An inclusive-and-interactive workshop addressing Indigenous research and training capacities with a focus on disability rights, deafness and the revitalization of Inuit sign language was held in Rankin Inlet, Jan. 21.

The workshop was sponsored by the Canadian Deafness Research and Training Institute (CDRTI) in connection with the Nunavut Deaf Society and supported by a connection grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
The gathering was facilitated by CDRTI Director of Research Paige MacDougall, who said the workshop had a positive dialogue going all day among its participants.
She said the group looked at previous materials and work thatSA国际影视传媒檚 been done collaboratively in recording the Inuit sign language, as the groundwork for moving forward with trying to implement the materials in creative ways in the communities.
SA国际影视传媒淭hat involved some research on the part of local people in deciding where the materials should be placed to help create awareness in public spaces right here in Rankin Inlet,SA国际影视传媒� said MacDougall.
SA国际影视传媒淓veryone piped up with ideas such as the bank, post office, health centre, airport, restaurants, and taxi cabs, among others.
SA国际影视传媒淪o, in addition to using the resources that weSA国际影视传媒檙e generating like sign-language cards, videos and books, weSA国际影视传媒檙e looking at making a poster with the ABCs on it, and maybe a few basic signs, just so when deaf people come into an area they see this and feel more comfortable knowing the people who work there at least have some awareness of the challenges deaf people have in trying to communicate.
SA国际影视传媒淎 number of the participants were really excited about that as something concrete they could work towards in their community, so theySA国际影视传媒檒l be exploring spaces and maybe involving local artists in the creation of posters and, maybe, pamphlets.SA国际影视传媒�
MacDougall said a number of workshop participants told the gathering about problems getting into taxi cabs, or issues at the health centre where they ended up waiting six hours for an appointment because no one called their name in a way they could understand.
She said a number of issues could be partially rectified simply by the creation of basic resource materials for the community.
SA国际影视传媒淭he conversation we had on just trying to make daily life easier soon led to more serious issues like access to justice, or needing social services due to family violence. If a deaf person is involved in these situations, then we have to look at a more formal means of communication.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was in the Siniktarvik Hotel a few years back doing my consultations and recordings with the deaf community and a deaf man was in court at the same time.
SA国际影视传媒淲hile I was sitting in the restaurant, a justice professional who was working with this deaf person in court came up and asked me if I could be an interpreter, which I couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 because I am not a qualified interpreter.
SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a need for us here to use the documentation of the language to start putting it in schools and getting the next generation ready for the development of interpreter-training programs that are locally appropriate.SA国际影视传媒�
MacDougall said the process represents a holistic wheel where you start with awareness and get things going in preschool.
Then, she said, as the sign language is developed and recorded, it can get into higher levels of education and the territory can work towards building an interpreter training model that works in the local cultural context.
SA国际影视传媒淎t that point you have employment being generated and access to important services happening.
SA国际影视传媒淪o the awareness opens up room for education, the education leads to the development of training programs, and then we have more equal access to services.
SA国际影视传媒淭here are no qualified deaf interpreters in Nunavut, but weSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to make it happen by creating these materials and recording the language and life histories for the past 12 years.
SA国际影视传媒淭his program is now receiving support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and they want to open up new avenues of collaborative research between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and organizations.SA国际影视传媒�
MacDougall will team with her father, James MacDougall of McGill University, as well as the president of the Nunavut Deaf Society Sandy Kownak and her deaf son Clayton Ungungai SA国际影视传媒� all founding members of the Nunavut Deaf Society SA国际影视传媒� to write a policy-suggestion paper to present in Ottawa this coming March.
She said things take time and, at this point, itSA国际影视传媒檚 important those in the Nunavut Deaf Society be patient and take each step as needed and necessary.
SA国际影视传媒淲e can outline the steps of how this trajectory is going to happen, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 a process that canSA国际影视传媒檛 be rushed, so, in terms of how long it will take until we see everything being implemented, that depends on the momentum of interest we can generate to support such a project in the communities within Nunavut and in Canada.
SA国际影视传媒淥ur approach really is to do work and raise awareness in the communities, which can then filter up through to the levels of funding and support needed for these projects.
SA国际影视传媒淩ecording language is a complicated endeavour. We donSA国际影视传媒檛 even know the number of deaf people in Nunavut at this time and the sign languages up here are quite variable.
SA国际影视传媒淪o itSA国际影视传媒檚 important we get all the deaf people together so we can actually explore the different signs and come up with a multi-useful representation of the sign language here called Inuit sign language.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 possible, but it takes effort, community consultations and dedication.SA国际影视传媒�