Rosemarie Kuptana facts for kids

Rosemarie Esther Kuptana (born March 24, 1954) is an important Inuvialuit leader from Canada. She is known as a politician, a champion for Inuit rights, a broadcaster, and a journalist. She has led many Inuit groups, including the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation. Rosemarie Kuptana lives near Ottawa and has three children.

Early Life and Challenges

Rosemarie Kuptana was born in 1954. Her family was seal hunting at the time, and she was born in an igloo on the Prince of Wales Strait. Her family lived a traditional, nomadic life. They moved around a lot.

In 1958, her family settled in Sachs Harbour on Banks Island. Her father helped build a weather station there.

Residential School Experience

When Rosemarie was seven or eight, she only spoke Inuvialuktun. This is her traditional language. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police took her to a residential school in Inuvik. This school was about 525 km away.

At the school, she was not allowed to speak her own language. She was forced to learn a new culture. After 10 years, she lost her ability to speak Inuvialuktun. This made it hard to talk with elders in her home community. She later worked hard to relearn her language.

Working in Broadcasting

In 1979, Rosemarie Kuptana joined CBC Northern Service. She became a radio broadcaster. She reported on important issues for the Inuvialuit people.

Her broadcasts were in Inuvialuktun. People across the Western Arctic could hear her.

Leading the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation

Later, she joined the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation (IBC). She started as a production coordinator. In 1983, she became the president of IBC. She held this role until 1988.

As president, she made sure programs were shown in Inuktitut. This is another Inuit language. She also worked on training programs. She helped create Television Northern Canada. This network later became the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN).

Fighting for Inuit Rights

Rosemarie Kuptana has been involved in Inuit rights since 1975. She also worked on land claims. These are about who owns traditional lands.

In 1986, she became the Canadian vice chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference. This group works for Inuit people around the Arctic. She stayed in this role until 1989.

Working on Canada's Constitution

In 1991, she became chair of Inuit Tapirisat of Canada. This group represents Inuit in Canada. During talks about Canada's Constitution, she worked on the Charlottetown Accord. She tried to get the inherent right of Inuit recognized in the Constitution. She came very close to succeeding.

International Work and Support

In 1995, she became President of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference. She also helped lead the Arctic Canadian panel. This work led to the creation of the Arctic Council. The Arctic Council is a group that works on issues in the Arctic.

She has also worked with the International Institute for Sustainable Development. She helped with the Migratory Bird Treaty. She also supported Inuit people who went to residential schools. She helped them get compensation for their experiences.

In recent years, Ms. Kuptana has written articles. She has also worked on Arctic Sovereignty and Security. This is about who controls the Arctic region.

Awards and Recognition

Rosemarie Kuptana has received many awards for her work. In 1988, she became a Member of the Order of Canada. This is a high honor in Canada. Ten years later, in 1998, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

She received the Governor General's Confederation Medal. In 1994, she won a National Aboriginal Achievement Award. This award is now called the Indspire Awards. In 2002, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. In 2012, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. She also has honorary doctorates from Trent and York Universities.

See also

• The Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation