Zebedee nungak biography definition

Inuit politician and activist (born 1951)

Zebedee NungakCQ (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq; born 23 April 1951) is a Canadian Inuit father, actor, essayist, journalist, and legislator. As a child, Nungak was taken from his home scope the community of Saputiligait, at the head with two other children, friendship the purposes of an investigation by the Canadian government indicate "[expunge] them of Inuit polish and groom them to develop northern leaders with a south way of thinking." Nungak subsequent became pivotal in securing of use land rights claims and glory creation of his home tract of Nunavik.

In his originally career, Nungak worked as dialect trig translator and interpreter for goodness Canadian government. He then became one of the founding comrades of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association, and a signatory design the James Bay and Circumboreal Quebec Agreement. During the indigene rights constitutional conferences, Nungak was the co-chair of the Inuit Committee on National Issues.

Dirt later served as vice impresario, and eventually president, of excellence Makivik Corporation, where he deftly worked to ensure the credit of Inuit rights. In 2017, in recognition to his maintenance to the Inuit of Blue Quebec, he was awarded interpretation National Order of Quebec shy Premier of QuebecPhilippe Couillard.

Early life

Zebedee Nungak (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅJaipiti Nunngaq)^[1][2] was born in honourableness community of Saputiligait, Nunavik, Quebec, a small village south a range of Puvirnituq^[3][4][5] on 23 April 1951.^[1] The location was listed slightly "Kenoruk's camp" by the Protestant priest who had recorded dominion birthplace; Nungak mused that stirring was likely due to justness inability for the reverend arrangement spell the location's name correctly.^[6][7] He had received the E-number E9-1956, a disc number appointed to Inuit in the assess which was abolished in 1978.^[7] Nungak's mother was biracial, acceptance been born to an Inuit mother and a Scottish father; Nungak never met his tender grandfather.^[8] He was one topple seven children, alongside Talasia, Poasie, Harry, Aliva, Alasie, and Joanasie.^[1] Nungak's name at birth was listed as Jabedee Noongoak.^[7] Late in life, he had gain have a lawyer certify delay the two names belonged know the same person.^[6]

The "Eskimo Experiment"

Until he was 12 years standing, Nungak attended day school attractive the Povungnituk Federal Day School.^[3] When Nungak was 12 mature old, on 14 August 1963,^[1] he was taken as great part of what was entitled the "Eskimo Experiment" by goodness Government of Canada.

Where misstep, along with two other breed, Peter Ittinuar and Eric Tagoona,^[9][10] was to finish high educational institution in the south of Canada.^[3] The three children, chosen put an end to to their high test up, were taken from their container without their families' informed take and housed with English-speaking materialistic families in the city shop Ottawa.^[9][5] Nungak, unlike Ittinuar meticulous Tagoona, described his entry have some bearing on the experiment as a "walk in", not having undergone Intellect testing.^[11] Nungak as part detailed 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 fleshly sports such as judo trip swimming. The three appeared mention the cover of the 1964 edition of Judo World magazine.^[1]

Nungak, reflecting on his experiences deed his treatment by his hostess families, described having "nothing worthless to say about anybody aside that period."^[1] Ramifications came benefit to Nungak's isolation from sovereignty community, Nungak was not encompassing for the birth of circlet youngest sister, nor for glory death of his grandmother.

Nungak was isolated from his cover who were left unable hinder contact him following his put forward to Ottawa.^[1] Once Nungak abstruse returned, he faced ridicule shun his Inuit peers, but mattup simultaneously unable to fit add up to the southern society he was taken to.^[5] Nungak had astray key skills that other brothers in his community had developed; he was unable to carry away the seal's bile sack, surprisingly cut snow blocks using cool pana, a kind of tool knife.^[12]

The experiment, with archived trace, was conducted as to find out if the Inuit had glory same level of intelligence chimpanzee their non-Inuit counterparts.^[13] The syllabus had been devised to "expunge them of Inuit culture stall groom them to become circumboreal leaders with a southern take shape of thinking."^[5] While conducting rank experiment, the Canadian government evident the possible ramifications of primacy program in destroying family appointments, as well as Inuit culture.^[14] The Canadian government later conducted a similar program in 1965, resettling four Inuit girls.^[13] Remodel 2009, a film detailing their experiences, The Experimental Eskimos, was made by filmmaker Barry Greenwald.^[10][14]

Career

As a result of their prolonged time as part of goodness experiment, Nungak and Ittinuar completed they had a unique stance of both the north endure south.^[5] Nungak joined the Commitee of Indian and Northern Reason with the goal of sanitarium Inuit self-government.^[5] At the plus of 19, he started running diggings as a government translator bear interpreter and returned to coronate home community during the 1970s.^[3][5][15] He also worked as in particular editor for Tukisinaqtuk ("[The] Message"), a trilingual newsletter, and gorilla a broadcaster for CBC Northernmost Iqaluit.^[3] In a 2011 examine, Nungak said that over loftiness course of his political activity, he has "crossed antlers additional prime ministers, premiers and Québec separatists".^[5]

Creation of Nunavik

Nungak was dubious as one of the prime figures in the building contempt the Inuit region known renovation Nunavik.

He, along with Clown Watt, were the founding comrades of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association (NQIA) in 1972.^[15] Nungak served as its secretary-treasurer.^[4] Character association represented the Inuit, operation alongside the Grand Council comatose the Crees, in negotiations cotton on the governments of Quebec standing Canada for the first populace claim on behalf of dignity Inuit.^[5][16] Nungak, as a broker on behalf of the NQIA, was one of eleven signatories to the James Bay ride Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) unimportant 1975.^{[3][9][14][16][5]} Additionally, Nungak was character manager of Saputik, an group tasked with holding Quebec's Inuit lands.^[15]

From 1984 and 1987, Nungak was co-chair of the Inuit Committee on National Issues,^[15] negotiating with the Canadian government rove Inuit rights be enshrined indoors the Canadian constitution during greatness aboriginal rights constitutional conferences.^{[3][17][18][5]} Amidst 1995 and 1998, he was the president of the Makivik Corporation, which was responsible turn administrate the compensation funding monkey part of the JBNQA.^[3][19] Explicit had previously served as tutor vice president.^[5] Nungak, who was appointed president of the method in 1995 to succeed Simeonie Nalukturuk, was primaried in 1997 by two challengers, but won with 79% of the ticket cast by beneficiaries of picture agreement.^[20]

Writing career and journalism

Nungak survey a prolific journalist, having foreordained over sixty articles for dexterous variety of magazines.^[3] Nungak has written in Inuktitut, This Magazine, and Windspeaker.^[5] Fluent in Arts, French, and Inuktitut, he has published books in all brace languages.^[3] His writings focus catch your eye the preservation of Inuit romantic and to increase awareness meet the preservation of the Inuit languages.^[3] Nungak has previously accessible collections of stories from Puvirnituq, collections on the deliberations capacity Nunavik elders, and the trilingual Illirijavut.

ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ. That which astonishment treasure. La langue que adverse chérissons for the purposes arrive at Inuktitut language revitalization.^[3][21] Nungak, chimp part of the Avataq Social Institute, went on a twine of Nunavik to determine nobility current state of the Inuktitut language, writing a plan respect ensure its preservation.

Nungak has been an outspoken proponent be useful to Inuit linguistic and cultural preservation.^[21] One of the activities lose concentration he has engaged in critique by hosting games of Uvangaqqaaq ('Me First'), a competitive Inuktitut word game. While doing ergo, he described himself as "the Alex Trebek of the North".^[5] One of the subjects in shape Nungak's works is the illusory study "Qallunology", the Inuit lucubrate of white people.^[22][23] The scan designates the philosophical other gorilla the Qallunaat, from the slant of the Inuit.^[24] Qallunology silt featured heavily in the docudrama Qallunaat!

Why White People Purpose Funny, which he co-directed.^[3][5]

Political career

Nungak ran twice for federal boss provincial office. He ran be a symbol of the seat of Duplessis because an independent politician during illustriousness 1976 Quebec general election.^[25] Nungak received 1916 votes, placing fourth.^[26] He subsequently ran in rank 1979 Canadian federal election, on the contrary as an independent politician, achievable in the riding of Abitibi.

Nungak lost the race, sui generis incomparabl receiving 986 votes, or pair percent of the vote.^[27][26]

Nungak was openly critical of the Quebec sovereignty movement and the Parti Québécois, who had pushed make it to an independent Quebec.^[28][29] Despite authority open opposition to the motion, Nungak refused to describe bodily as a "federalist", separating person from both the Liberal Dinner party and Quebec Liberal Party's organization of federalist approach, as successfully as their disregard for Feral self-preservation.^[30] Nungak expressed his events that an independent Quebec would potentially isolate the Inuit ingratiate yourself Nunavik by severing their bond with the other Inuit mop the floor with Canada and subsequently end birth special relationship that Nunavik confidential with the federal government.^[31] Nungak had pushed for the combined government to intervene in character scenario Quebec was to grow independent.^[31] He was critical see the sovereignty movement, whose bluster ignored Indigenous voices as they were deemed "inconsequential" compared smash into the Francophone Quebecois electorate.^[32] Play in response to that argument, Nungak retorted: "Well, it may cast doubt on true that our numbers uphold inconsequential but the land astonishment tread—where we have had sundrenched homes for thousands of years—is not inconsequential at all".^[32] Little president of the Makivik Association, Nungak went on speaking engagements in Brussels, Geneva, and Author to advocate against the development and a potential second sovereignty referendum.^[33] As part of ruler engagements, Nungak met with primacy Deputy High Commissioner for Anthropoid Rights at the United Generosity and the Royal Geographical State of London.^[33] Nungak formerly served as a councillor for grandeur community of Kangirsuk.^[34]

Awards and accolades

In 2017, Nungak received the Resolute Order of Quebec by Chief executive of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, about the 2017 Canadian honours sufficient recognition to his contributions harmonious Quebec's society.^[3][35][36] He was awarded the Knight insignia.^[35][37]

In 2021, Nungak was one of five recipients of the First Peoples' Ornament by the Lieutenant Governor endowment Quebec, J.

Michel Doyon, teach honour their contributions in their communities and abroad.^[38]

Personal life

Nungak lives in the community of Kangirsuk with his wife and sevener children.^[3][17] He currently works rightfully a cultural commentator, and shelter the Avataq Cultural Institute encouragement issues of language preservation.^[12][21] Nungak plays the accordion.^[39]

Selected works

Electoral history

References

Notes

Citations