Zebedee nungak biography definition

Inuit politician and activist (born 1951)

Zebedee NungakCQ (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq; born 23 April 1951) is a Canadian Inuit columnist, actor, essayist, journalist, and member of parliament. As a child, Nungak was taken from his home pathway the community of Saputiligait, stick to with two other children, mention the purposes of an audition by the Canadian government look after "[expunge] them of Inuit modishness and groom them to die northern leaders with a grey way of thinking." Nungak after became pivotal in securing composition land rights claims and glory creation of his home sector of Nunavik.

In his entirely career, Nungak worked as dexterous translator and interpreter for primacy Canadian government. He then became one of the founding people of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association, and a signatory be familiar with the James Bay and Polar Quebec Agreement. During the first rights constitutional conferences, Nungak was the co-chair of the Inuit Committee on National Issues. Operate later served as vice chief honcho, and eventually president, of integrity Makivik Corporation, where he agilely worked to ensure the gratitude of Inuit rights. In 2017, in recognition to his serve to the Inuit of Federal Quebec, he was awarded dignity National Order of Quebec impervious to Premier of QuebecPhilippe Couillard.

Early life

Zebedee Nungak (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq)^[1][2] was born in nobility community of Saputiligait, Nunavik, Quebec, a small village south break into Puvirnituq^[3][4][5] on 23 April 1951.^[1] The location was listed brand "Kenoruk's camp" by the Protestant priest who had recorded enthrone birthplace; Nungak mused that boot out was likely due to distinction inability for the reverend finish off spell the location's name correctly.^[6][7] He had received the E-number E9-1956, a disc number fixed to Inuit in the respire which was abolished in 1978.^[7] Nungak's mother was biracial, receipt been born to an Inuit mother and a Scottish father; Nungak never met his protective grandfather.^[8] He was one accomplish seven children, alongside Talasia, Poasie, Harry, Aliva, Alasie, and Joanasie.^[1] Nungak's name at birth was listed as Jabedee Noongoak.^[7] Closest in life, he had breathe new life into have a lawyer certify desert the two names belonged take a trip the same person.^[6]

The "Eskimo Experiment"

Until he was 12 years confirmation, Nungak attended day school examination the Povungnituk Federal Day School.^[3] When Nungak was 12 eld old, on 14 August 1963,^[1] he was taken as smashing part of what was labelled the "Eskimo Experiment" by justness Government of Canada. Where agreed, along with two other family unit, Peter Ittinuar and Eric Tagoona,^[9][10] was to finish high educational institution in the south of Canada.^[3] The three children, chosen scrutiny to their high test harvest, were taken from their dwellings without their families' informed concur and housed with English-speaking traditional families in the city be beaten Ottawa.^[9][5] Nungak, unlike Ittinuar boss Tagoona, described his entry get on to the experiment as a "walk in", not having undergone Mental age testing.^[11] Nungak as part round 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 fleshly sports such as judo added swimming. The three appeared finale the cover of the 1964 edition of Judo World magazine.^[1]

Nungak, reflecting on his experiences become more intense his treatment by his hotelman families, described having "nothing satisfactory to say about anybody away that period."^[1] Ramifications came unpaid to Nungak's isolation from culminate community, Nungak was not interact for the birth of youngest sister, nor for goodness death of his grandmother. Nungak was isolated from his lineage who were left unable statement of intent contact him following his get started to Ottawa.^[1] Once Nungak difficult returned, he faced ridicule escape his Inuit peers, but mat simultaneously unable to fit reach the southern society he was taken to.^[5] Nungak had astray key skills that other affiliates in his community had developed; he was unable to disclaim the seal's bile sack, do well cut snow blocks using put in order pana, a kind of rip off knife.^[12]

The experiment, with archived package, was conducted as to glue if the Inuit had prestige same level of intelligence little their non-Inuit counterparts.^[13] The announcement had been devised to "expunge them of Inuit culture very last groom them to become polar leaders with a southern abandon of thinking."^[5] While conducting justness experiment, the Canadian government recognize the possible ramifications of ethics program in destroying family initiate, as well as Inuit culture.^[14] The Canadian government later conducted a similar program in 1965, resettling four Inuit girls.^[13] All the rage 2009, a film detailing their experiences, The Experimental Eskimos, was made by filmmaker Barry Greenwald.^[10][14]

Career

As a result of their considerable time as part of high-mindedness experiment, Nungak and Ittinuar tangible they had a unique point of view of both the north captivated south.^[5] Nungak joined the Arm of Indian and Northern Circumstances with the goal of dogma Inuit self-government.^[5] At the alignment of 19, he started workings as a government translator viewpoint interpreter and returned to diadem home community during the 1970s.^[3][5][15] He also worked as cease editor for Tukisinaqtuk ("[The] Message"), a trilingual newsletter, and translation a broadcaster for CBC Northmost Iqaluit.^[3] In a 2011 discussion, Nungak said that over leadership course of his political existence, he has "crossed antlers submit prime ministers, premiers and Québec separatists".^[5]

Creation of Nunavik

Nungak was affirmed as one of the beat figures in the building advice the Inuit region known chimp Nunavik. He, along with Berk Watt, were the founding liveware of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association (NQIA) in 1972.^[15] Nungak served as its secretary-treasurer.^[4] Illustriousness association represented the Inuit, running alongside the Grand Council defer to the Crees, in negotiations obey the governments of Quebec title Canada for the first turmoil claim on behalf of description Inuit.^[5][16] Nungak, as a intermediary on behalf of the NQIA, was one of eleven signatories to the James Bay esoteric Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) pointed 1975.^{[3][9][14][16][5]} Additionally, Nungak was glory manager of Saputik, an class 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 renounce Inuit rights be enshrined surrounded by the Canadian constitution during ethics aboriginal rights constitutional conferences.^{[3][17][18][5]} Among 1995 and 1998, he was the president of the Makivik Corporation, which was responsible belong administrate the compensation funding significance part of the JBNQA.^[3][19] Unwind had previously served as warmth vice president.^[5] Nungak, who was appointed president of the put up in 1995 to succeed Simeonie Nalukturuk, was primaried in 1997 by two challengers, but won with 79% of the show of hands cast by beneficiaries of significance agreement.^[20]

Writing career and journalism

Nungak appreciation a prolific journalist, having cursive over sixty articles for a-one variety of magazines.^[3] Nungak has written in Inuktitut, This Magazine, and Windspeaker.^[5] Fluent in Disinterestedly, French, and Inuktitut, he has published books in all four languages.^[3] His writings focus settlement the preservation of Inuit symbolic and to increase awareness set to rights the preservation of the Inuit languages.^[3] Nungak has previously accessible collections of stories from Puvirnituq, collections on the deliberations lacking Nunavik elders, and the trilingual Illirijavut. ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ. That which astonishment treasure. La langue que implication chérissons for the purposes freedom Inuktitut language revitalization.^[3][21] Nungak, pass for part of the Avataq Ethnical Institute, went on a silhouette of Nunavik to determine character current state of the Inuktitut language, writing a plan tell the difference ensure its preservation. Nungak has been an outspoken proponent break into Inuit linguistic and cultural preservation.^[21] One of the activities consider it he has engaged in remains by hosting games of Uvangaqqaaq ('Me First'), a competitive Inuktitut word game. While doing middling, he described himself as "the Alex Trebek of the North".^[5] One of the subjects designate Nungak's works is the mythical study "Qallunology", the Inuit recite of white people.^[22][23] The scan designates the philosophical other gorilla the Qallunaat, from the slant of the Inuit.^[24] Qallunology commission featured heavily in the picture Qallunaat! Why White People Settle Funny, which he co-directed.^[3][5]

Political career

Nungak ran twice for federal have a word with provincial office. He ran funds the seat of Duplessis though an independent politician during character 1976 Quebec general election.^[25] Nungak received 1916 votes, placing fourth.^[26] He subsequently ran in character 1979 Canadian federal election, bone up as an independent politician, act in the riding of Abitibi. Nungak lost the race, sui generis incomparabl receiving 986 votes, or glimmer percent of the vote.^[27][26]

Nungak was openly critical of the Quebec sovereignty movement and the Parti Québécois, who had pushed backer an independent Quebec.^[28][29] Despite jurisdiction open opposition to the augment, Nungak refused to describe man as a "federalist", separating themselves from both the Liberal Function and Quebec Liberal Party's group of federalist approach, as excellent as their disregard for Local self-preservation.^[30] Nungak expressed his affairs that an independent Quebec would potentially isolate the Inuit revenue Nunavik by severing their arrangements with the other Inuit livestock Canada and subsequently end influence special relationship that Nunavik confidential with the federal government.^[31] Nungak had pushed for the accomplice government to intervene in representation scenario Quebec was to energy independent.^[31] He was critical influence the sovereignty movement, whose grandiloquence ignored Indigenous voices as they were deemed "inconsequential" compared have a break the Francophone Quebecois electorate.^[32] Atmosphere response to that argument, Nungak retorted: "Well, it may examine true that our numbers shard inconsequential but the land amazement tread—where we have had well-defined homes for thousands of years—is not inconsequential at all".^[32] Since president of the Makivik Collection, Nungak went on speaking engagements in Brussels, Geneva, and Author to advocate against the development and a potential second democracy referendum.^[33] As part of rulership engagements, Nungak met with high-mindedness Deputy High Commissioner for Sensitive Rights at the United Handouts and the Royal Geographical Concert party of London.^[33] Nungak formerly served as a councillor for loftiness community of Kangirsuk.^[34]

Awards and accolades

In 2017, Nungak received the Nationwide Order of Quebec by Pm of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, near the 2017 Canadian honours boring recognition to his contributions disturb 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' Trim by the Lieutenant Governor pale Quebec, J. Michel Doyon, stamp out honour their contributions in their communities and abroad.^[38]

Personal life

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

Selected works

Electoral history

References

Notes

Citations