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1980s

Uvani 1970 nguqtillugu, Inuit tamainnit Kaniitian Ukiuqtaqtumi nipingit atauttimuuqhugit ihumaliurumablugit inuuhingit, avatingit unalu pitquhirnigut ihumaaluutingit ihuiluutauliramik inungnut. Tautukhimayavut hiqumitpiaqhuni uqhuryuanit uyaraqhiuqtunullu iluani aallat Ukiuqtaqtumi avikturnianut, uvagut nanminiquutivut ihumaliurumablugit nunaptingnut. Hinnaktuumihimayavut haffumani Inuinnainut munariyakhavut aimavikput ilittuqhimayauvluni uvani 1993 mi Nunavut Nunataarvingat Angirutaanit.

In the 1970’s, Inuit across the Canadian Arctic united their voice to draw attention to social, environmental and cultural issues affecting our people. We saw the destruction left by oil extraction and mining in other Arctic regions, and wanted more power for decision making about our land. Our dream of an Inuit governed homeland was realized with the 1993 Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.

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Hamnattauq hilaryuanit hilataanit aallauhuiqhiyaatigut, iiyikput tautuliqhuta angitqiyaanut Nunaqaqaaqhimayunut nunalingnut. Ukunanngat atuagaliurnigut aullaaqpakhuta, ilittuqhimavluta aallat Nunaqaqaaqhimayunut amihuuningit aallaunngittunit akiharnaqtunit aadjikkutariyavut. Atauttimut, akihautihimavlugit Kaniitian Kavamangit maligautiquivlugit ilitaridjutivut piyunnautivut. Atigit hamanngat ilittuqpiaqhuni angiklivallialiqhuni qauyimayavut aahiillu Nunaqaqaqaaqhimayut pitquhivut. Atuliqpaliqhugit pinniqtumik hamanngat aallat Inuinnainut nunangani unalu Dinii inuit aallat nuatqativut hivuraanit. Una atigi qulaaniittuq ihumagiyauvluni qaihimayungnaqhiyuq hamanngat Gwich’in pitquhiriyangit, tuniyauhimayuq Inuinnainut katimahimagaluaqhutik uvani Aklaviu’p ilihariaqtuqhimagaluaqtunut iliharvingmit.

While the outside world was no longer new to us, our eyes opened to a larger Indigenous community.  Through politics and travel, we were introduced to other Indigenous populations with similar struggles as our own.  Together, we challenged the Canadian Government to ensure legal recognition of our rights. Parkas from this time reflect our growing awareness of other Indigenous cultures. We borrowed fashions from other Inuit regions and Dene neighbours to the south. The parka style above is thought to have originated in Gwich’in culture, passed along to Inuinnait during their time together in Aklavik’s residential school.

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