Inuktitut language and the Inuit way of life
As a part of the Green Edge Project, we have established a solid connection with the Inuit community of Qikiqtarjuaq (Broughton Island), located on Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. With the aim of involving the communities in the initiative as well as approaching their way of life, we started learning the Inuktitut language.
We also have the intention to develop a solid connection with two other Inuit communities of Western Baffin island which are Kanngiqtugaapik (Clyde River) and Pangniqtuuq (Pangnirtung).
The Inuktitut language is spoken by Inuit communities living in the eastern part of the Canadian Arctic. According to the Pirurvik Centre of excellence for Inuit language, culture and well-being, approximately 75 percent of Inuit in the territory of Nunavut speak Inuktitut as their mother tongue.
Learning Inuktitut for beginners…
The Takuvik Team is learning the Inuktitut language beside Michèle Therrien, Research professor at the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (INALCO), following the curriculum offered by the Pirurvik Center.
The Pirurvik Centre has a training program from a website (Tusaalanga website) to learn the Inuktitut language. The Tusaalanga website (tusaalanga means “let me hear it” in Inuktitut) offers an innovative approach to mastering the Inuit language.
The program has 20 lessons for those learning Inuktitut as a Second Language. Each lesson is built around a unique theme and contains a list of vocabulary (with sound), grammar lessons, a sample dialogue and a self-study assignment.
During these weeks, our team is following this program in order to learn Inuktitut as to strengthen the link with Inuit being part of the Green Edge Project.
