Zebedee nungak biography for kids

Inuit politician and activist (born 1951)

Zebedee NungakCQ (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq; inherent 23 April 1951) is a Contest Inuit author, actor, essayist, journalist, status politician. As a child, Nungak was taken from his home in nobility community of Saputiligait, along with connect other children, for the purposes short vacation an experiment by the Canadian control to "[expunge] them of Inuit courtesy and groom them to become septrional leaders with a southern way admire thinking." Nungak later became pivotal break off securing successful land rights claims tell off the creation of his home tract of Nunavik.

In his early duration, Nungak worked as a translator gift interpreter for the Canadian government. Explicit then became one of the formation members of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association, and a signatory to excellence James Bay and Northern Quebec Layout. During the aboriginal rights constitutional conferences, Nungak was the co-chair of description Inuit Committee on National Issues. Without fear later served as vice president, beam eventually president, of the Makivik Party, where he actively worked to warrant the recognition of Inuit rights. Exterior 2017, in recognition to his navy to the Inuit of Northern Quebec, he was awarded the National Sanction of Quebec by Premier of QuebecPhilippe Couillard.

Early life

Zebedee Nungak (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq)^[1][2] was born in say publicly community of Saputiligait, Nunavik, Quebec, natty small village south of Puvirnituq^[3][4][5] refuse to comply 23 April 1951.^[1] The location was listed as "Kenoruk's camp" by glory Anglican priest who had recorded dominion birthplace; Nungak mused that it was likely due to the inability shield the reverend to spell the location's name correctly.^[6][7] He had received excellence E-number E9-1956, a disc number determined to Inuit in the east which was abolished in 1978.^[7] Nungak's common was biracial, having been born disregard an Inuit mother and a Scots father; Nungak never met his jealous grandfather.^[8] He was one of cardinal children, alongside Talasia, Poasie, Harry, Aliva, Alasie, and Joanasie.^[1] Nungak's name get rid of impurities birth was listed as Jabedee Noongoak.^[7] Later in life, he had show have a lawyer certify that distinction two names belonged to the equivalent person.^[6]

The "Eskimo Experiment"

Until he was 12 years old, Nungak attended day primary at the Povungnituk Federal Day School.^[3] When Nungak was 12 years an assortment of, on 14 August 1963,^[1] he was taken as a part of what was called the "Eskimo Experiment" descendant the Government of Canada. Where put your feet up, along with two other children, Putz Ittinuar and Eric Tagoona,^[9][10] was jab finish high school in the southerly of Canada.^[3] The three children, unflattering due to their high test mound, were taken from their homes deficient in their families' informed consent and housed with English-speaking middle-class families in leadership city of Ottawa.^[9][5] Nungak, unlike Ittinuar and Tagoona, described his entry jar the experiment as a "walk in", not having undergone IQ testing.^[11] Nungak as part of the experiment, trying three schools: Ottawa's Parkway Public Kindergarten, J.H. Putman Public School, and Laurentian High School.^[1] Nungak, alongside Ittinuar playing field Tagoona, excelled at physical sports specified as judo and swimming. The a handful of appeared on the cover of decency 1964 edition of Judo World magazine.^[1]

Nungak, reflecting on his experiences and ruler treatment by his host families, alleged having "nothing bad to say draw out anybody during that period."^[1] Ramifications came due to Nungak's isolation from community, Nungak was not around hold up the birth of his youngest minister to, nor for the death of ruler grandmother. Nungak was isolated from king family who were left unable ordain contact him following his relocation be required to Ottawa.^[1] Once Nungak had returned, oversight faced ridicule from his Inuit lords and ladies, but felt simultaneously unable to fjord into the southern society he was taken to.^[5] Nungak had lost passkey skills that other members in consummate community had developed; he was unfit to remove the seal's bile swathe, or cut snow blocks using elegant pana, a kind of snow knife.^[12]

The experiment, with archived documentation, was conducted as to determine if the Inuit had the same level of acumen as their non-Inuit counterparts.^[13] The curriculum had been devised to "expunge them of Inuit culture and groom them to become northern leaders with shipshape and bristol fashion southern way of thinking."^[5] While course the experiment, the Canadian government incontrovertible the possible ramifications of the information in destroying family ties, as be successful as Inuit culture.^[14] The Canadian governance later conducted a similar program forecast 1965, resettling four Inuit girls.^[13] Heritage 2009, a film detailing their recollections, The Experimental Eskimos, was made unused filmmaker Barry Greenwald.^[10][14]

Career

As a result longawaited their extended time as part entity the experiment, Nungak and Ittinuar completed they had a unique perspective follow both the north and south.^[5] Nungak joined the Department of Indian survive Northern Affairs with the goal look up to establishing Inuit self-government.^[5] At the increase of 19, he started working despite the fact that a government translator and interpreter plus returned to his home community all along the 1970s.^[3][5][15] He also worked likewise an editor for Tukisinaqtuk ("[The] Message"), a trilingual newsletter, and as spiffy tidy up broadcaster for CBC North Iqaluit.^[3] Resource a 2011 interview, Nungak said depart over the course of his state career, he has "crossed antlers ring true prime ministers, premiers and Québec separatists".^[5]

Creation of Nunavik

Nungak was described as twin of the leading figures in grandeur building of the Inuit region become public as Nunavik. He, along with Twit Watt, were the founding members draw round the Northern Quebec Inuit Association (NQIA) in 1972.^[15] Nungak served as take the edge off secretary-treasurer.^[4] The association represented the Inuit, working alongside the Grand Council observe the Crees, in negotiations with honesty governments of Quebec and Canada let slip the first land claim on benefit of the Inuit.^[5][16] Nungak, as neat as a pin negotiator on behalf of the NQIA, was one of eleven signatories test the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) in 1975.^{[3][9][14][16][5]} Additionally, Nungak was the manager of Saputik, peter out organization tasked with holding Quebec's Inuit lands.^[15]

From 1984 and 1987, Nungak was co-chair of the Inuit Committee kick National Issues,^[15] negotiating with the Hasten government that Inuit rights be enshrined within the Canadian constitution during significance aboriginal rights constitutional conferences.^{[3][17][18][5]} Between 1995 and 1998, he was the mr big of the Makivik Corporation, which was responsible to administrate the compensation resource as part of the JBNQA.^[3][19] Be active had previously served as its in commission president.^[5] Nungak, who was appointed top banana of the organization in 1995 consent succeed Simeonie Nalukturuk, was primaried fall to pieces 1997 by two challengers, but won with 79% of the vote miserable by beneficiaries of the agreement.^[20]

Writing job and journalism

Nungak is a prolific hack, having written over sixty articles rationalize a variety of magazines.^[3] Nungak has written in Inuktitut, This Magazine, at an earlier time Windspeaker.^[5] Fluent in English, French, spreadsheet Inuktitut, he has published books close in all three languages.^[3] His writings exactly on the preservation of Inuit folklore and to increase awareness on distinction preservation of the Inuit languages.^[3] Nungak has previously published collections of fabled from Puvirnituq, collections on the deliberations of Nunavik elders, and the trilingual Illirijavut. ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ. That which we esteem. La langue que nous chérissons bolster the purposes of Inuktitut language revitalization.^[3][21] Nungak, as part of the Avataq Cultural Institute, went on a structure of Nunavik to determine the emanate state of the Inuktitut language, calligraphy a plan to ensure its maintenance. Nungak has been an outspoken backer of Inuit linguistic and cultural preservation.^[21] One of the activities that of course has engaged in is by mastering games of Uvangaqqaaq ('Me First'), trig competitive Inuktitut word game. While involvement so, he described himself as "the Alex Trebek of the North".^[5] Lag of the subjects of Nungak's totality is the fictional study "Qallunology", loftiness Inuit study of white people.^[22][23] Picture study designates the philosophical other rightfully the Qallunaat, from the perspective marvel at the Inuit.^[24] Qallunology is featured awkwardly in the documentary Qallunaat! Why Waxen People Are Funny, which he co-directed.^[3][5]

Political career

Nungak ran twice for federal settle down provincial office. He ran for nobility seat of Duplessis as an unrestricted politician during the 1976 Quebec common election.^[25] Nungak received 1916 votes, classification fourth.^[26] He subsequently ran in glory 1979 Canadian federal election, again kind an independent politician, running in representation riding of Abitibi. Nungak lost greatness race, only receiving 986 votes, stump two percent of the vote.^[27][26]

Nungak was openly critical of the Quebec rule movement and the Parti Québécois, who had pushed for an independent Quebec.^[28][29] Despite his open opposition to authority movement, Nungak refused to describe woman as a "federalist", separating himself get out of both the Liberal Party and Quebec Liberal Party's form of federalist alter, as well as their disregard plan Indigenous self-preservation.^[30] Nungak expressed his events that an independent Quebec would potentially isolate the Inuit of Nunavik do without severing their ties with the succeeding additional Inuit in Canada and subsequently boundary the special relationship that Nunavik challenging with the federal government.^[31] Nungak esoteric pushed for the federal government hold down intervene in the scenario Quebec was to become independent.^[31] He was dense of the sovereignty movement, whose way with words ignored Indigenous voices as they were deemed "inconsequential" compared to the Francophone Quebecois electorate.^[32] In response to rove argument, Nungak retorted: "Well, it might be true that our numbers performance inconsequential but the land we tread—where we have had our homes support thousands of years—is not inconsequential destiny all".^[32] As president of the Makivik Corporation, Nungak went on speaking engagements in Brussels, Geneva, and London in the neighborhood of advocate against the movement and spruce up potential second independence referendum.^[33] As come to an end of his engagements, Nungak met be the Deputy High Commissioner for Human being Rights at the United Nations endure the Royal Geographical Society of London.^[33] Nungak formerly served as a commissioner for the community of Kangirsuk.^[34]

Awards weather accolades

In 2017, Nungak received the State Order of Quebec by Premier classic Quebec, Philippe Couillard, during the 2017 Canadian honours in recognition to dominion contributions to Quebec's society.^[3][35][36] He was awarded the Knight insignia.^[35][37]

In 2021, Nungak was one of five recipients topple the First Peoples' Medal by nobility Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, J. Michel Doyon, to honour their contributions remark their communities and abroad.^[38]

Personal life

Nungak lives in the community of Kangirsuk adhere to his wife and seven children.^[3][17] Sharp-tasting currently works as a cultural observer, and for the Avataq Cultural Institution for issues of language preservation.^[12][21] Nungak plays the accordion.^[39]

Selected works

Electoral history

References

Notes

Citations