Language Revitalization: Inuvialuit Cultural Centre Pitquhiit-Pitqusiit in Inuvik, Canada
This text was produced for the Ságastallamin - Telling the Story of Arctic Indigenous Languages exhibition in 2019. Read more about the Ságastallamin exhibition.
Teaching material: Michaela Stith
Language and teaching resources for Inuvialuit
The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) established the Inuvialuit Cultural Centre in 1998 to preserve and revitalize the Inuvialuktun language and create teaching resources for schools in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. This is accomplished by assisting elders, supporting Inuvialuktun teachers in thedevelopment of a language curriculum, and promoting the development of the Inuvialuktun language.
The Inuvialuit Cultural Centre works to support the identification, preservation, use and revitalization of the three dialects spoken throughout the Inuvialuit Settlement Region – Uummarmiutun, Sallirmiutun and Kangiryuarmiutun – through the Aboriginal Language Revitalization project. The Centre has published several children’s books, dictionaries and grammer books in each of the three dialects.
To provide teaching resources, the Centre hires one staff member to support eight Inuvialuktun teachers based throughout the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. The Inuvialuit Cultural Centre also produces a calendar, booklets, translation and teaching resources in three dialects based on the Inuvialuktun 2nd Language Curriculum.
Moreover, the Centre produces useful online resources for educators and the public. The Inuvialuit History Timeline uses legends and stories, archaeological sites, museum collections, archive photos and documents, art and written history as resources to center the words of elders and leaders in Inuvialuit history. Meanwhile, the Inuvialuit Pitqusiit Inuuniarutait: Inuvialuit Living History website features teachers’ resources and interactive lesson plans tailored to meet the Northwest Territories’ curriculum requirements so Inuvialuit youth can reference their own culture and history online.
The IRC continues to support the Centre to improve the economic, social, and cultural well-being of the Inuvialuit.
Website and social media
www.irc.inuvialuit.com/service/inuvialuit-cultural-centre-pitquhiit-pitqusiit
Facebook: @inuvialuithistory
Disclaimer
All information was obtained from the Inuvialuit Cultural Centre website.