RANKIN INLET
A gathering of residential school survivors provided a number of benefits to those who attended, said one of Nunavut's most well-known elders and healing advocates.
Special guest speaker Peter Irniq expresses his thoughts in the iglu as Elizabeth Tautu, Ivan Ittinuar and Cindy Sammurtok, back from left, listen along during a gathering of residential school survivors in Rankin Inlet in March of 2013. - photo courtesy of Noel Kaludjak |
Peter Irniq said the week-long gathering in Rankin Inlet earlier this month went very well.
He said one of the most special aspects of the gathering was honouring the memory of Marius Tungilik.
"Marius started this back in 1989, wanting to heal from the abuse he received at Turquetil Hall, Sir Joseph Bernier Residential School," said Irniq.
"He asked Jack Anawak and I to get involved in 1990, and the three of us got going with the healing journey of residential school survivors who were physically, sexually and mentally abused by members of the church.
"We had a loss of Inuit culture, language and spirituality and, most of all, parenting skills.
"We wanted to help people in pain from such a traumatic experience as being taken away from their parents in the 1950s and 1960s."
Irniq said after being taken from his family in 1958, he spent four years in Chesterfield Inlet, one at Yellowknife and one at the Churchill Vocational Centre.
He said the idea of taking back their culture and language was something the group wanted to celebrate.
"We wanted to allow those who were in pain as much as we were - and we are still in pain - to make their feelings known.
"Quite a few people who had never spoken out before, disclosed what had happened to them."
Irniq said the building of a large iglu for the gathering was a wonderful idea.
He said it allowed them to go back to the place they were taken away from by the church and government.
"The iglu allowed us to be who we had always been.
"We had some drum dancing, which was healing for us, and we had the Inuit qulliq lit most of the time for strength and hope.
"The iglu allowed us to be comfortable and home again to when it was our security, comfort and protection.
"It provided a very relaxed atmosphere and I enjoyed it tremendously."
Irniq said the gathering provided a chance for the survivors to think a lot about what happened to them.
He said the survivors have a better understanding of where they've been and who they are.
"We also know better where we're going in the future, in terms of the healing of our people.
"The week in Rankin went very fast and very well.
"I'd like to see more of this in the future."
Irniq said sharing country food and having tea and bannock was a lot of what life was all about when they were young boys and girls.
He said the gathering reminded everyone to comfort themselves.
"We have to remember to cry, and help each other heal from the abuses that happened to us at the residential school.
"We must become a better people for the future, not only for ourselves, but for our grandchildren and their children, as well.
"Moving on was another objective of this gathering.
"Canadians have a right, duty and responsibility to know what happened to us, and that's something I'm committed to getting done as time goes on."
