Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the National Inuit Committee on Vancouver 2010 Partner to Bring Inuit Performers to the 2009 Cultural Olympiad

 

Inuit participation in the Cultural Olympiad is the result of a partnership formed with the Vancouver Organizing Committee of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) and the Talking Stick Festival, an event hosted by the Vancouver based aboriginal arts group Full Circle. The Cultural Olympiad, currently underway, is an official event leading up to the 2010 Winter Games and aims to show the best Canada has to offer in arts and culture and is also set to occur during 2010.

 

The Inuit artists come from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (northern Labrador) representing a cross section of traditional and contemporary artistic disciplines. Throat singers, drum dancers, and contemporary Inuit musical artists will represent Inuit Nunaat during the 2009 Cultural Olympiad. In addition to performing at the Talking Stick Festival, artists will also share Inuit culture with the communities of Four Host First Nations, our valued partners in 2010, as well as VANOC.

 

The Inukshuk, a symbol that is universal to Inuit culture will welcome the world to Canada during 2010.

 

“It is our goal to show the world the people behind the Inukshuk” said Mary Simon. “Today we have made an important step forward in sharing along with other Aboriginal peoples our story, the story of Inuit and giving those watching in Vancouver a sample of the contribution Inuit anticipate making during 2010.”

 

ITK and the four Inuit Regional organizations - Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Makivik Corporation, and the Nunatsiavut Government - also acknowledge the valuable contributions of the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Government of Nunavut, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the Government of Canada.