Perspectives

In 2009, Rachel Uyarasuk, elder of the Inuit community of Igloolik (Nunavut), evokes the ancestors whose name she received at birth. She explains how this transmission ensured their return among the world of the living.

A film by Christin Merlhiot

France, 2014, 11 minutes, animation

Inuktitut with English & French subtitles

Inuit Midwives, Interview with Atuat Akkitirq, 1991, Arnait Video Productions, Director Marie-Helene Cousineau.

Interviewed by Madeline Ivalu in Igloolik Point and Igloolik in 1991.English transcript available here.

On Baffin Island, two mountains of ore will be cut down at Mary River. Some residents of Igloolik react to this development : they worry that this industrial development will destroy their environment and the marine mammals as well as their culture and hunting life style.

ARNAIT: Show Me on the Map Episode 2, People Can Stand Up (22 mins) Discussions on Aboriginal Lands, Arnait Video Productions 2010, Carol Kunnuk, Marie-Hélène Cousineau. Inuktut w/English s-t.

Aivilingmiut tells the story of the connections between the people of Salliq (Coral Harbour) and the walrus, showcasing the perspectives of community members and harvesters. The film was produced by Oceans North in partnership with the Aiviit Hunters and Trappers Organization. 

Iglulimgmi Qilaujjaqtut Ingiutiillu Ajaajaat

Igloolik Drum Dancing and Ajaajaa Songs

Young Inuit living in urban areas from coast to coast introduce themselves by telling us where they are from and where they are living now

A group of young urban Inuit tell us which schools they have attended and which they are attending now.

Young urban Inuit tell us what they think of the education system in Northern Canada compared to the south from their point of view. For many, the education system in the North is plagued with problems, but others have found positives in it that have shaped who they are.

Keeping traditions alive can be difficult when you’re hundreds of kilometers from your home. This group of young urban Inuit talk about their struggles and successes in trying to keep Inuit traditions alive in Southern Canada.

Despite not being in the area, this group of young urban Inuit have kept in touch with the latest developments of the Mary River Iron Mine. They have some reservations about what it will mean for the future of the five communities most deeply affected.

For this group of young urban Inuit, there are a lot of changes they would like to see made in the North. From greater access to education to better housing and health care they give us their thoughts on all of the ways in which life could be improved for the people of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.

This group of Young urban Inuit know that life in the North isn’t always easy so they give a positive message to the youth of the North to let them know that life gets better and that it isn’t always going to be so hard.

Tommy Kudluk is a handyman who spends most of his time on the land. He keeps Inuit traditions alive by fishing and eating just like his ancestors did. After catching an Arctic char with a spear, he makes his wife an "ulu", a traditional knife used by Inuit women so that she can prepare the fish for the family to enjoy.

A Film by Tommy Kudluk

Inspired by the author’s own life story, Qilliqtu (Shiny Object) aims at reminding viewers that Indigenous stories span lifetimes and embraces the importance of connecting to the land.

A Film by Kevin Tikivik