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Paper short abstract

Inuit narratives, from the Aurora to Sedna, offer insights into place. Through Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and an interdisciplinary lens of Indigenous Studies, Education, and autoethnographical reflection, I will share how Inuit voices can be shared in a respectful way across cross-cultural contexts.

Paper long abstract

From the Aurora to Sedna, Inuit narratives are insightful reflections on engagement with the environment. The offer a way of exploring the impact of place on people and people’s role in maintaining harmonious existence with all life. Grounded in the interdisciplinary intersections of Indigenous Studies, Education, contemplative inquiry, language learning, and autoethnography, I will share reflections about my experiences of drawing upon Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) principles through the Inuuqatigiitsiarniq (Respecting Others, Relationships, and Caring for People) strand Uqausiliriniq, which focuses on relationships, Inuuqatiqarunnaqsivallianiq (Building Relationships), and Hivitugumik Tautungniq (Taking the Long View) as a way of engaging with Inuit narratives in postsecondary literature and education classes as an interdisciplinary educator. I will share how IQ principles offer a path for non-Inuit educators to share narratives and engage in a respectful way across cross-cultural contexts. I will assert that grounding learning in place-conscious, decolonizing, Inuit narratives is a meaningful way to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action in Canada, to support the success of Indigenous learners, and to help non-Indigenous learners develop more wholistic understandings of the impact of differing relationships of Indigenous and settler people to the environment. I will advocate for amplifying Inuit stories as a means of building collaborative, mutually respectful relationships; decolonizing education; enacting social justice toward the environment and marginalized Inuit communities and narratives in public education; and a significant means of demonstrating solidarity with Inuit people by non-Inuit postsecondary educators.