06/05/2021
Inuktitut Language is crucial for the Inuit Identity as it defines our traditional Laws and Knowledge, Inuktitut is key for advance and integrate our wisdom and knowledge to our future generations.
ᐱᙳᐊᕐᕕᒃ (Pinnguarvik) is understood as “a place to enjoy or play,” a safe place to interact and build knowledge based on Inuit values and Laws ᑐᙵᓇᕐᓂᖅ (tunnganarniq): welcoming and building inclusive Positive environment as key principle governing our community.
It has not always been the case; between 1920-1990’s Inuit and the rest of Indigenous Peoples, children were put into Indian Residential Schools across Canada. The Indian Residential Schools were funded by Canadian Government with the partnership with Christian churches of various branches. Residential Schools had purpose of eliminate and assimilate Indigenous Peoples to Modern Western lifestyle and belief system by “eliminate the Indian in the Child.” One of the methods of assimilation was preventing a child of speaking their mother tongue and practice cultural ceremonies and only teach English and or French, indoctrinate Christian beliefs and integrate western lifestyle; and often children were not allowed to see their peers and family outside school walls.
Unfortunately, The Indian Residential Schools had widespread incident of physical, emotional, sexual, and spiritual abuse towards Inuit and the Indigenous Peoples and left children with unimaginable amount of trauma and passed on to generations which is still affecting current generations of Inuit, though some has not attended, the trauma lingers.
The Indian Residential Schools did not end in Southern Canada and migrated to Northern Canada across three Territories. Thirteen Residential Schools known as Federal Hostels were erected within Nunavut Area and Inuit children were also forced to attend and faced abuse and trauma like the rest of Canada.
The one we are familiar with, and it is where we are originally from is Mittimatalik Federal Hostel which is located in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, abuse was no different to Inuit in the Northern Residential Schools. Trauma manifest in different ways and are current one many Inuit are battling such as substance Abuse and complete shame of identity and culture as coping mechanism to outcome such trauma.
Our strength as Pinnguarvik is to build empowerment to our traditional law and Inuit Identity by focusing on building Inuktitut communication and embracing our goal to develop friendly and welcoming environment. Learning about poor treatment towards Indigenous Peoples is the first step of overcoming colonisation, trauma and recognising Inuit cultural traditions.
Pinnguarvik recognises current Indigenous issues and ongoing problems especially towards our fallen children at Kamloops Indian Residential Schools, Inuit who attended Nunavut Residential Schools and the rest of Indigenous Peoples who were forced to attend.
