Helping to shape education
Gjoa Haven woman using fellowship program to advocate for teaching aboriginal history
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, March 28, 2016
UQSUQTUUQ/FAIRBANKS, ALASKA
Angela Nuliayok Rudolph's hunger for education just keeps growing.
The Gjoa Haven woman has made her way to a master's degree program in the Department of Arctic and Northern Studies at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, which focuses on the interdisciplinary study of Northern problems and policy issues.
Yukon Deputy Premier Elaine Taylor, left, Jane Glassco Northern Fellow Angela Nuliayok Rudolph of Gjoa Haven, Meagan Grabowski of Whitehorse and former Chief of the Carcross-Tagish First Nation Mark Wedge at the first of four gatherings of fellows, held Aug. 20 to 23 in the Yukon. - photo courtesy of The Gordon Foundation |
Rudolph is also, at the same time, a fellow with the 2015 to 2017 cohort of the Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship program offered by the Gordon Foundation.
Her journey began as a student at Nunavut Sivuniksavut.
"The reason I wanted to go into teaching is I attended Nunavut Sivuniksavut and learned about Nunavut and Inuit history and I thought it was a crime that we weren't taught these things in high school about our own history. I wanted to go in education," she said by telephone from Fairbanks.
From there, Rudolph attended the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, completing a Bachelor of Arts in social science, with a focus on native studies. Then came a Bachelor of Education, specializing in intermediate/secondary native studies and social science.
She says she was homesick at first but, now, she's used to being away from home.
"I worked as a high school social studies and Aulajaaqtut teacher," said Rudolph about her next step.
"But as I was teaching I realized there's more to teaching than I thought. I thought I would be able to teach the content and material that I wanted but from the contract I was obligated to teach the curriculum that the school board thought was necessary to teach because of their own policies that they have."
That's when she realized that if she wanted to make a real difference in education, policy might be the way to go.
"After learning I was accepted (in the masters program), I was going through Facebook and one of my friends shared a link to the application for the Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship. It talked about how it focuses on Arctic policy. I thought this would be a really great opportunity, this fellowship combined with my master's," said Rudolph.
"What a coincidence that it happened that way. A lucky coincidence."
As part of the two-year fellowship program, Rudolph is teamed up with a mentor - Dr. Dalee Sambo Dorough, an Inupiat lawyer and professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, specializing in human rights. Sambo Dorough is also the chairperson and an expert member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
"She advocates a lot for education rights for indigenous people," said Rudolph.
"Because we live in two different cities we have a unique relationship. We do a lot of e-mailing. We talk over the phone. She travelled to meet me last semester and I'll travel to meet her next month."
Rudolph says Sambo Dorough provides her with knowledge and resources.
"My focus is on circumpolar education for Inuit and she's provided me with a network of people in education, in organizations."
Sambo Dorough also helped Rudolph formulate her research questions and her research plan for the next two years.
As part of her research, Rudolph works with focus groups of Inuit youth.
"They are able to discuss these education issues and how they think their education should look. They really do have a lot to say," she said.
"I'm always surprised at how willing and open they are, and how eager they are to share their experience and knowledge. It's really surprising considering how often Inuit are very quiet, humble, modest and reserved.
"But the moment I give them the floor to talk about their education and what they think the future of Inuit education should look like, they're very outspoken. It's as if they're just waiting for somebody to come along and hear what they have to say."
Ultimately, Rudolph may want to work for a policy-creating or enforcing body, such as the Inuit Circumpolar Council or the Arctic Council.
"The way I see it is Inuit face a circumpolar reality. There are so many circumpolar issues that are not confined within one border that Inuit live in, like climate change and resource development. These issues are trans-boundary. And I think Inuit should be prepared to address those issues," said Rudolph.
"One way to do it is through education."
She adds, "But my plans are not set in stone right now. I might end up back home. I've got time to think about it."
