Module 5 - Belanger Ch 7 - The Inuit of Canada Flashcards
Who is Natan Obed, and what role does he serve?
Natan Obed is the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), representing over 60,000 Inuit in Canada across four regions: Nunavut, Nunatsiavut, Nunavik, and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.
What is Inuit Nunangat?
Inuit Nunangat refers to the Inuit homeland, covering 35% of Canada’s land mass and 50% of its coastline.
What is the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC)?
Founded in 1977, the ICC represents approximately 160,000 Inuit across Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Greenland, focusing on unity, rights, environmental protection, and development.
What was the purpose of the 1922 film Nanook of the North?
The film depicted an Inuk man’s life but misrepresented modern Inuit culture by staging scenes with traditional tools instead of contemporary adaptations.
What significant role did Sheila Watt-Cloutier play in the Inuit community?
Sheila Watt-Cloutier served as the ICC’s International Chair (2002–2006) and is the author of The Right to Be Cold, highlighting climate change’s impact on Inuit life.
How did early European contact affect the Inuit?
Contact brought new trade goods, diseases, and cultural disruptions, such as the depletion of resources and the integration of foreign missionaries and traders.
What was the significance of the 1939 Supreme Court of Canada decision regarding Inuit?
It formally recognized Inuit as “Indians” under federal jurisdiction, making them a federal responsibility, though Inuit remained excluded from the Indian Act.
What was the purpose of Inuit relocations in the mid-20th century?
The Canadian government relocated Inuit to larger communities to reduce administrative costs, secure sovereignty, and address resource depletion, often causing hardship.
What were the impacts of the High Arctic relocations?
Inuit faced poor hunting conditions, cultural dislocation, and broken government promises, leading to significant psychological and economic hardships.
How did the Cold War influence Inuit policy?
Canada prioritized sovereignty by allowing U.S.-led radar installations in the Arctic, disrupting Inuit communities without delivering the promised employment benefits.
What was the role of residential schools in Inuit communities?
Inuit children were forcibly removed from their families, forbidden to speak their language, and subjected to harsh conditions, contributing to intergenerational trauma.
What is the significance of the term “Inuit survivors”?
It refers to Inuit who endured the residential school system and its devastating effects on their language, culture, and family connections.
What challenges do Inuit face today?
Climate change, food and water insecurity, intergenerational trauma, and the preservation of their language and culture.
What does the term Sila represent in Inuit culture?
Sila refers to the spirit of the weather and environment, symbolizing the Inuit’s relationship with their harsh natural surroundings.
What apology did the Canadian government issue to the Inuit in 2010?
The government apologized for forced relocations and established a $10 million compensation fund in 1996 for affected families.
