NUNAVUT
Asked to describe herself – as a social activist or an educator – Sarah Jancke laughs at the impossibility of a label.

Sarah Jancke outside the United Nations in New York City September, 2014 - photo courtesy of Ms. Jancke

"I can't limit myself to titles. We as Inuit shouldn't be doing that anyway. We all have a responsibility to ourselves and to each other. I'm a young, passionate Inuk who truly cares about our people. I often ask myself that question or people ask me, 'Are you this or that?' We just can't limit ourselves."

Jancke is active in the community, the region and in the wider world.

Currently programs co-ordinator, along with Julia Ogina, at the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, she's organized Inuinnaqtun language courses for youth in the region.

The effort to get such a program going stems from her own desire to speak Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun. Since 2009, she's taken language training through the Pirurvik Centre.

"I'm not fluent, but I'm progressing," said Jancke. "One of the cool things about that was it made me see how we can be running courses for young Inuit to learn the language."

She worked with the Pirurvik Centre to design a basic Inuinnaqtun-language skills course for youth. The Government of Nunavut's Department of Culture and Heritage approved funding. The program will begin in Cambridge Bay in late January and move to other communities from there.

"Aside from my own personal training, I'm really happy and excited to be co-facilitating these classes for youth in each of the Kitikmeot communities," she said. "And it's phenomenal how much interest there is.

"It really solidifies how we need to be innovative in ways that we try to revitalize our language. That's what really guides me … I try to step back and think about the bigger picture, and think of the opportunities that we can bring to the communities and to the young people."

But Jancke, who sits on the board of the National Inuit Youth Council, doesn't just stick close to home.

"There's a whole world outside of the communities that is lobbying, decision-making and changing things that are happening in the communities, things that affect us. If we stay at home and sit back, all these big picture things are happening without us being informed."

Recent conferences include Arctic Change 2014 in December in Ottawa, the United Nations World Conference on Indigenous People in September in New York City and the National Inuit Youth Council Summit in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, in August 2013.

"For the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, that was the first time we've had Inuit youth involvement. What we were doing was drafting an outcome document for the conference, which was in 2014. So in June 2013 we were hashing out what we as indigenous people need recognized in that document."

The conference was an affirming experience for Jancke.

"It was pretty clear to me that Inuit, because of our solid foundation and how we've been able to lay out our land claims, just the strength in our culture and language, that we really lead in terms of indigenous rights and issues in the world."

She was shocked that in Australia, a developed nation like Canada, indigenous people have "zero recognition."

"Unless you leave Nunavut you don't realize just how lucky we are. We live our lives knowing we have rights as Inuit. I'm so thankful to have participated in that because it does bring a grounding and strength. It shows me that we're moving in the right direction as Inuit, that we really have strengths in the things that we're doing for our people and that we need to continue to do that."

How does Jancke reconcile the strength she sees with evidence of crises – food, housing, mental wellness and suicide?

"There's no easy answer. It's probably going to take a long time to solve. We as Inuit need to take leadership to make change. Nobody will solve it for us. We have to step up and solve these issues. We have the right to our livelihoods. It's been a rough 100 years for our people. For example, my grandfather was born on the land, some people's parents were born on the land. We're in a transition period now. We're still adjusting to these changes.

"What we need to know is that we have a right to live healthy lives, lives with our culture and with our language. It's all linked together – language, culture, job training, and education – especially for mental wellness. It's up to us to find that balance between both worlds."

Jancke is so involved in the world around her that efforts could already fill a book. The UN conference was only one example.

She says it's sometimes a challenge to be continually engaged, but she has the support of her family and boyfriend to pursue the dreams and aspirations she has for Nunavut.

"I see a bright future for us. We need to fight for that bright future. We have to become educated about how much we do have available to us. "

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