Building culture and community: Family and community literacy partnerships in Canada's North¹

INTRODUCTION

Every day after school in the high arctic community of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut² children throw on their atigis and run across the street to the May Hakongak Community Library. The tiny library is host to the After-school Homework Club, a program developed by the Cambridge Bay Childcare Society with support from the Nunavut Literacy Council (NLC). Parents and volunteers from the community supervise the program. Nunavut Arctic College and Kiilinik High School students work with the children to help them with their homework, do arts and crafts activities and read stories. Although the program was originally designed to provide vulnerable families with additional support, its popularity has made it a hit with many other children and families. Parents too are pleased with the program and with the difference it has made to their families. The biggest impact has been on working parents who cannot afford after school care for their children. This is just one example of Ilippallianginnarniq, an Inuit approach to intergenerational learning which, coupled with community development strategies, have resulted in literacy initiatives that strengthen links between youth and elders, capture oral history and promote bi-literacy for young children and their families.

1 This article is based on case study research into family and community literacy partnerships which was part of a capacity building initiative sponsored by the Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs and the Canadian Movement for Literacy, with funding provided by the National Literacy Secretariat, Human Resources and Development Canada.

2 This is a glossary of Inuit terms used in this chapter:
Nunavut - (noo-na-voot) Meaning “our land” in Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit people.
Inuit – (ee-nu-eet) Meaning “The People” in Inuktitut. Commonly called the North American Eskimo.
Atigi(s) – (ah-tig-ee) A zipperless, pull-over parka worn by men and women. This garment, traditionally made of bleached caribou hide with the fur turned inside, is now made of heavy wool duffle covered by a shell of wind-proof material. The hood of an atigi is trimmed with wolverine or wolf fur.
Illippallianginnarniq – (ee-llee-pa-lee-an-gin-arr-neek) A term coined by the Nunavut Government to describe the concept of "continuing learning", or learning from the crib to the grave.
Inuktitut – (ee-nook-tee-toot) The language spoken by Inuit. In Canada's north there are 3 main dialects; Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun and Inuvialuktun. Inuktitut is the dialect primarily spoken in the eastern part of Nunavut. Inuinnaqtun is only spoken in Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk (Coppermine) and Umingmaktok (Bay Chimo). Inuvialuktun is spoken in the Beaufort-Delta region of the Northwest Territories.
Kugluktuk – (kor-luk-tuck) Means "Bloody Falls" in Inuinnaqtun. Named so after a battle between Inuit and Dene people at a sight on the Coppermine River.
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit – (ee-nu-eet kow-hee-my-a-tuk-aan-eet) This word does not have literal translation but the general meaning is: the way in which Inuit view and interact with their world drawing on the best of traditional cultural values and knowledge and modern values and knowledge.
Uvajuq – (oo-va-yuk) The name of a mountain located twenty kilometres outside of Cambridge Bay. A local legend says that Uvajuq, a giant living before there were people as we know them today, traveled across the land in search of food for himself and his family. They did not share the food they found and eventually perished from starvation. Uvajuq lay down on the ground and the wind blew, covering him over with the land. The giant became "Uvajuq" the mountain.
Pauktuutit – National Inuit Women's organization.