Inuit culture is going through great changes. Do you agree or disagree? Why? What is the most important thing being lost in Inuit culture?
Secondary students from several schools in Nunavik have commented on the question as part of a KSB project involving five villages. We thought that many of their comments merit being read by other people as well and, with their persmission, we are posting a few of them here.
Join in their discussion. Is Inuit culture going through great changes? What do you think is the most important thing being lost in Inuit culture?
What I think Is In Our Culture, We Just Have Try To Make Things Happen, Not Just Think That We Are Losing Our Inuit Thing, Like You know.
We Have Just Ask Our Elders, What Should We Do With This? And What Can We Do?
And Go hunting with The Elders, Try To Find What They Saying Do Not Forget What They Say Just Keep In Mine. They Can't Be there With Us All The Time, Things Happen You Know!
And For Those Of People Who Don't know How To Talk In Inutitut Or Who Just Try To Talk In English And All That!
Don't Just Think Those People Are This And That Just Try To Help Them Don't Just Write It Just Do It You Can Differnte About That You Know
I think Inuit culture started changing when white ppl came for the first time. They were intrduced to new illnesses (TB), new ideas (religion) and new products (guns, fabrics etc...) . ancient Inuit, were not christians, they were shamans. and once they started moving into settelments, then it really started changing fast. But the world around us is also changing, and if Inuit want to be part of modern society then they need to adapt to change. No one lives in igloos anymore, and it’s never going to happen again, we cant go back. we can preserve what we already know but we can’t make it a lifestyle anymore. As long as this world is changing, we will always continue to change as well. There’s no denying it, and no way of avoiding it. the Inuit today are not the same Inuit of 300 years ago.
Yes I agree, because people now a days look for things that are easier in life and faster. maybe people are trying to forget them because its hard or too long. We are loosing our culture because people here don't really want to teach or the kids don't want to listen or don't want to know. We are loosing our language because English is better to make sense and easier to understand. I know Inuktitut is our first language as an inuk, people now speak Inuktitut with english part of it.
I believe too that our language is very important and we should save it for future generation to hold on to as it is the only thing that will mark who we are since the rest is already white way of life and will not be thrown away just like that anymore
I agree that Inuit Culture is going through a lot of changes because over the years, we learnt that we need a good education in order to have a good job. Good knowledge led us to self-government, without knowledge, no self-government. There are a lot of other changes, but this, I believe stays in topic.
The important thing that is going to be lost, if we do not do anything about it, is our language. If we do not have our language, it will be very hard passing down the tradition and our culture. Everything connects to one another, and I believe that having Nunavik as a Self-Government, is a great idea. We get to decide on our own choices, of what we need and do not need.
Thank you for your comments Melissa.
You are so right in saying that although our culture may be changing, we can still maintain our identity by keeping our language and values alive. Education is the key to knowledge, and we can be successful by having good knowledge, not only of our culture but of the global world.
I wish you and your fellow Inuit students the best in your studies.
Minnie
In some cases, it is still difficult in maintaining our language and values. We all know that education is the key for success, but when it is time to go to college and university, it is very difficult for some students to maintain our language because it is not provided in the south. For example, lack of inutittut teachers in southern schools, or anywhere else. My point is that southern education is very good, but for some people's point of view, it is getting in the way of our way of life.
Good point! Let us all work to bring at least part of that level of education to Nunavik! I believe there is already work in progress in that direction.
Minnie
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I see the changes in inuit culture. Inuit used to hunt everyday but now the depend on qallunaak food. And the inuit now live in heated houses with all the electricity instead of an igloo with those soapstone lamps. Nowadays its all nothing but qallunak stuff. We go hunting by hondas and snowmobiles. But in the old days inuit source of transportation was by dogteam or kayak or homemade boats. Students in schools now have second languages but a long time ago the inuit only spoke one language and that is inuktitut. I hope we don't loose them all cause if we do, we are so doomed.