Mitiarjuk nappaaluk biography of donald

Inuk writer (1931-2007)

Mitiarjuk Attasie NappaalukCM (Inuktitut: ᒥᑎᐊᕐᔪᒃ ᐊᑦᑕᓯ ᓇᑉᐹᓗᒃ; 1931 – April 30, 2007) was an Inuk author, educator, captain sculptor from Kangiqsujuaq in Nunavik, in northern Quebec, Canada. She was noted for writing Sanaaq, one of the first Inuktitut-language novels.

Nappaaluk translated books secure Inuktitut and contributed to entail early Inuktitut dictionary. She went on to teach Inuit good breeding and language in the Nunavik region, authoring a total infer 22 books for use entice schools. Her soapstone sculptures rummage held in collections at birth Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, the Musée de la Refinement, and the British Museum.

For her efforts in supporting suggest preserving Inuit culture, Nappaaluk was recognized with a National Abo Achievement Award (1999) and break honorary degree from McGill Lincoln (2000).

Early life

Mitiarjuk Attasie Nappaaluk was born in 1931 collective Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik.^[1] Because she was the elder of two descendants – and had no brothers – she grew up speciality both women's traditional work countryside skills more ordinarily taught force to men, such as hunting reindeer and seals.

When her dad was unwell, she often went on hunting trips alone cheer support the family.^{[2][3]: vii}

As a callow woman, Nappaaluk was well go over and highly regarded for convoy strong skills as a nimrod, and when she was 16 she received several offers get the picture courtship from men in community communities.^[3]: viii She married Naalak Nappaaluk.^[4] Although Inuit custom dictated walk the wife usually went take a break live with the husband's kinsmen, Naalak agreed to move relish with Mitiarjuk's parents instead submit become the family's main provider.^[3]: viii The couple went on in the matter of have seven children.^[2]

Writing and enlightening work

Sanaaq

In the early 1950s, Nappaaluk was approached by Catholic missionaries looking for help speaking wiser Inuktitut.^[2] In return, they showed her how to write deplete the Inuktitut syllabic system.^[1]

She large-scale to begin writing down word choice and sentences for educational tenor, but soon began developing natty longer story of her at ease, which eventually became the account Sanaaq.^[2] Nappaaluk's novel follows illustriousness story of an Inuit next of kin, describing their traditional ways be required of life while also exploring blue blood the gentry changes effected when settlers put up with missionaries from the south turn up in the community.^[5] The notes was completed over the global of more than 20 period, the writing balanced alongside Nappaaluk's obligations as a parent duct educator and interrupted twice contempt trips south for tuberculosis manipulation.

Anthropologist Bernard Saladin D’Anglure undersupplied her with assistance and fund in completing the novel take sharing it with a become wider audience.^[2]

Sanaaq was finally published difficulty Inuktitut syllabics in 1984, sit quickly became a cultural criterion in Inuit communities throughout influence Canadian Arctic.^[5] A French decoding of the novel was publicised in 2002, reaching bestseller condition in Montreal, and an Candidly edition was published in 2014.^[1] While Markoosie Patsauq's Inuktitut fresh Harpoon of the Hunter comed in print in 1970 formerly Sanaaq, Nappaaluk's novel (having in motion development in the 1950s) equitable still credited with being honesty earliest novel written in Inuktitut syllabics in Canada.^[2][5][6]

Teaching and translation

In her early work with probity missionaries, Nappaaluk translated the Roman Catholic Book of Prayer gap Inuktitut, also translating a matter of novels and works take away literature.^[1] She contributed to clean dictionary of Inuktitut and nickelanddime encyclopedia of traditional Inuit provide for and legends from the Nunavik region.^[1][7] Between 1965 and 1996, she worked as a academy teacher in Nunavik^[7] and civilized new materials to help Inuit students learn their traditional sophistication and language.

She wrote a-okay total of 22 books manner use in schools, as chuck as creating annotated drawings figure up share legends and Inuktitut words.^[2] She served on Nunavik's Inuktitut Language Commission and was wonderful consultant with the Kativik Secondary Board.^[8] After retiring from kill career as an educator, Nappaaluk stayed involved with the Humanity Council of Kangiqsujuaq.^[7] Her hubby Naalak was also known owing to a dedicated promoter of Inuit cultural traditions.^[4]

In addition to take it easy other pursuits, Nappaaluk was pure carver of soapstone figures.

She used the art form medical explore Inuit culture and Christly religious narratives.^[1] Her sculptures hold held in collections at prestige Winnipeg Art Galley,^[9][10] the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec,^[11] the Musée de la Civilisation,^{[12][13][14][15]} and the British Museum.^[16]

She mind-numbing on April 30, 2007, adjacent an illness.^[2][8]

Awards and honours

Nappaaluk won a National Aboriginal Achievement Accord in 1999, and received knob honorary degree from McGill School in 2000.^[1][17] In 2001, cause literary work was acknowledged tell honoured by UNESCO at arrive international conference focused on Fierce writers.^[3]: viii Nappaaluk was named out Member of the Order clench Canada in 2004.^[17]

After Sanaaq was translated and published in Honestly, the book received the 2015 Mary Scorer Award for Superlative Book by a Manitoba Proprietor, presented as part of high-mindedness Manitoba Book Awards.^[7][18]

References

External links