Isuma Distribution International

Lasalusie Ishulutaq from Pangnirtung shares his views on Climate Change. "The sun is hotter now", he says.  "In recent years, it turned really hot.  When I took my family out, I had never experienced the heat that way.  I've noticed that a lot and it brings me to tears."

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Japitty Palluq from Igloolik speaks about polar bears.

Susan Avingaq from Igloolik speaks about the impacts of climate change.

Lasalusie Ishulutaq speaks about the past and sings traditional songs.

Peter Kanayuk from Pangnirtung speaks about his childhood and hunting bears. "The most enjoyable, my favorite hunt, is the polar bear. You have a different feeling when you're after the bear. It's fierce and you're feeling happy. Not every day you catch a bear. Those were my favorite times."

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Therese Mattaq of Pond Inlet speaks about Inuit teaching: "They wanted me to know the environment. They wanted to me to know the stars. Things that are not made by Inuit but made by things we do not know. God made them from the beginning. That was our teaching."

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Abraham Ulayuruluk of Igloolik speaks about changes in polar bear behaviour.  "In the past, polar bears weren't around that much. Once in a while, they would come from the floating ice, and we would catch them.  Back then, in summer time, when someone got a bear, they were all healthy and fat.… Uqalimakkanirit

Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change - Interview with Deborah Qaunaq.

I think sometimes our earth has tilted. When the fall comes and ice should be forming, it doesn't happen right away. In the spring, when it should be melting, it stays cooler. It now seems to stay cooler longer than in the past.

 Apea Sowdluapik from Pangnirtung speaks about environmental health problems linked to climate change.

 Alukie Metuq from Pangnirtung speaks about climate change.

Elisapee Ishulutak, Pangnirtung's oldest resident, discusses climate change.  

It use to be steaming fog from the shore and the dog teams would be coming. You could hear their breathing. You could hear them coming in the fog. It was cold. That was wonderful.

English Transcript: Back then, nobody hardly got sick because we were the only family out there. Nowadays, everyone is mingling amongst communities, and we get sick. It was not like that before. Sometimes we would get sick and use things from the land to heal us, like mushrooms and their powder and longs from a rabbit we'd use as band-aids, and tissue from ujuk fat.… Uqalimakkanirit

This video blog is for all you animal rights activists out there. Eat your heart out on this video from Iqaluit elder Rita Nashuk. Actually, maybe you should just consider eating a piece of heart, maybe seal?

Qaujimaviit? is a series of short videos for learning or improving Inuktut language skills with Elder Peter Irniq.  Today's word:  Alianait!

ISUMA: Qaujimaviit? Episode 3, Alianait (2 mins), Igloolik Isuma Productions 2009, Host Peter Irniq. Inuktut no subtitles.

Qaujimaviit? is a series of educational, yet entertaining, videos hosted by Peter Irniq for people who are interested in Inuktitut and want to learn more about the subtleties of this intriguing Northern language. Today's word is Sila

Igloolik Isuma Productions. 2009.