Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk facts for kids

Mitiarjuk Attasie Nappaaluk (1931–2007) was an amazing Canadian Inuk writer. She is best known for her book, Sanaaq. This was one of the very first novels written in the Inuktitut language. Even though it was written earlier, it was published after another famous book, Harpoon of the Hunter, by Markoosie Patsauq.

About Mitiarjuk Attasie Nappaaluk

Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk was born in 1931 near a place called Kangiqsujuaq in Quebec, Canada. She didn't start formal school until she was twenty years old.

She began writing her novel Sanaaq in the early 1950s. A missionary, who was a religious person, asked her to write some sentences in Inuktitut. He wanted to learn the language. Mitiarjuk wrote her novel using Inuktitut syllabics, which is a special writing system for the Inuktitut language.

The book Sanaaq was not published until 1984. However, it quickly became a very important story for Inuit communities. People all across the Canadian Arctic loved it. Later, the novel was translated into French in 2002. An English version came out in 2014, so even more people could read her work.

Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk also helped translate the Roman Catholic Book of Prayer into Inuktitut. She wrote several other books too. These books were about traditional language and culture. They were used in Inuit schools to help young people learn. She also worked on Nunavik's Inuktitut Language Commission. This group helps protect and promote the Inuktitut language. She was also an advisor for the Kativik School Board. Mitiarjuk was married to Naalak Nappaaluk, who also worked to share Inuit cultural traditions.

Special Recognitions

Mitiarjuk Attasie Nappaaluk received many important awards for her work.

In 2004, she was named a Member of the Order of Canada. This is one of the highest honours a person can receive in Canada. It recognizes people who have made a big difference to the country.

She also won a National Aboriginal Achievement Award. This award celebrates the achievements of Indigenous people in Canada. Mitiarjuk also received an honorary degree from McGill University. This means the university recognized her great contributions, even though she didn't attend there as a student.