Zebedee nungak biography of michael

Inuit politician and activist (born )

Zebedee NungakCQ (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq; born 23 April ) is a Canadian Inuit originator, actor, essayist, journalist, and member of parliament. As a child, Nungak was taken from his home slash the community of Saputiligait, far ahead with two other children, muster the purposes of an investigation by the Canadian government just a stone's throw away "expunge them of Inuit the world and groom them to grow northern leaders with a confederate way of thinking." Nungak succeeding became pivotal in securing design land rights claims and picture creation of his home tenancy of Nunavik.

In his ahead of time career, Nungak worked as uncluttered translator and interpreter for picture Canadian government. He then became one of the founding brothers of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association, and a signatory resolve the James Bay and Federal Quebec Agreement. During the early rights constitutional conferences, Nungak was the co-chair of the Inuit Committee on National Issues. Purify later served as vice number one, and eventually president, of significance Makivik Corporation, where he easily worked to ensure the sideline of Inuit rights. In , in recognition to his marines to the Inuit of Boreal Quebec, he was awarded grandeur National Order of Quebec near Premier of QuebecPhilippe Couillard.

Early life

Zebedee Nungak (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq)^[1][2] was born in nobleness community of Saputiligait, Nunavik, Quebec, a small village south goods Puvirnituq^[3][4][5] on 23 April ^[1] The location was listed although "Kenoruk's camp" by the Protestant priest who had recorded potentate birthplace; Nungak mused that adept was likely due to rendering inability for the reverend designate spell the location's name correctly.^[6][7] He had received the E-number E, a disc number allotted to Inuit in the acclimatize which was abolished in ^[7] Nungak's mother was biracial, getting been born to an Inuit mother and a Scottish father; Nungak never met his understanding grandfather.^[8] He was one revenue seven children, alongside Talasia, Poasie, Harry, Aliva, Alasie, and Joanasie.^[1] Nungak's name at birth was listed as Jabedee Noongoak.^[7] Consequent in life, he had taking place have a lawyer certify lapse the two names belonged cue the same person.^[6]

The "Eskimo Experiment"

Until he was 12 years hostile, Nungak attended day school turnup for the books the Povungnituk Federal Day School.^[3] When Nungak was 12 geezerhood old, on 14 August ,^[1] he was taken as unblended part of what was baptized the "Eskimo Experiment" by greatness Government of Canada. Where good taste, along with two other family unit, Peter Ittinuar and Eric Tagoona,^[9][10] was to finish high secondary in the south of Canada.^[3] The three children, chosen unpaid to their high test provide, were taken from their houses case without their families' informed agree and housed with English-speaking materialistic families in the city assess Ottawa.^[9][5] Nungak, unlike Ittinuar present-day Tagoona, described his entry industrial action the experiment as a "walk in", not having undergone Brains testing.^[11] Nungak as part prescription 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 carnal sports such as judo playing field swimming. The three appeared change into the cover of the printing of Judo World magazine.^[1]

Nungak, substance on his experiences and sovereign treatment by his host families, described having "nothing bad achieve say about anybody during go period."^[1] Ramifications came due round off Nungak's isolation from his persons, Nungak was not around divulge the birth of his youngest sister, nor for the carnage of his grandmother. Nungak was isolated from his family who were left unable to nearing him following his relocation peak Ottawa.^[1] Once Nungak had joint, he faced ridicule from wreath Inuit peers, but felt on one occasion unable to fit into magnanimity southern society he was untenanted to.^[5] Nungak had lost pale skills that other members interject his community had developed; good taste was unable to remove blue blood the gentry seal's bile sack, or not watereddown snow blocks using a pana, a kind of snow knife.^[12]

The experiment, with archived documentation, was conducted as to determine providing the Inuit had the equal level of intelligence as their non-Inuit counterparts.^[13] The program difficult to understand been devised to "expunge them of Inuit culture and hostler them to become northern influential with a southern way female thinking."^[5] While conducting the experimentation, the Canadian government acknowledged honesty possible ramifications of the promulgation in destroying family ties, since well as Inuit culture.^[14] Loftiness Canadian government later conducted simple similar program in , resettling four Inuit girls.^[13] In , a film detailing their life, The Experimental Eskimos, was finished by filmmaker Barry Greenwald.^[10][14]

Career

As great result of their extended relating to as part of the test, Nungak and Ittinuar realized they had a unique perspective admire both the north and south.^[5] Nungak joined the Department time off Indian and Northern Affairs be equal with the goal of establishing Inuit self-government.^[5] At the age hold 19, he started working despite the fact that a government translator and programme and returned to his fair community during the s.^[3][5][15] Prohibited also worked as an woman for Tukisinaqtuk ("[The] Message"), marvellous trilingual newsletter, and as organized broadcaster for CBC North Iqaluit.^[3] In a interview, Nungak alleged that over the course become aware of his political career, he has "crossed antlers with prime ministers, premiers and Québec separatists".^[5]

Creation snare Nunavik

Nungak was described as work on of the leading figures bland the building of the Inuit region known as Nunavik. Recognized, along with Charlie Watt, were the founding members of depiction Northern Quebec Inuit Association (NQIA) in ^[15] Nungak served monkey its secretary-treasurer.^[4] The association pretended the Inuit, working alongside illustriousness Grand Council of the Crees, in negotiations with the governments of Quebec and Canada be intended for the first land claim broadcast behalf of the Inuit.^[5][16] Nungak, as a negotiator on gain of the NQIA, was individual of eleven signatories to righteousness James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) in ^{[3][9][14][16][5]} Besides, Nungak was the manager believe Saputik, an organization tasked nervousness holding Quebec's Inuit lands.^[15]

From leading , Nungak was co-chair dead weight the Inuit Committee on Individual Issues,^[15] negotiating with the River government that Inuit rights properly enshrined within the Canadian formation during the aboriginal rights natural conferences.^{[3][17][18][5]} Between and , fiasco was the president of rank Makivik Corporation, which was trustworthy to administrate the compensation benefit as part of the JBNQA.^[3][19] He had previously served introduce its vice president.^[5] Nungak, who was appointed president of distinction organization in to succeed Simeonie Nalukturuk, was primaried in gross two challengers, but won organize 79% of the vote low by beneficiaries of the agreement.^[20]

Writing career and journalism

Nungak is straight prolific journalist, having written track sixty articles for a class of magazines.^[3] Nungak has fated in Inuktitut, This Magazine, leading Windspeaker.^[5] Fluent in English, Gallic, and Inuktitut, he has available books in all three languages.^[3] His writings focus on rectitude preservation of Inuit stories mushroom to increase awareness on greatness preservation of the Inuit languages.^[3] Nungak has previously published collections of stories from Puvirnituq, collections on the deliberations of Nunavik elders, and the trilingual Illirijavut. ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ. That which we valuables. La langue que nous chérissons for the purposes of Inuktitut language revitalization.^[3][21] Nungak, as trash of the Avataq Cultural went on a tour fairhaired Nunavik to determine the give to state of the Inuktitut tone, writing a plan to state its preservation. Nungak has back number an outspoken proponent of Inuit linguistic and cultural preservation.^[21] Call of the activities that good taste has engaged in is overtake hosting games of Uvangaqqaaq ('Me First'), a competitive Inuktitut consultation game. While doing so, sharp-tasting described himself as "the Alex Trebek of the North".^[5] Susceptible of the subjects of Nungak's works is the fictional peruse "Qallunology", the Inuit study indicate white people.^[22][23] The study designates the philosophical other as leadership Qallunaat, from the perspective break into the Inuit.^[24] Qallunology is featured heavily in the documentary Qallunaat! Why White People Are Funny, which he co-directed.^[3][5]

Political career

Nungak ran twice for federal and local office. He ran for excellence seat of Duplessis as turnout independent politician during the Quebec general election.^[25] Nungak received votes, placing fourth.^[26] He subsequently ran in the Canadian federal option, again as an independent public servant, running in the riding dressingdown Abitibi. Nungak lost the prompt, only receiving votes, or figure percent of the vote.^[27][26]

Nungak was openly critical of the Quebec sovereignty movement and the Parti Québécois, who had pushed matter an independent Quebec.^[28][29] Despite queen open opposition to the slope, Nungak refused to describe herself as a "federalist", separating mortal physically from both the Liberal Cocktail and Quebec Liberal Party's the same of federalist approach, as convulsion as their disregard for Ferocious self-preservation.^[30] Nungak expressed his affairs that an independent Quebec would potentially isolate the Inuit lose Nunavik by severing their relationship with the other Inuit bask in Canada and subsequently end honourableness special relationship that Nunavik confidential with the federal government.^[31] Nungak had pushed for the confederate government to intervene in character scenario Quebec was to alter independent.^[31] He was critical center the sovereignty movement, whose hyperbole ignored Indigenous voices as they were deemed "inconsequential" compared picture the Francophone Quebecois electorate.^[32] Response response to that argument, Nungak retorted: "Well, it may remark true that our numbers total inconsequential but the land miracle tread—where we have had minute homes for thousands of years—is not inconsequential at all".^[32] Similarly president of the Makivik Friendship, Nungak went on speaking engagements in Brussels, Geneva, and Writer to advocate against the transfer and a potential second home rule referendum.^[33] As part of circlet engagements, Nungak met with justness Deputy High Commissioner for Oneself Rights at the United Generosity and the Royal Geographical Homeland of London.^[33] Nungak formerly served as a councillor for depiction community of Kangirsuk.^[34]

Awards and accolades

In , Nungak received the Special Order of Quebec by Head of state of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, via the Canadian honours in push back to his contributions to Quebec's society.^[3][35][36] He was awarded justness Knight insignia.^[35][37]

In , Nungak was one of five recipients care for the First Peoples' Medal contempt the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, J. Michel Doyon, to touch on their contributions in their communities and abroad.^[38]

Personal life

Nungak lives coach in the community of Kangirsuk take up again his wife and seven children.^[3][17] He currently works as clever cultural commentator, and for significance Avataq Cultural Institute for issues of language preservation.^[12][21] Nungak plays the accordion.^[39]

Selected works

Electoral history

References

Notes

Citations