 I'm the president of the Nunantokovit Community Council and it's an organization that represents approximately 6,000 southern Inuit and we have a unique history. We have a unique story to tell. It's a beautiful story but it's also one that is infused with a lot of pain and a lot of hurt over many generations but we're also people that are quite resilient and have I think emerged and are getting over colonization in our own way and I think that does impact and does have some bearing on what people are now talking about as indigenous education. I don't believe we can talk about indigenous education and really understand it without understanding the cultural context in which that conversation is happening and in our particular case it would be better southern Inuit in a particular geographic location with a set of traditions and understandings and a culture that is in some aspects we share but in other aspects are unique to us and only to us so it's important I think when we talk about indigenous education is to contextualize it and I often say that our culture is a learning culture is a teaching culture it has been that way since we have been and since we have existed indigenous education if we called it that many years ago would have been how people were taught the ways of hunting and fishing and harvesting of our medicines of our myths and legends of our relationships with one another and with others so you know indigenous education or learning has been around for as long as we have existed and I really do believe that we are a learning culture we've always had educators if I want to put that term on what some people may call our elders or our knowledge holders this is really really important to understand that education is not something new or fresh to us it is something that is integral to us it is already a part of our culture and so the big question is how do we give expression to that in a modern context maybe or in a in the present and what might that look like in the future with all of the societal pressures with all of the systemic issues that we've had to deal with as a people in terms of NCC we want to take ownership over our own learnings our own teachings over our own story over our own education and that is fundamental we know we have the right we know we have the obligation to and the responsibility to ensure that we have culturally appropriate relevant educational opportunities for our young people and and not just our young people but for all segments of our of our society the young and the old you know the traditionalist maybe and the non-traditionalist using those particular terms so we have a long history we are immersed in learning in educating and and and that I think is going to serve as well as we design and look at opportunities for further learning in the 21st century and maybe for the centuries to come but one of the ways that we we have given expression to to that value we have has been to bring in a program a southern inward education program into the school system primarily in the high school focused on the high school primarily and and and we have initiated a process where we go into the communities and we say what's important to you um more times than not the the education in this particular program is focused on traditional uh traditional ways of being traditional ways that we have expressed ourselves whether that's to things like making comatix or snowshoes or working with seal skins or preparing game or even how we uh express ourselves on the land and on the water through hunting through fishing those types of activities and what we have we've given ownership or license to to to our own people to say what is it that you want what is it that you feel the need to have in this kind of more formalized educational opportunity or program and that is in itself is a learning and the teaching because there will come a day when we will be self-governing again um and so when people are asked and when people have the opportunity to to make decisions and to point the way a bit of their own educational uh the own educational content and and how we do it I think that's that that's very empowering I think it motivates people and that's why we've had such great reaction to to our educational program in in the in the schools people are willing to participate we do see some resistance sometimes sometimes it's more from this the system itself and the actors in the system well I mean some of the some of the instructors the teachers sometimes the administrators we do sometimes feel a little friction and tension maybe that's not such a bad thing because we can work through some relationships there but but people really have embraced this because it's something that's that that's important to them they have expressed that importance in the decisions that they have made and and so you know I really feel that the just like the days of old what was important to for us in terms of our learnings in terms of our teachings we made those decisions and and now we're bringing that kind of process back albeit within a more western type of educational institution but but at least we're bringing some of that that back and making it making it present making it relevant for today and so so that we're really we're really we love that program because it connects us it it talks about our relationship with the land it talks about our relationship to one another it talks about our communities it it I believe it motivates our young people and our older people who many times become the teachers the instructors in the classroom and so the classroom would have shifted from you know being outdoors to the you know into the bush or underwater or you know taking doing all these kinds of activities on the land and on the sea yes to to a school setting to you know what is now I guess quote unquote a sort of traditional school setting so so we're we're bridging the gaps between generations we're we're bridging knowledge gaps there is a certain sense of camaraderie if you know are coming together of various knowledge holders and and people who want that knowledge in the community and just just think about like what that means for people I'm acknowledging your your your you know your skill what what what you have known and maybe learned through generation after generation through generation we're validating in many ways you know you as a person you us as a society us as indigenous peoples and and likewise it does the same for for the for the student or the learner validating that this is important to you this is what makes you who you are and therefore validating you in in many many ways we're saying you're important we care about you you're part of this community and I those types of things in in the more western style education are sometimes lost where where a body of knowledge is sometimes almost separate uh uh from from from the person whereas what I think our program does is make it humanizes the the body of knowledge first of all and then how that is how that is transmitted how one one transmissions and how one receives it and that is a that is such an important dynamic for indigenous peoples that we don't lose that sense of connectedness to one another and that sense of connectedness to what makes us who we are and I'm I'm hoping that in some ways it is also inspiring that the that the people can see their value their family's value our value as a as a community as a society and that it inspires them to maintain their connections to maintain their cultural traditions to to to continue to learn to to continue to to want to take what they know and then and then share that with others proudly with confidence when we're looking at success at least on this particular program and yes we can look at outcomes we can say what did you learn about hunting and fishing and what did you learn about uh can you now build a a komatik or a omatik can you can you go out now and set some snares can you prepare wild foods uh can you make a pair of seal skin mittens we can sort of measure that that type of uh success we can you know in terms of production uh almost the the greater measure for us is is the participatory nature of the students of the community uh both the knowledge holder or the instructor the teacher we need to focus on the process in order to I believe talk about successful successful programs successful teachings and and so what what I relate is is that it's so important about how we do it how we introduce a program like this how we make people aware that they are a part of this process that in itself is a huge teaching you know uh this kind of I must mention between individuality which which always existed and then being a part of the larger community because there is a little bit of negotiation that goes on about what gets taught in the school a little bit negotiation between what was able to be done in terms of is the instruction there is this something that's really important is it a skill or or something that we're really missing in our community is one thing more important than another so there's a lot of negotiation goes on and I think that was always a part of a very part of the dynamic of us as an indigenous peoples you know um it might not call it negotiations but it was it was about our relationships with one another and so we've been able to bring that raise that up in how we have introduced the program how we've said about the process of uh of program content and then how it's delivered so I think success needs to be measured on many many levels not just that I can make a really good pair of seal skin mittens in my hands don't freeze this winter but everything from uh the the choosing of working with seal skin to who gets chosen to to to teach to teach to my choice to be a part of that to to reflecting that in the community and just so so these different dynamics are at play I believe in our program and and that's what I really really appreciated about it I think it is aligned with our own values of a of a of a community of indigenous people that that cares about its uh its families cares about its people uh about an organization who has a vision of nurturing our relationship with the land and the water and the ice and all those things around us um ultimately that has a greater influence on who we are than our influence on it um so you know success as you rightfully say can mean many things to many people but the reinforcing of these traditional values of these traditional ways of doing things and then obtaining new new skills uh new new new maybe new not new knowledge but but taking all knowledge and making it fresh and relevant uh these are measurements of success for me and particularly with the young people it's the whole this whole process is about them also learning about themselves again and us understanding one another to our own eyes even to our own ears and to our own mouths and our own hands and not having our story told through European males who have dominated and told our story in their way which has left us marginalized in many regards who who have seen us the valued for who we are what we're about and and us as human beings and so there's there's some real intangibles that that are important when we do our southern education program we are telling our story in our own way um and in a way that is meaningful to us and I believe that is more accurate and that is a real reflection of the truth and not some other outsiders fantasies or exoticization or or what have you through through their lens so I you know there's there's something really really valuable in that um and and I do want to make the point though that that the let's not let's not value just the program we're bringing in but let's try to understand that the indigenous education is is multifaceted that is deep it's intergenerational um you know it's it's specific as we we've talked a bit a bit uh uh to us as a people and and some people say my gosh you're teaching all this cultural stuff but we live in culture every single day we live in culture I think what's important is that we decide what cultural aspects are really really important to us as a people and our education system our programs should reflect that should definitely reflect that people pick up a book and they say this is what you must learn like it's physically separate it's almost it's like it's like an almost intellectual space that that you're trying to now bring from one physical place into another and and indigenous education I don't believe it it's not like that it's just not like that it's very very personal it's very I call it humanizing um it is essentially about who we are and what we're about so in and and the reason why I concentrate on process sometimes is is is sometimes content can be a bit foreign but the curriculum can be a bit foreign for people but sometimes that's not the overriding consideration it's but how it's transmitted and how we take ownership over that and I think this was really really important you know maybe one day we'll we will we will be the administrators and the owners and the the teachers and the instructors and the students you know in our own sort of formalized education system where we develop curriculum content that when you're talking about economics you're talking about yes other people's story too but better our own story so that so that it becomes more relevant more alive for us so you know so those things those things to me are crucial uh and and when we move to self-governance uh which is which is where we want to be and where we're going to be we're going to need our people educated uh you know yes in in in the traditions understanding our own story yes in in maybe you know in the physics and in this you know in the more maybe we call them western science stuff too we we're going to need all of that in order to move to move forward in a way where the health and well-being of our people is foremost and and and that we are comfortable in our own skins and we we are enjoying our own lands and our own waters and our relationship with our lands and our waters is is is protected and it's secure these these are really really important for us and and and and that's it was important to get things there's a lot of pressure maybe and a lot of responsibility but I think that it also leads to uh an enhanced sense of a really being intentional about education indigenous education and being intentional about how it's done and that it's that it that it's truly reflected by us and our our people and uh yes our history but our present and where we want to go in the future obviously it has a holistic uh kind of expression for at least for me I mean it is the body uh of knowledge I suppose or information data um learnings teaching story uh it is all of that I mean uh some of it would would seem to be very old or very traditional uh some of it grounded totally within our own people's understandings and and uh oral histories uh storytelling uh in the way we pass traditions from one to the other in what we do you know I mean that's part of it that's certainly part of it too indigenous education is it's not just about teacher instructor with the student but it's it is about that that that family dynamic that community dynamic I mean we cannot take uh that out of the realm of indigenous education and but neither should we also confine ourselves to that um for our survival going forward we're going to indigenous education must also involve maybe non-traditional pursuits uh in in whether that's true you know universities or through uh colleges and trade schools and and in and in in the present system that we you know the secondary school system and the primary school system and stuff like that and things like that so you know it would be I think it would be wrong to sort of confine indigenous education maybe what we should try to do is tease out what is essential to indigenous education I I I think it needs to be driven we are we are the main focus or or actors in the in indigenous education whether it's from an indigenous knowledge experts perspective whether it's from true instruction or whether it's me as a participant as a student whether it's me as a son in the role that I play in my family or the role that I play as a as a leader within my community uh within southern Inuit society so you know I think that we have the indigenous education must involve us I believe that indigenous education the process of of education should be reflective of some of our of our values uh we're possible our traditions and our ways of doing um and learning um I I believe that there should be an element where if we have the ability not if we have ability we should try to aim to make sure that the content of curriculum or what is being taught is reflective of us in our in our culture so and I believe at the end of it indigenous education should be seen to be of some value to the individual the community and society of which we're a part uh I specifically mean southern Inuit society uh yet I yet I understand we don't you know we're a part of a larger uh complex of of humanity and so yeah but I think there are a sense there are certain elements that we should look for for time with indigenous education um we have license to do it we have the motivation to do it we have the capability to do it we are we are we are the prime the prime movers within within within that that dynamic that we call education I suppose indigenous education so I believe we need to look at it from in in those ways and there's a lot of you know that may not sound that clear uh I think that we need instead of looking at indigenous education from a programmatic perspective or from a even an institutionalized perspective we probably could look at it through that lens what are the elements or the the the sort of the the threads that weave this together to that that we call indigenous education and so I think this you know it's about process and about content it's about movers it's about who does it when they do it how it's reflective of our culture these these kinds of elements I think are essential and and and and if we look at it from that perspective I believe we're going to have a greater chance of success in in our in our various pursuits around um you know indigenous education and valuing all types of it like like when my dad takes me out and shows me good fishing places that we should attach a value to that just like we attach a value to you know my brother who goes into a classroom uh to learn about physics we should value that too um so this kind of and there should be a value out yes it's got to be meaningful valuable uh and adds value to to us as a people and understanding even like that elders are different in in different cultural contexts knowledge holders hold hold you know a special place in in in certain societies that they and it might be different than what's in in another society you know so there's yeah certainly you know these that we need to look for the threads that make that that gives us that gives us a sense of what indigenous education looks like feels like is about excites people motivates people you know it's uh helps imagine and oh just you know it's it's it's certainly to me it's it's it's it's a massive um maybe undertaking uh yet it's also one that that holds some of the greatest potential I mean no society really moves without the transmission of of knowledge and information and its traditions and its ways of being and way of knowing nobody survives if those things don't continue so indigenous education is very much about our own survival 10 years maybe give us a little bit longer but you know I yeah but it's a part of our it's a part of our vision for self-governance is that uh uh we control our own uh formalized education system and we have more control over our own informal education system what I talk about is you know we must have the freedom to be able to to teach our people's traditions and the ways of being like we have for generation after generation um we sometimes regulation laws inhibit uh indigenous education indigenous learning uh indigenous knowledge transfer and so because anything that separates us from our land from our waters from our east from our uh from from what's around us also separates us from the ability to to to learn to transmit to know ourselves in some ways and so yeah we want part of our vision is that uh uh we will have control over our own all forms of uh uh our ways of knowing and being in that kind of to that lens of education and um yeah that means at the end of the day that you know the the schools are run by us that we understand the type of instructions that's being given hopefully by our own people that our learners are our own people not exclusively but obviously the the that opportunity is there for our people to go to our own schools so I'm talking about more than formalized kind of educational structure going forward and then yes uh uh emphasizing what's so beautiful about us what is so important about us what is so significant about us uh through our own traditions and ways of ways of educating uh I can't see how how to be totally effective maybe we will need both so we need barriers to come down when it comes to many of these forms of educating of education and and that and part of bringing those some of those barriers down and increasing opportunity is through the exercise of self-government you know we will need uh partnerships and cooperation from various uh other levels of government uh that is without a doubt we will we'll need willing partners within I think what we have now as an educational system uh we'll need the obviously the our own people uh motivated uh we need to build our own capacities and capabilities uh we need to be able to say to our people that that that we can do this for ourselves in our way in our time in our place uh you know it sounds like a lot and it is a lot uh but but but we're gonna we're gonna need our own people we're gonna need obviously we're gonna need our own people without them then none of this is possible um and we're gonna need our communities uh you know uh uh to support uh initiatives like we talked about uh and we need the other system to understand the other systems the western systems to understand us uh and and and to help us reduce those barriers and again like I say increase opportunity we're gonna need financial resources human resources all of these things are are in any kind of educational system I mean it's important we know what's sort of required to sort of the basics but but again the we have to go back it is us it is us and some in some regards all I'm saying to to others is just get out of our way it's not a very difficult task for them just get out of our way and um that journey will be a much more fulfilling one and they've made their own castles and they live in them and they and they like where they're they're at and they're little you know thrones um and uh you know I believe what the great inroads are being made uh you know to sort of say to people just get out of the way uh be a helping hand uh maybe we'll join hands and walk on this journey for part of the way ourselves uh you know we'll do it together in part we'll do it ourselves in part uh but but it will take some some some cooperation for sure from other levels of government