A positive post

Our first positive post about life in Nunavut. Something I'd like to see more of, and something you won't read in a newspaper. Thanks for the contribution Anonymous.


We just saw a screening of "Before Tomorrow", the new film directed by Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Madeline Ivalu of Arnait Video Productions (http://www.arnaitvideo.ca/) - a women's video collective that has been putting together film productions since the early 1990's in the unique style of Inuit narrative. The film was written by the directors and Susan Avingaq.The film was co-produced with Isuma (Zach Kunuk and Norman Cohn, www.isuma.ca), and uses Igloolik and Nunavik based actors. I have a feeling the film will open (somewhere down south) to rave reviews.

The film was beautiful. The actors Madeliene Ivalu and her grandson-in-real-life and in the film, Paul Dylan, played the moving lead characters. In the film, Paul Dylan convincingly plays a mature and 'able' and focused young boy - but around town he is any one of the loony kids runnin' around. The film was funny at parts and immensly sad. Scenery and cinematography, spectacular. The screen play was adapted from a Danish novel. This is one aspect that I found so remarkable. Marie-Hélène read the book in some language (French or English?), which was translated from Danish, wrote a screenplay in English/Inuktitut with writers Ivalu and Susan Avingaq. Although the style of the films is somewhat improvisational (not directly reading from scripts) - the writing-collaboration between directors and writers who don't speak the same language is fascinating.

This women's collective and their latest product, and first feature film, is a shining example of collaboration between the Inuit and 'southerners' - through art (as are the products of Isuma). So it is possible for there to be a positive product made from the intercept of two cultures. The middle between black and white need not be mediocre and gray, but a rainbow - more than the sum of the parts. The rich and unique history and art of the Inuit, combined with the art and the technology of the south.

- Anonymous

Non-Inuit beneficiaries: Are they real?

In the comments section (link https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3804229191398393578&postID=5082985712686012220) of a previous article, commenter "kotn" stated:

• "There are long time northern residents who were named beneficiaries when NTI and Nunavut were formed. Each community got to decide how long you had to live there to qualify. Saying "in order to be a "beneficiary" you need to be of a certain race" isn't true."

I've done some research on this since reading that, and I can't dig up anything on this, not even in a theoretical or policy sense. I meet a lot of people, from all walks of life, from many different communities, and would be aware of their beneficiary status. I have never come across a non-Inuit beneficiary, and I've been around a while.

I have to admit, I am very skeptical that this alleged group exists. If any do, these individuals would be very rare indeed.

So I turn it over to the readership, some of whom are reporters: Have you ever heard of a specific non-Inuit beneficiary? Not the concept that they could theoretically exist, I mean, do you actually, really know of any? Or, if you know where the policy or legislation on this matter is, point us towards it to learn more.

Don't give us names, but give us a vague idea of the individual's history in the north, the region they're in, and why they were given beneficiary status.

Fear, loathing, and the right to be here...

The recent xenophobic and personal attacks in the comments of the last post (A call for new posts) illustrate the need for Nunavut Uncensored. A commenter posted a pretty moderate and balanced comment only to be personally attacked. This is why bloggers around Nunavut were looking for an outlet out fear of reprisal and/or job dismissal for freedom of speech. Thank you Arctic Agent for giving us the outlet.

Xenophobia has ultimately not been productive in history, and it is likely similarly not going to be productive here in Nunavut.

But this brings up an important issue that many people that come to Nunavut have to deal with - the ethical right to be working here.

In my work (at the GN), I am often attacked in a similar way in the comments to the last post. I am asked, why am I telling Inuit about what they already know better? Who am I, an outsider, to tell them what to do?

The simple answer is, because it is my job. I've been hired by the Government of Nunavut as a qualified professional. The Government of Nunavut is an Inuit Government born from the NLCA. This land-claim government had decided their policy and sought to hire someone with qualifications to enact that policy. This Inuit land-claim Government wrote the qualifications for the job, and decided, through a job competition process that is skewed towards hiring Inuit, not to hire an Inuk. Likely because no Inuk applied who met the qualifications of this Inuit Government. So they hired me, someone from the south (but I don't have a big belly or bushy eyebrows). And then I get attacked for "telling Inuit - who know better - what to do."

So... this Inuit land-claim government hires southerners to work for them, but there is open hostility from within the communities. It appears that the community either doesn't understand democracy, or their MLA's aren't simply working for them. Or rather, because this Inuit land-claim government has obligations beyond the communities (in addition to the communities), i.e., to other territorial/provincial governments, the federal government, and in some cases to international governments, they need to hire 'professionals' with 'credentials'. I've heard this be called 'credentialism'.

If Inuit don't want southerners telling them what to do ... then simply don't hire us. Go to your newspapers, blogs, MLA (not to HR at GN, who will just give you government lip service) and say : Don't hire southerners to do these jobs. Please hire Inuit, we can do better. And show them that you can do better.

Ask your Inuit landclaim government why it is not hiring Inuit. Don't attack the people who have been hired. These people who are doing their best to serve this government, while it gets on its feet.

I for one will love to see the day when there is an Inuk in my job. Despite the fact that I feel that I do a great job, because of my white face, the people will always interpret my decisions with suspicion and even perhaps hostility.

Any thoughts? What does 'qualified' mean? Can a southerner ever have legitimacy in a race-based government? Can this government be accountable to the Inuit, at the same time by meeting international standards of policy?

- Anonymous

A Call For Posts

Ladies and Gentlemen of Nunavut... The Agent needs your help. In order for this blog to stay alive we need submissions from our readers. This blog was designed as a venue for all of us to post our take on life around Nunavut without the fear of reprisal. There have been some really great debates in the comments, and lets keep it up. The trouble is, I live in one small community, and observe only a fraction of what really goes on. In order for this blog to work, we need your help. So how 'bout sending some sweet type written love this away...
arcticagent@gmail.com

- A.A.