Check out David Serkoak’s audio slideshow story while being an instructor at Nunavut Sivuniksavut, a Nunavut Inuit training college program located in Ottawa:
Inuit of Ottawa and Teevi
Tweets by tiivai-
Recent Posts
Archives
Categories
Meta
Inuit Resiliency
Sharon Angnakak is originally from Iqaluit, Nunavut but currently resides in Ottawa. Angnakak is the mother of a 5 year old daughter named Maria, a bright and beautiful thriving child. Angnakak is also thriving a 2nd year student at Carleton University, studying humanities. This is what Angnakak said about attending Carleton – just follow this link to listen: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16554315/Sharon.mp3
Though university life is challenging for anyone, even those who are single, Angnakak’s resilience passed on from her English and Inuit parents give you the strength to bypass the many hurdles that she is faced with.
Ottawa has the largest Inuit population in any urban city of Canada. Ottawa has the most Inuit organizations with programs geared to enable them to do well in an urban setting. The Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre (OICC) is one of them. Maria, Sharon’s daughter attends the kingdergarten program at the OICC.
This program is a pioneer within the city because it is the first of its kind. The centre partnered with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board last year to bring kindergarten to the Inuit children of the centre after they complete the Head Start Program.
It is the only kindergarten program in the city, and more than likely across the Southern part of Canada because the children learn about the North, and they also are taught three languages there: English, French and Inuktitut.
The OICC has helped both Angnakak and her daughter throughout Angnakak’s university career. The OICC has made living in the city easier through their transportation program. The children are picked up and dropped off at their homes. This lessens the burden of city-life commuting.
Pamela Gross graduated last month from Carleton University. Gross was Angnakak’s roommate last year. “I like Carleton as a university as there are a growing number of Inuit there which makes me feel more at home as I can easily interact with Inuit students both in and outside of class” said Gross. Her Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology is a testament to her resilience. Gross is from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut.
Though Inuit are not traditionally from the South, they are very adaptable people. This is why many of them are able to live in an urban setting while doing well. Angnakak, the soon-to-be mother of two, is determined to finish her undergraduate degree – this is a tribute to her resilience, a resiliency passed down to her from the generations before her.
Sharon Angnakak and her daughter Maria during Halloween
Posted in Uncategorized
Activities for Inuit in Ottawa
Inuit of Ottawa have many options for activities. On Tuesdays at 3 p.m. Inuit can visit Tungasuvvingat Inuit on Savard Ave to take part in their beading program. There are beads and mentors galore at this location for Inuit. Zippie Nochasak is their Cultural Coordinator and said pointed out that an already embroidered garment for traditional Inuit clothing is an example set for Inuit to use for their own beading projects. Inuit have used beads since the trading period in the early 20th century. Beading has since become part of Inuit culture and is “therapeutic” according to Sue Qitsualik who also works for Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI). TI which is how Inuit off according refer to this centre has become a non-profit organization that runs on a budget of over 7 million. Their prominence has made them nationally recognized and this may well have to do with the fact that Ottawa boasts the largest urban Inuit population in any city nationally. This beading program is very important to the Inuit of Ottawa because it allows them to practice their own roots while they live in a Southern setting.
Zippie Nochasak of TI beading
Posted in Uncategorized
Differing Ottawa Inuit lifestyles
Maina Ningeok spending the evening in downtown Ottawa (Teevi Mackay Photo)
Ottawa Inuit lead different lifestyles. Pamela Gross, 26, an Inuk from Nunavut, is currently finishing up her undergraduate degree. Also from Nunavut is Jesse Kangok, 36, but unlike Gross is not single and works for the Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre.
However our focus today is Maina Ningeok, 50, a struggling alcoholic who has lived in Ottawa since 1980. Ningeok wears the ring of her late mother, “I lost her gem” speaking of the gem missing from the ring. Ningeok lost her mother recently – her mother was the main reason Ningeok would make trips back to Iqaluit, her hometown. “I’m an alcoholic now.” said Ningeok without hesitation. “Even though I’ve never been homeless – I’ve only hung out with the homeless – they are good people” said Ningeok. Ningeok often gets food from various missions in Ottawa as she lives off a limited income. She said she would like to get better but she is “mixed, really mixed, I wanna get out of this but I’m compelled” speaking of the alcohol that drives her to the streets. Ningeok says there are a lot of good people in Ottawa but it’s the alcohol “there’s a lot of easy access to it.” Ningeok would like to get out of this rut but she knows that she has to be ready. “I’m just about ready. It’s up to you if you want help. Just look at yourself one day and think,” speaking to the experience of reflecting upon oneself.
“I’m a city person now” said Ningeok.
Three Inuit leaders of Ottawa
Mary Simon, president of the National Inuit Organization of Ottawa, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, tel: 613-234-1991
Zippie Nochasak, Cultural Coordinator of Tungasuvvingat Inuit of Ottawa culture@tungasuvvingatinuit.ca
Pamela Gross, Urban Inuk ethnographic researcher on Urban Inuit, p_gross85@hotmail.com
Mary Simon’s blog (Mary Simon is the President for the national Inuit organization, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami) URL: http://www.itk.ca/blog/mary-simon
Tungasuvvingat Inuit, the Inuit community centre of Ottawa’s webpage http://www.tungasuvvingatinuit.ca/
The Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre (OICC) is an Inuit family centre in Ottawa. They provide services and regularly hold events for Inuit families in order for them to live a healthy lifestyle in an urban setting. The OICCs URL: http://www.ottawainuitchildrens.com/eng/
inuitofottawa 