…!" แ‘•แƒแ’ซแ’ƒ, แ‘•แƒแ‘ฒแ“‚แ‘ฆแ‘•แƒแ“แ“‡แ–… แƒแ“ฑแ’ชแ“‚แ…แ”ชแ’ฅ แฑแ“šแ…แ–…แธแ•‹ แŠแ’ชแ•ˆแ–… แŠแ–“แ”ชแ–…แ‘ณแ’ช แ‘•แ•แ“‚แ–“แ‘ฆ แ“‚แ•†แ”ชแ“แ“‡แ•แ“‚แŠแ•แ’ชแ‘•!

Baker Lake

I've seen many wolves in my lifetime of hunting, but never caught any of them, but this one was taking our caribou meat so I had to shoot it down. My parents Silas and Mariam Qiyuk, who lived a nomadic life, had to shoot and catch a wolf in order to survive, which is the reason I had never caught a wolf before to show my gratitude toward the animal. I once heard of the same story about not wanting to catch a certain animal but he thought, "if I catch it their spirit will finally eat!" So, in that same thought I caught this wolf so my parents' spirit could finally eat!

Our best reader photos Northern News Services

Do you have an amazing story from your adventures on the land? Tell us your story and show us your photos for a chance to win $100.

Each week, we will pick one story from those submitted to editor@nunavutnews. com, or by mail to Nunavut News, PO Box 28, Iqaluit, NU, X0A 0H0. Entries will be placed on our Facebook page.

The story and photo with the most combined likes and shares at the end of the week wins. This week's winner is Peter Aqqaq. Congratulations!

"Nobody has brought it up at a council meeting. We have a lot of nurses here, and doctors." โ€“ Rankin Inlet Mayor Robert Janes reacting to the hamlet being listed as one of the communities in greatest need of additional medical staff, page 4.

Publication mail

7

Contract #40012157

71605 00500

3


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Createย aย flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.