KIVALLIQ - One of Canada's most well-known Inuit personalities returned to the Kivalliq for the first time in 70 years this past week.

Kiviaq, formerly known as David Ward, is the first Inuk to become a lawyer.

Kiviaq visits the famous Rankin Inlet inukshuk during his first return to the Arctic in 70 years this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

He was born near Chesterfield Inlet around 1936 and, in addition to being a lawyer, was a Golden Gloves champion at the age of 13, a professional boxer with a record of 102 wins and six defeats, the first Inuk to play for the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos at age 19, a horse trainer, Edmonton City councillor and an alderman.

Kiviaq is also the subject of the documentary, Kiviaq vs. Canada, by awardwinning producer Zacharias Kunuk.

He launched the lawsuit in 2004 against the federal government for providing greater education, health and housing benefits to status Indians than Inuit.

Kiviaq said he and one sister were taken south with their mother when he was about three-years-old, after she married an RCMP officer.

He said numerous family members were left behind in the Kivalliq.

"We weren't allowed to talk about our family or the North or we got the hell beat out of us," said Kiviaq.

"So, we just grew up in isolation."

Kiviaq said the big thing he learned from sports is that you never quit.

He said a sports scholarship helped pave the way to him becoming a lawyer.

"With my sister and I being the only Inuit going to school in the south at the time, I was beat up a lot.

"One day, a police sergeant's son jumped me after skating and I struck back.

"The police said if I joined a boxing club they wouldn't press charges against me, so I joined, lost my first fight, and then won my next 100, or so.

"Boxing taught me to attack things in an intelligent manner and that helped me in law, as well as university."

Kiviaq said it makes him feel good to see young Inuit role models emerge and encourage other Inuit youth to follow their dreams.

But, he said, they're still missing the main point.

"We're ignored by the federal government because we're not defined in law.

"It's awfully hard to tell someone to be proud they're Inuit when we don't even know what Inuit are.

"We're nobody, and you can't be proud being a nobody.

"If you don't know who you are, how do you know where you're going?"

Kiviaq said he'd give the Government of Nunavut a C for its performance during the territory's first decade.

He said when one hears government talk about Inuit, it only refers to Nunavut.

"It's like the rest of the Arctic doesn't exist, and there are people out there starving who don't get anywhere near the benefits Nunavut Inuit get.

"That is not equality.

"We all have to be open about the fact Inuit only exist because of government funding and that funding can stop in a heartbeat.

"Inuit organizations are funded by the federal government, and their problem is you don't kick the dog that brought you your food."

Kiviaq had been practising law for quite some time when he was informed of a young Inuit girl brought to a southern hospital from the Arctic.

The girl thought she was dying and wanted to speak to her uncle - Kiviaq.

The niece survived, and Kiviaq learned he still has many family members spread about the Arctic.

He reconnected with a number of them and, when he was diagnosed with cancer five years ago, people he had never met came to visit him.

"My nephew, Robert Seeteenak, came down from Baker Lake and brought people with him.

"Slowly, I met other people in the Arctic who are related to me.

"Now, after being asked to attend Lillian Aglukark's call to the bar in Arviat, I've been able to return.

"I used to get car and air sick, but my last cancer operation affected my body in many ways and I was amazed to fly to here from Edmonton without getting sick."

Kiviaq attended Aglukark's ceremony in Arviat and went to Baker for a few days before returning south.

He said he's extremely flattered to have Aglukark refer to him as a real superstar and a hero to her.

"Hopefully, our accomplishments will give our people more desire to come out of the shell they were put in by the Canadian government and become stronger people.

"I will continue my fight because cattle, horses, dogs, cats, muskox, whales and fish are defined in law in our country, but Inuit aren't.

"Yet the Charter of Rights and Freedoms says we're supposed to be treated equally with other natives identified by the Indian Act.

"To have us defined in law is the big thing I want to get done before I die."