A menSAӰӴýs gathering in Rankin Inlet saw some somber discussions and calls for action.
About two-dozen men attended the meeting at the community hall Thursday, July 13. They ranged from Elders to young people.
SAӰӴýAs we know, we have lots of issues in Rankin,SAӰӴý said Noel Kaludjak, who formed the menSAӰӴýs committee to organize the gathering. SAӰӴýSocial issues, family violence, lack of hunting skills, lack of tool making, addiction programs, alcohol, mental health.SAӰӴý
He added that a lot of people donSAӰӴýt seek mental health help until itSAӰӴýs too late.
SAӰӴýOur young men, some of them donSAӰӴýt know how to tie a rope on the sled. They donSAӰӴýt know how to get ready for survival properlySAӰӴýthe list is long.SAӰӴý
So much was broken when Inuit were moved to settlement, said Kaludjak, who also mentioned the ability for men to properly raise families.
The group talked about the beer and wine store and struggles with alcohol.
SAӰӴýItSAӰӴýs too bad, the beer and wine store is not really helping,SAӰӴý remarked Kaludjak. SAӰӴýI thought it would be okay SAӰӴý people would go buy beer, go home, have a few beers, go to work the next day.SAӰӴý
The importance of language and Inuktitut was also discussed, as well as the need for programs like young hunters and opportunities for Elders to teach young men.
One man in attendance wanted more action and less talk.
SAӰӴýWe need action, not just talk, talk, talk, talk,SAӰӴý he said. SAӰӴýWe hear that all the time, every day. Stop talking and start doing so us young people can follow what you guys are trying to teach us.SAӰӴý
Another younger man shared his personal challenges with some of the stigmas around men.
SAӰӴýI was always told youSAӰӴýre old enough, you should know, youSAӰӴýre a boy, you should know,SAӰӴý he said, through tears. SAӰӴýISAӰӴým tired of that. We all are. And like (another participant) said, we have nowhere to go, nowhere to turn, so a bunch of us end up killing ourselvesSAӰӴý We need to do something. Something needs to start.SAӰӴý
He talked about the weight on his shoulders about not being able to pass on traditional skills to youth.
SAӰӴýThatSAӰӴýs been bothering me all week,SAӰӴý he said. SAӰӴýISAӰӴýve been wanting to teach but I donSAӰӴýt have the resources. I was never taught myself.SAӰӴý
Kaludjak chimed in, echoing that core need for Inuit to know how to hunt and prepare meat and skins.
SAӰӴýIt cannot be taken away,SAӰӴý he said about that urge. SAӰӴýBut a lot of us grew up not being taught that.SAӰӴý
Kaludjak hopes the group can grow and make a positive impact in Rankin Inlet that would be seen and echoed by other communities. At the moment, itSAӰӴýs just getting off its feet.
SAӰӴýWe have no money, we have no office, but thatSAӰӴýs how we work,SAӰӴý said Kaludjak. SAӰӴýWe need to make this a model for other communities to see. It starts with you guys.SAӰӴý
ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᓂ ᑕᑯᓵᖅᐳᑦ ᑖᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᔪᓂᒃ, ᐱᓕᕆᒋᐊᖁᔨᓪᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᐊᖁᒍᑎᒃᓴᒥᒃ.
24ᒃ-ᑲᓴᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᓵᖅᐳᑦ ᑲᑎᖓᑎᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᖑᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᑦ ᕿᑎᖅᖂᑦ ᔪᓚᐃ, 13. ᐃᓇᖅᑕᖃᖅᖢᓂ, ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓪᓗ.
SAӰӴýᖃᐅᔨᒪᒐᑦᑕ , ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᕈᑎᑕᖃᐅᕐᒪᑦ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥ,SAӰӴý ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᓄᕆᐳ ᖃᓗᔾᔭᖅ, ᓴᕿᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᖑᑎᓄᑦ ᑲᑕᖃᑎᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖅ. ᐊᑲᐅᖏᓕᐅᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᖅ, ᐃᓚᒌᖕᓄᑦ ᐊᓂᖅᓯᕆᖃᑎᒌᓂᖅ, ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒍᓐᓇᖏᓐᓂᖅ, ᐊᖑᓇᓲᑎᒃᓴᓕᐅᕈᓐᓇᖏᓐᓂᖅ, ᐅᓚᕕᓴᐃᔾᔪᑎᓄᑦ ᓯᐊᒻᒪᒃᑕᐅᓯᒪᓗᐊᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃ, ᐃᒥᐊᓗᖕᓄᑦ ᐊᒪᓗ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᕆᓂᖅ.SAӰӴý
ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᐅᓄᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔪᒪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᐱᕆᕙᖏᒻᒪᑕ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑭᖑᕙᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ.
SAӰӴýᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᓱᑲᑎᕆᔪᓐᓇᖏᒻᒪᑕ ᖃᒧᑎᒥᒃ. ᓇᓗᔪᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᒋᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᐱᖏᖕᓇᖏᑦᑐᒃᑯᑦ, ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᖏᑦᑐᒃᑯᓪᓗ..
ᐃᓚᖃᐅᓗᓂ.SAӰӴý
ᓅᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓱᕋᓚᐅᕐᓯᒪᖕᒪᑕ, ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᖃᓗᔾᔭᖅ, ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕆᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᐃᓚᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᑦ
ᑲᑎᖓᑎᑦᑎᐊᓗᒋᑦ ᓇᓗᒐᒥᒃ.
ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᕆᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃᑖᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐊᔪᕈᑎᖏᓐᓂᓪᓗ.
SAӰӴýᐊᐃᑦᑖᖑᒐᓗᐊᖅ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃᑖᕐᕕᒃ ᐊᑲᔫᑎᖃᓗᐊᖏᒻᒪᑦ,SAӰӴý ᖃᓗᔾᔭᖅ ᐅᖃᕆᕗᖅ. SAӰӴýᐃᓱᒪᓚᐅᕋᒥᓕᒎᖅ ᖃᓄᐃᔮᖏᓂᖓᓂᒃ - ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᐊᑖᖅᐸᑕ, ᐊᖏᕋᐅᒃᓗᑎᒃ, ᐱᐊᑐᐊᕐᔪᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ, ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᕆᐊᓕᕐᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᓴᓇᕕᐊᓄᑦ ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᕆᐊᖏᓐᓇᕈᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᓗ ᐊᖃᒍ..ᐊᐃᑉᐹᑦᑯᑦ ᐅᑯᐃᑐᐊᕌᖓᑦ ᐊᖓᔮᓕᖅᐸᒃᐳᒍᑦ, ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑉᐳᖅ.SAӰӴý
ᐃᓄᒃᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᓚᐅᕆᕗᖅ, ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅᑕᖃᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑎᓄ ᐊᒪᓗ ᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᕐᒥᓂᒃ..
ᐊᖑᑎ ᐃᓚᖓ ᐱᖁᔨᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᓪᓚᑦᑖᖅᑐᒥᒃ, ᐅᖃᓚᑐᐃᓇᖏᓪᓗᑎᒃ.
SAӰӴýᐱᒋᐊᖅᑐᖃᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᖅ, ᐅᖃᓪᓚᑐᐃᓇᖏᓪᓗᑕ,SAӰӴý ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ. SAӰӴýᖃᐅᑕᒪᑦ ᑐᓴᖅᐸᒃᑕᕗᑦ. ᐅᖃᓚᑐᐃᓇᖏᓪᓗᑕ
ᐱᒋᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᓕᖅᑕ, ᒪᒃᑯᖕᓂᖅᓴᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᓚᓕᒐᒃᓴᖃᕐᓂᐊᕋᑦᑕ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᖁᔭᔅᓯᓐᓂᒃ.SAӰӴý ᐃᓚᖓ ᓄᑲᖅᖠ ᐊᖑᑎ ᐊᔪᕈᑎᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᖕᒥᓄᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᕆᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᐱᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ.
ᐅᖃᐅᔭᖏᓐᓇᐅᔭᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᐊᓇᕈᖅᑐᐊᓘᔪᑎᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓪᓗᐊᖅᑐᑎᑦ, ᐊᖑᑎᐅᔪᑎᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓪᓗᐊᖅᑐᑎᑦ,SAӰӴý ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ, ᕿᐊᓪᓗᓂ. SAӰӴýᐃᕿᐊᖑᖅᑕᕋ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ. ᑕᒪᑦᑕ ᐃᓚᐅᔪᖅᑎᒍᑦ, ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ, ᓇᒧᖓᐅᔭᒃᓴᖃᖏᓐᓇᑦᑕ, ᓵᕕᒃᓴᖃᖏᖢᑕ, ᐃᓅᓯᖅᐳᑦ ᓇᑲᑦᑕᓕᖃᑦᑕᖅᐸᕗᑦSAӰӴý ᐋᕿᒃᓱᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᕗᖅ. ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑐᖃᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᖅ.SAӰӴý
ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᕿᖏᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᕐᓂᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖓᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᓐᓇᖏᓐᓇᒥ ᒪᑯᒃᑐᓂᑦ.
SAӰӴýᐃᓱᒪᓗᑎᒋᓇᕋᒥᐅᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᒥ,SAӰӴý ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᒐᓗᐊᕋᒥ, ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒃᓴᖃᖏᖢᓂᓗ. ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᑎᑕᐅᖏᓐᓇᒪ.SAӰӴý
ᖃᓗᔾᔭᖅ ᓂᐱᖁᖅᑐᔪᒥᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᑦ , ᑐᓴᖅᑕᐅᔪᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᕆᐊᖃᕋᒥᒃ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᓂᕿᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᒃᓴᐃᓂᕐᒥᓐ, ᐊᒥᓕᕆᓂᕐᓗ..
SAӰӴýᐊᖅᓵᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖏᒻᒪᑦ ᐱᖁᓯᖅ,SAӰӴý ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᖅᖢᓂ. SAӰӴýᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐅᓄᖅᑐᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᖏᓐᓇᑦᑕ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ.
ᖃᓗᔾᔭᖅ ᐊᑯᑎᓄᑦ ᑲᑎᓐᓂᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᕈᖁᓪᓗᓂᒡᔪᒃ ᐊᑲᐅᔪᒥᓕᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ, ᐅᔨᕆᔭᐅᓗᓂᓗ ᒪᓕᒃᑕᐅᔪᒪᓕᕐᓗᑎᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᑦᑕ ᐊᓯᐊᓄᑦ. ᒪᓇᐅᔪᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᓕᓵᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᒪᑦ.
ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖃᖏᓐᓇᑦᑕ, ᐃᖃᓇᐃᔭᕐᕕᖃᖏᓐᓇᑦᑕ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ,SAӰӴý ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᖃᓗᔾᔭᖅ. SAӰӴýᐋᕿᒃᓯᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐱᑯᒋᔭᐅᓗᑕ ᐊᔪᒥᒋᔭᐅᓕᕐᓗᑕᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᖃᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ. ᐃᓕᒃᓯᓐᓂ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᐳᖅ.SAӰӴý