ABOUT US
The Pitquhirnikkut Ilihautiniq/Kitikmeot Heritage Society is a leader for culture and heritage in Nunavut. We are guided by an Inuinnaq Executive Director and Board, and are among the territory’s longest established heritage organizations. With over 20 years experience in cultural research and program delivery, we have earned the support and trust of our community, and built solid partnerships and recognition at national and international levels.
We use our professional standing to address projects of critical importance to the revival of Inuit culture, language and history. We focus on the critical needs of Inuinnait—a distinct regional group of Inuit living in the Central Canadian Arctic. The Inuinnaqtun language—the foundation of Inuinnait culture—has less than 600 fluent speakers remaining. By most estimates, it is a language that will be extinct in less than two generations. The disappearance of Inuinnaqtun precipitates the loss of culturally unique knowledge, relationships and engagements with the world.
Pitquhirnikkut Ilihautiniq
means ‘learning through culture’ in Inuinnaqtun.
MISSION
To preserve and renew Inuinnait knowledge, language and culture for the benefit of all Inuit.
VISION
To concentrate and connect the resources, expertise and technology critical to Inuinnait cultural and linguistic survival.
VALUES
Inuinnaqtun Immersion
Inuinnait Governance
Flexibility and Innovation
Collaboration
Community Wellbeing
Over the next 5 years, our organization will seek to reverse the trend of Inuinnaqtun language and knowledge loss. We will establish strong human and digital networks that bring together Inuinnait communities and create innovative solutions to overcoming geographical, political and economic barriers to knowledge exchange and revitalization. We will foster a unified Inuinnait voice that speaks to the issues and priorities of our respective communities, and calls for initiatives of change. Most importantly, we will harness the expertise of remaining Elders and Inuinnaqtun speakers and direct their valuable knowledge towards the renewal of our culture.
We will do this through the following Strategic Priorities:
KNOWLEDGE RENEWAL
AND TRANSFER
We will provide daily opportunities for community members to consult Elders on traditional knowledge, and to be mentored in traditional skills.
DIGITAL
STRATEGIES
We will develop new digital tools to facilitate Inuinnait access, ownership and usability of our traditional knowledge.
INUINNAIT
ARCHAEOLOGY
We will combine oral history and archaeological research to build a better understanding of the Inuinnait past.