There were SA国际影视传媒渁 lot of different emotionsSA国际影视传媒� at this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 Nunavut Sivuniksavut graduation ceremony, according to Nicole Hachey, the schoolSA国际影视传媒檚 second year coordinator.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou could tell some of the students were a little bit nervous, but also excited,SA国际影视传媒� said Hachey, who was born in Baker Lake but now lives in Ottawa, where the post-secondary institution is based.

SA国际影视传媒淭here were some students that were happy; they were crying on stage.SA国际影视传媒�

Nunavut Sivuniksavut offers one and two-year programs designed to empower Inuit youth. The curriculum covers everything from land claims and research methods to throat-singing and drum-making.

This yearSA国际影视传媒檚 graduation ceremony for 32 students occurred at OttawaSA国际影视传媒檚 National Arts Centre on May 18. It featured speeches from students, faculty, representatives from Inuit organizations and the Government of Nunavut, a video presentation from a student trip to Haida Gwaii and some post-ceremony square dancing.

SA国际影视传媒淭he atmosphere was good,SA国际影视传媒� Hachey said. SA国际影视传媒淚t was a good celebration. A lot of the speeches were really good.SA国际影视传媒�

Amauyak Angootealuk was one of the students to take the stage inside the National Arts Centre. Originally from Coral Harbour, she later moved to Rankin Inlet, where she completed her first year with NS remotely.

This past September, she moved to Ottawa to complete her second year in-person SA国际影视传媒� with her fiancee and daughter in tow.

SA国际影视传媒淚 really enjoyed it,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 enjoyed meeting new friends, and the staff at NS were very helpful.

SA国际影视传媒淚 would recommend it. It teaches you a lot about yourself and it teaches a lot about your territory.SA国际影视传媒�

Angootealuk enjoyed her time in Ottawa too, admitting she will miss the friends she made there and her morning walks to college. However, she would like to see NS open a second location in the North in the future.

SA国际影视传媒淢aybe in the future NS should be in Nunavut,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淎lthough I like Ottawa myself, we travelled all this way to come and learn about our territory in the capital of Canada.SA国际影视传媒�

This year,22 graduates completed their first year while 10 finished their second SA国际影视传媒� and Hachey, who has worked for the school since 2022, has high praise for the entire group.

SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of the students did online learning the last few years because of the pandemic, so for a lot of them it was their first time in school in-person,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hat being said, they are so adaptable and so resilient. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e so good at advocating for themselves. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e a really good bunch of students.SA国际影视传媒�

Hachey expects big things from this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 graduating class, and is well-positioned to speak on such things as an NS alumna herself.

She finished her first year in 2014 and her second in 2015.

SA国际影视传媒淚 have a better understanding of a lot of the personal issues that Inuit go through today in Nunavut, in terms of how the government and Inuit organizations are run, and in terms of the impacts of intergenerational trauma,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut I also have a better understanding of why itSA国际影视传媒檚 such a good feeling and a celebratory thing to be Inuk.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou get a better sense of self, and you get that pride in your Inuit identity. I hope that resonated with a lot of the Inuit that graduated this year.SA国际影视传媒�