Image retrieved from: The Walrus
Tansi Nîtôtemtik,
Today’s spotlight post is on Natan Obed, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) President and Canadian National Inuit Leader. Born in Labrador, Obed spent his teen years in the United States.[1] His mother was white American and his father was Inuk.[2] His parents met at the residential school where his mother was a dorm mother.[3] Because of his “mixed” upbringing, many questioned his identity as Inuk.[4] Regardless of the skepticism, Obed did not allow any of these judgments to hinder his ability to lead. In 2015, Natan Obed ran for president for the ITK. [5] The ITK is “the national representational organization protecting and advancing the rights and interests of Inuit in Canada.”[6]
Natan Obed was forty-two when he ran in the election.[7] As the youngest of the three candidates, many felt that he reflected “a new generation of Inuit in Canada” and that he was best-suited to lead a population of which the majority are under twenty-five.”[8] Others doubted his ability to lead, stating that he was not “Inuk enough.” [9] Of particular concern for some in the community was the fact that Obed was not fluent in Inuktitut, the “Inuit language as spoken in Nunuvut.”[10] This has not deterred Obed. In fact, he urges that individuals being perceived as not “Inuk enough” based on their lack of fluency in the language is “not reflective of where we’re at.”[11] According to Obed, “there’s so many young Inuit now that are not completely fluent in Inuktitut, that have grown up with one parent who’s Inuk and one parent who has grown up outside of it.”[12]
Natan Obed is a modern representation of the Inuit community. He has used his media knowledge to “convey a modern, nuanced idea of what it means to be Inuk – a picture that includes the effects of colonialism across generations and supersedes long-held stereotypes.”[13] He hopes that going forward, the Inuit Peoples will be able to “continue to implement self-determination.”[14] He is also focused on reducing violence in Inuit communities and ensuring that traditions are passed down from generation to generation.[15] Furthermore, he hopes to be “celebrating classes of Inuit people who are doing amazing work.”[16]
Until Next Time,
Team ReconciliAction YEG
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[1] Samia Madwar, “Becoming Natan Obed” (12 November 2019) The Walrus, online: www.thewalrus.ca/becoming-natan-bed/ [Madwar].
[2] CBC Radio, “’I am Inuk’: Natan Obed on his Complicated Childhood, Challenging Questions and the Future of the Inuit” (5 April 2019) CBC, online: www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/> [CBC Radio].
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Madwar, supra note 1.
[6] Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, online: <www.itk.ca>.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Madwar, supra note 1.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Inuktut Tusaalanga, “What is Inuktut?”, online: <www.tusaalanga.ca/node/2502/>.
[11] CBC Radio, supra note 2.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Madwar, supra note 1.
[14] CBC Radio, supra note 2.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid.
