Nunavut Sivuniksavut Graduation

Congratulations are in order for the twenty First-year students and four Second-year students who, on May 16, 2009 graduated from their program at Nunavut Sivuniksavut.

“NS”, as it is known to most of us, is an eight month Ottawa based program affiliated with Algonquin College in Ottawa designed for Nunavut youth looking to prepare for jobs being created under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (NLCA). The students learn about the history that led to the negotiations and signing of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. They are also being made aware of the many challenges that face Inuit when implementing this important constitutionally protected comprehensive land claim agreement. In addition, this program helps to strengthen their Inuit language, culture. The history of Inuit is also part of the program.

Each year the First year students also organize a trip to a foreign country to learn about that culture and promote their own, this year they went to New Zealand, where, among other cultural and learning events, they did an impromptu drum dancing and throat singing performance during a train stop at a national park, and then moved on to one of the train cars carrying a group of senior citizens to give them their own throat singing performance.

Their trip journal, including many pictures, can be found here.

This year was a year with a difference as for the first time two students from Nunavik were welcomed into the Second year program. Both found it a rewarding and informative year.

These students went to Greenland to look at the political system which is called home rule government. As Inuit we have a common Inuit language with different dialects and it was important to learn about the Greenlandic dialect and observe their customs. While there they said they found the people encouraging, welcoming, and eager for contact with Canadian INUIT

I hope you will join me in recognizing the hard work, both academic and cultural, of these 24 young Inuit who will ultimately help shape our future and the future of our land. We will be in good hands. We also want to acknowledge the teachers and trainers for their hard work.