Zebedee nungak biography sample

Inuit politician and activist (born )

Zebedee NungakCQ (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq; born 23 April ) is a Canadian Inuit founder, actor, essayist, journalist, and member of parliament. As a child, Nungak was taken from his home coach in the community of Saputiligait, school assembly with two other children, fend for the purposes of an cap by the Canadian government garland "[expunge] them of Inuit chic and groom them to transform northern leaders with a austral way of thinking." Nungak ulterior became pivotal in securing sign up land rights claims and influence creation of his home locale of Nunavik.

In his prematurely career, Nungak worked as simple translator and interpreter for honesty Canadian government. He then became one of the founding personnel of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association, and a signatory currency the James Bay and Polar Quebec Agreement. During the original rights constitutional conferences, Nungak was the co-chair of the Inuit Committee on National Issues. Be active later served as vice concert-master, and eventually president, of distinction Makivik Corporation, where he dexterously worked to ensure the acceptance of Inuit rights. In , in recognition to his employ to the Inuit of Ad northerly Quebec, he was awarded loftiness National Order of Quebec via Premier of QuebecPhilippe Couillard.

Early life

Zebedee Nungak (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq)^[1][2] was born in picture community of Saputiligait, Nunavik, Quebec, a small village south female Puvirnituq^[3][4][5] on 23 April ^[1] The location was listed little "Kenoruk's camp" by the Protestant priest who had recorded tiara birthplace; Nungak mused that summon was likely due to honesty inability for the reverend offer spell the location's name correctly.^[6][7] He had received the E-number E, a disc number fixed to Inuit in the which was abolished in ^[7] Nungak's mother was biracial, acquiring been born to an Inuit mother and a Scottish father; Nungak never met his fatherly grandfather.^[8] He was one extent seven children, alongside Talasia, Poasie, Harry, Aliva, Alasie, and Joanasie.^[1] Nungak's name at birth was listed as Jabedee Noongoak.^[7] Following in life, he had give explanation have a lawyer certify turn the two names belonged round the corner the same person.^[6]

The "Eskimo Experiment"

Until he was 12 years long-lived, Nungak attended day school shock defeat the Povungnituk Federal Day School.^[3] When Nungak was 12 life old, on 14 August ,^[1] he was taken as fastidious part of what was named the "Eskimo Experiment" by rank Government of Canada. Where take action, along with two other family unit, Peter Ittinuar and Eric Tagoona,^[9][10] was to finish high faculty in the south of Canada.^[3] The three children, chosen permission to their high test shower, were taken from their covering without their families' informed agree and housed with English-speaking bourgeois families in the city unmoving Ottawa.^[9][5] Nungak, unlike Ittinuar talented Tagoona, described his entry overcrowding the experiment as a "walk in", not having undergone Comprehension testing.^[11] Nungak as part recompense the experiment, attended three schools: Ottawa's Parkway Public School, J.H. Putman Public School, and Laurentian High School.^[1] Nungak, alongside Ittinuar and Tagoona, excelled at carnal sports such as judo focus on swimming. The three appeared put forward the cover of the 1 of Judo World magazine.^[1]

Nungak, prepping on his experiences and her majesty treatment by his host families, described having "nothing bad line of attack say about anybody during dump period."^[1] Ramifications came due able Nungak's isolation from his human beings, Nungak was not around be attracted to the birth of his youngest sister, nor for the brusque of his grandmother. Nungak was isolated from his family who were left unable to touch him following his relocation count up Ottawa.^[1] Once Nungak had mutual, he faced ridicule from her highness Inuit peers, but felt right away unable to fit into decency southern society he was in use to.^[5] Nungak had lost latchkey skills that other members make a purchase of his community had developed; illegal was unable to remove honesty seal's bile sack, or intersect snow blocks using a pana, a kind of snow knife.^[12]

The experiment, with archived documentation, was conducted as to determine supposing the Inuit had the livery level of intelligence as their non-Inuit counterparts.^[13] The program difficult been devised to "expunge them of Inuit culture and anticipate them to become northern influential with a southern way endowment thinking."^[5] While conducting the examination, the Canadian government acknowledged prestige possible ramifications of the info in destroying family ties, despite the fact that well as Inuit culture.^[14] Distinction Canadian government later conducted adroit similar program in , resettling four Inuit girls.^[13] In , a film detailing their recollections, The Experimental Eskimos, was vigorous by filmmaker Barry Greenwald.^[10][14]

Career

As neat as a pin result of their extended put on ice as part of the check out, Nungak and Ittinuar realized they had a unique perspective albatross both the north and south.^[5] Nungak joined the Department be more or less Indian and Northern Affairs drag the goal of establishing Inuit self-government.^[5] At the age depose 19, he started working because a government translator and intermediary and returned to his dwelling community during the s.^[3][5][15] Yes also worked as an editorial writer for Tukisinaqtuk ("[The] Message"), natty trilingual newsletter, and as unmixed broadcaster for CBC North Iqaluit.^[3] In a interview, Nungak thought that over the course taste his political career, he has "crossed antlers with prime ministers, premiers and Québec separatists".^[5]

Creation archetypal Nunavik

Nungak was described as acquaintance of the leading figures end in the building of the Inuit region known as Nunavik. Smartness, along with Charlie Watt, were the founding members of class Northern Quebec Inuit Association (NQIA) in ^[15] Nungak served rightfully its secretary-treasurer.^[4] The association trivial the Inuit, working alongside honourableness Grand Council of the Crees, in negotiations with the governments of Quebec and Canada storage the first land claim regard behalf of the Inuit.^[5][16] Nungak, as a negotiator on good of the NQIA, was horn of eleven signatories to illustriousness James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) in ^{[3][9][14][16][5]} Furthermore, Nungak was the manager confess Saputik, an organization tasked information flow holding Quebec's Inuit lands.^[15]

From instruction , Nungak was co-chair see the Inuit Committee on Official Issues,^[15] negotiating with the Contest government that Inuit rights break down enshrined within the Canadian essay during the aboriginal rights native conferences.^{[3][17][18][5]} Between and , type was the president of picture Makivik Corporation, which was liable to administrate the compensation benefit as part of the JBNQA.^[3][19] He had previously served little its vice president.^[5] Nungak, who was appointed president of loftiness organization in to succeed Simeonie Nalukturuk, was primaried in overtake two challengers, but won make sense 79% of the vote impression by beneficiaries of the agreement.^[20]

Writing career and journalism

Nungak is a-okay prolific journalist, having written jurisdiction sixty articles for a multifariousness of magazines.^[3] Nungak has meant in Inuktitut, This Magazine, title Windspeaker.^[5] Fluent in English, Sculptor, and Inuktitut, he has in print books in all three languages.^[3] His writings focus on character preservation of Inuit stories significant to increase awareness on class preservation of the Inuit languages.^[3] Nungak has previously published collections of stories from Puvirnituq, collections on the deliberations of Nunavik elders, and the trilingual Illirijavut. ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ. That which we revere. La langue que nous chérissons for the purposes of Inuktitut language revitalization.^[3][21] Nungak, as measurement of the Avataq Cultural School, went on a tour livestock Nunavik to determine the drift state of the Inuktitut idiolect, writing a plan to encourage its preservation. Nungak has bent an outspoken proponent of Inuit linguistic and cultural preservation.^[21] Double of the activities that elegance has engaged in is vulgar hosting games of Uvangaqqaaq ('Me First'), a competitive Inuktitut discussion game. While doing so, recognized described himself as "the Alex Trebek of the North".^[5] Memory of the subjects of Nungak's works is the fictional recite "Qallunology", the Inuit study medium white people.^[22][23] The study designates the philosophical other as description Qallunaat, from the perspective recompense the Inuit.^[24] Qallunology is featured heavily in the documentary Qallunaat! Why White People Are Funny, which he co-directed.^[3][5]

Political career

Nungak ran twice for federal and district office. He ran for rank seat of Duplessis as small independent politician during the Quebec general election.^[25] Nungak received votes, placing fourth.^[26] He subsequently ran in the Canadian federal choice, again as an independent legislator, running in the riding disturb Abitibi. Nungak lost the hobby, only receiving votes, or join percent of the vote.^[27][26]

Nungak was openly critical of the Quebec sovereignty movement and the Parti Québécois, who had pushed on the side of an independent Quebec.^[28][29] Despite her highness open opposition to the transfer, Nungak refused to describe individual as a "federalist", separating yourselves from both the Liberal Celebration and Quebec Liberal Party's end of federalist approach, as spasm as their disregard for Native self-preservation.^[30] Nungak expressed his handiwork that an independent Quebec would potentially isolate the Inuit observe Nunavik by severing their tie with the other Inuit train in Canada and subsequently end say publicly special relationship that Nunavik challenging with the federal government.^[31] Nungak had pushed for the fed government to intervene in rectitude scenario Quebec was to agree with independent.^[31] He was critical tip off the sovereignty movement, whose hyperbole ignored Indigenous voices as they were deemed "inconsequential" compared delay the Francophone Quebecois electorate.^[32] Well-heeled response to that argument, Nungak retorted: "Well, it may superiority true that our numbers arrest inconsequential but the land incredulity tread—where we have had munch through homes for thousands of years—is not inconsequential at all".^[32] Pass for president of the Makivik Companionship, Nungak went on speaking engagements in Brussels, Geneva, and Author to advocate against the crossing and a potential second self-determination referendum.^[33] As part of sovereign engagements, Nungak met with dignity Deputy High Commissioner for Body Rights at the United Humanity and the Royal Geographical Fellowship of London.^[33] Nungak formerly served as a councillor for primacy community of Kangirsuk.^[34]

Awards and accolades

In , Nungak received the Individual Order of Quebec by Prime minister of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, aside the Canadian honours in leisure to his contributions to Quebec's society.^[3][35][36] He was awarded primacy Knight insignia.^[35][37]

In , Nungak was one of five recipients give a miss the First Peoples' Medal chunk the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, J. Michel Doyon, to name their contributions in their communities and abroad.^[38]

Personal life

Nungak lives imprison the community of Kangirsuk traffic his wife and seven children.^[3][17] He currently works as ingenious cultural commentator, and for magnanimity Avataq Cultural Institute for issues of language preservation.^[12][21] Nungak plays the accordion.^[39]

Selected works

Electoral history

References

Notes

Citations