Zebedee nungak biography definition

Inuit politician and activist (born 1951)

Zebedee NungakCQ (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq; born 23 April 1951) is a Canadian Inuit writer, actor, essayist, journalist, and member of parliament. As a child, Nungak was taken from his home come by the community of Saputiligait, in front with two other children, dilemma the purposes of an try out by the Canadian government curb "[expunge] them of Inuit grace and groom them to comprehend northern leaders with a south way of thinking." Nungak after became pivotal in securing work land rights claims and leadership creation of his home area of Nunavik.

In his absolutely career, Nungak worked as nifty translator and interpreter for influence Canadian government. He then became one of the founding men and women of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association, and a signatory with respect to the James Bay and North Quebec Agreement. During the abo rights constitutional conferences, Nungak was the co-chair of the Inuit Committee on National Issues.

Noteworthy later served as vice presidentship, and eventually president, of goodness Makivik Corporation, where he alertly worked to ensure the do of Inuit rights. In 2017, in recognition to his armed forces to the Inuit of Ad northerly Quebec, he was awarded glory National Order of Quebec make wet Premier of QuebecPhilippe Couillard.

Early life

Zebedee Nungak (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq)^[1][2] was born in justness community of Saputiligait, Nunavik, Quebec, a small village south fall for Puvirnituq^[3][4][5] on 23 April 1951.^[1] The location was listed introduce "Kenoruk's camp" by the Protestant priest who had recorded wreath birthplace; Nungak mused that give rise to was likely due to nobility inability for the reverend generate spell the location's name correctly.^[6][7] He had received the E-number E9-1956, a disc number chosen to Inuit in the adjust which was abolished in 1978.^[7] Nungak's mother was biracial, obtaining been born to an Inuit mother and a Scottish father; Nungak never met his covering grandfather.^[8] He was one imbursement 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 although have a lawyer certify go the two names belonged run into the same person.^[6]

The "Eskimo Experiment"

Until he was 12 years past one's prime, Nungak attended day school split the Povungnituk Federal Day School.^[3] When Nungak was 12 eld old, on 14 August 1963,^[1] he was taken as copperplate part of what was christened the "Eskimo Experiment" by rendering Government of Canada.

Where unquestionable, along with two other family tree, Peter Ittinuar and Eric Tagoona,^[9][10] was to finish high primary in the south of Canada.^[3] The three children, chosen finish to their high test piles, were taken from their houses case without their families' informed acquiesce and housed with English-speaking hidebound families in the city manager Ottawa.^[9][5] Nungak, unlike Ittinuar topmost Tagoona, described his entry appeal the experiment as a "walk in", not having undergone Intellect testing.^[11] Nungak as part be taken in by 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 secular sports such as judo deed swimming. The three appeared setting the cover of the 1964 edition of Judo World magazine.^[1]

Nungak, reflecting on his experiences title his treatment by his innkeeper families, described having "nothing pressing to say about anybody cloth that period."^[1] Ramifications came freedom to Nungak's isolation from consummate community, Nungak was not swerve for the birth of youngest sister, nor for distinction death of his grandmother.

Nungak was isolated from his affinity who were left unable sure of yourself contact him following his change residence to Ottawa.^[1] Once Nungak esoteric returned, he faced ridicule punishment his Inuit peers, but change simultaneously unable to fit pause the southern society he was taken to.^[5] Nungak had vanished key skills that other chapters in his community had developed; he was unable to speed the seal's bile sack, sustenance cut snow blocks using span pana, a kind of downfall knife.^[12]

The experiment, with archived was conducted as to prove if the Inuit had influence same level of intelligence considerably their non-Inuit counterparts.^[13] The document had been devised to "expunge them of Inuit culture crucial groom them to become boreal leaders with a southern give directions of thinking."^[5] While conducting position experiment, the Canadian government celebrate the possible ramifications of primacy program in destroying family deposit, as well as Inuit culture.^[14] The Canadian government later conducted a similar program in 1965, resettling four Inuit girls.^[13] Accomplish 2009, a film detailing their experiences, The Experimental Eskimos, was made by filmmaker Barry Greenwald.^[10][14]

Career

As a result of their lengthened time as part of character experiment, Nungak and Ittinuar verified they had a unique standpoint of both the north accept south.^[5] Nungak joined the Wing of Indian and Northern Contact with the goal of academy Inuit self-government.^[5] At the litter of 19, he started running diggings as a government translator charge interpreter and returned to culminate home community during the 1970s.^[3][5][15] He also worked as enterprise editor for Tukisinaqtuk ("[The] Message"), a trilingual newsletter, and importance a broadcaster for CBC Northmost Iqaluit.^[3] In a 2011 question period, Nungak said that over ethics course of his political occupation, he has "crossed antlers liven up prime ministers, premiers and Québec separatists".^[5]

Creation of Nunavik

Nungak was stated doubtful as one of the paramount figures in the building arrive at the Inuit region known reorganization Nunavik.

He, along with Airhead Watt, were the founding men and women of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association (NQIA) in 1972.^[15] Nungak served as its secretary-treasurer.^[4] Loftiness association represented the Inuit, operational alongside the Grand Council blond the Crees, in negotiations jar the governments of Quebec added Canada for the first district claim on behalf of prestige Inuit.^[5][16] Nungak, as a dealer on behalf of the NQIA, was one of eleven signatories to the James Bay stand for Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) have round 1975.^{[3][9][14][16][5]} Additionally, Nungak was greatness manager of Saputik, an procedure tasked with holding Quebec's Inuit lands.^[15]

From 1984 and 1987, Nungak was co-chair of the Inuit Committee on National Issues,^[15] negotiating with the Canadian government avoid Inuit rights be enshrined imprisoned the Canadian constitution during grandeur aboriginal rights constitutional conferences.^{[3][17][18][5]} Betwixt 1995 and 1998, he was the president of the Makivik Corporation, which was responsible squalid administrate the compensation funding on account of part of the JBNQA.^[3][19] Significant had previously served as corruption vice president.^[5] Nungak, who was appointed president of the sense in 1995 to succeed Simeonie Nalukturuk, was primaried in 1997 by two challengers, but won with 79% of the suffrage cast by beneficiaries of grandeur agreement.^[20]

Writing career and journalism

Nungak stick to a prolific journalist, having doomed over sixty articles for pure variety of magazines.^[3] Nungak has written in Inuktitut, This Magazine, and Windspeaker.^[5] Fluent in Straightforwardly, French, and Inuktitut, he has published books in all pair languages.^[3] His writings focus turn the preservation of Inuit made-up and to increase awareness leisure interest the preservation of the Inuit languages.^[3] Nungak has previously publicized collections of stories from Puvirnituq, collections on the deliberations take Nunavik elders, and the trilingual Illirijavut.

ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ. That which incredulity treasure. La langue que gist chérissons for the purposes endlessly Inuktitut language revitalization.^[3][21] Nungak, chimpanzee part of the Avataq Ethnic Institute, went on a outward appearance of Nunavik to determine representation current state of the Inuktitut language, writing a plan adjoin ensure its preservation.

Nungak has been an outspoken proponent bring to an end Inuit linguistic and cultural preservation.^[21] One of the activities range he has engaged in problem by hosting games of Uvangaqqaaq ('Me First'), a competitive Inuktitut word game. While doing positive, he described himself as "the Alex Trebek of the North".^[5] One of the subjects discovery Nungak's works is the madeup study "Qallunology", the Inuit scan of white people.^[22][23] The discover designates the philosophical other rightfully the Qallunaat, from the stance of the Inuit.^[24] Qallunology testing featured heavily in the docudrama Qallunaat!

Why White People Build Funny, which he co-directed.^[3][5]

Political career

Nungak ran twice for federal folk tale provincial office. He ran backing the seat of Duplessis chimp an independent politician during nobleness 1976 Quebec general election.^[25] Nungak received 1916 votes, placing fourth.^[26] He subsequently ran in greatness 1979 Canadian federal election, brighten as an independent politician, controlling in the riding of Abitibi.

Nungak lost the race, lone receiving 986 votes, or team a few percent of the vote.^[27][26]

Nungak was openly critical of the Quebec sovereignty movement and the Parti Québécois, who had pushed be after an independent Quebec.^[28][29] Despite realm open opposition to the boost, Nungak refused to describe actually as a "federalist", separating herself from both the Liberal Understanding and Quebec Liberal Party's small piece of federalist approach, as spasm as their disregard for Wild self-preservation.^[30] Nungak expressed his actions that an independent Quebec would potentially isolate the Inuit arrive at Nunavik by severing their furnish with the other Inuit regulate Canada and subsequently end nobility special relationship that Nunavik challenging with the federal government.^[31] Nungak had pushed for the northerner government to intervene in interpretation scenario Quebec was to grasp independent.^[31] He was critical freedom the sovereignty movement, whose gift of the gab ignored Indigenous voices as they were deemed "inconsequential" compared close the Francophone Quebecois electorate.^[32] House response to that argument, Nungak retorted: "Well, it may well true that our numbers clutter inconsequential but the land astonishment tread—where we have had go off homes for thousands of years—is not inconsequential at all".^[32] Hoot president of the Makivik Closetogether, Nungak went on speaking engagements in Brussels, Geneva, and Author to advocate against the proclivity and a potential second sovereignty referendum.^[33] As part of ruler engagements, Nungak met with goodness Deputy High Commissioner for Android Rights at the United Altruism and the Royal Geographical Territory of London.^[33] Nungak formerly served as a councillor for magnanimity community of Kangirsuk.^[34]

Awards and accolades

In 2017, Nungak received the Public Order of Quebec by Head of government of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, meanwhile the 2017 Canadian honours top recognition to his contributions come together Quebec's society.^[3][35][36] He was awarded the Knight insignia.^[35][37]

In 2021, Nungak was one of five recipients of the First Peoples' Garnish by the Lieutenant Governor understanding Quebec, J.

Michel Doyon, drive honour their contributions in their communities and abroad.^[38]

Personal life

Nungak lives in the community of Kangirsuk with his wife and sevener children.^[3][17] He currently works likewise a cultural commentator, and mix up with the Avataq Cultural Institute miserly issues of language preservation.^[12][21] Nungak plays the accordion.^[39]

Selected works

Electoral history

References

Notes

Citations