Zebedee Nungak facts for kids

Zebedee Nungak CQ (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅ Jaipiti Nunngaq; born 23 April 1951) is an important Canadian Inuit leader. He is an author, actor, journalist, and politician. When he was a child, Nungak was part of a special program. The Canadian government moved him and two other children from their homes. The goal was to teach them a southern way of thinking. They wanted to prepare them to be leaders in the North.

Later, Nungak played a big part in getting land rights for his people. He also helped create his home territory, Nunavik. In his early career, he worked as a translator for the government. He then helped start the Northern Quebec Inuit Association. He also signed the important James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. Nungak worked hard to make sure Inuit rights were recognized. In 2017, he received the National Order of Quebec for his work.

Zebedee Nungak's Early Life

Zebedee Nungak (Inuktitut: ᔭᐃᐱᑎ ᓄᓐᖓᖅ Jaipiti Nunngaq) was born on April 23, 1951. His birthplace was Saputiligait, a small village in Nunavik, Quebec. This village is south of Puvirnituq. When he was born, Inuit people in the East were given an "E-number." Nungak had the number E9-1956. This system ended in 1978.

Nungak's mother was part Inuit and part Scottish. He never met his Scottish grandfather. Zebedee was one of seven children. His siblings were Talasia, Poasie, Harry, Aliva, Alasie, and Joanasie. His birth name was Jabedee Noongoak. Later in life, he needed a lawyer to confirm that both names belonged to him.

The "Eskimo Experiment" Program

Between 1966 and 1969, grades 9–11, Nungak attended Ottawa's Laurentian High School.

Until he was 12, Nungak went to school in Povungnituk. On August 14, 1963, he became part of a program. It was called the "Eskimo Experiment" by the Government of Canada. Nungak, along with two other boys, Peter Ittinuar and Eric Tagoona, went to high school in southern Canada. These three children were chosen because they had good test scores. They were moved from their homes without their families fully agreeing. They lived with English-speaking families in Ottawa.

Nungak went to three schools in Ottawa: Parkway Public School, J.H. Putman Public School, and Laurentian High School. He and the other boys were good at sports like judo and swimming. They even appeared on the cover of Judo World magazine in 1964.

Nungak said he had "nothing bad to say" about his host families. However, being away from home had consequences. He missed the birth of his youngest sister. He also missed his grandmother's death. He could not contact his family while in Ottawa. When he returned home, he felt out of place. His Inuit friends made fun of him. He also felt like he didn't fit into the southern society anymore. Nungak had lost important skills. For example, he couldn't remove a seal's bile sack. He also couldn't cut snow blocks using a pana, a type of snow knife.

The Canadian government created this program to see if Inuit children were as smart as non-Inuit children. The program aimed to "teach them a southern way of thinking." The government knew this program might harm family ties and Inuit culture. In 2009, a film called The Experimental Eskimos was made about these experiences.

Zebedee Nungak's Career and Leadership

After the experiment, Nungak and Ittinuar understood both the North and the South. Nungak joined the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs. His goal was to help Inuit people govern themselves. At 19, he started working as a government translator. He returned to his home community in the 1970s. He also edited a newsletter called Tukisinaqtuk ("The Message"). He worked as a broadcaster for CBC North Iqaluit. Nungak once said he has "crossed antlers with prime ministers" during his political career.

Creating the Nunavik Region

Map of the Nunavik region

Nungak was a key person in creating the Inuit region known as Nunavik. In 1972, he and Charlie Watt started the Northern Quebec Inuit Association (NQIA). Nungak was its secretary-treasurer. This group represented the Inuit. They worked with the Grand Council of the Crees. They negotiated with the Quebec and Canadian governments for the first land claim for the Inuit. Nungak was one of eleven people who signed the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) in 1975. He also managed Saputik, an organization that held Quebec's Inuit lands.

From 1984 to 1987, Nungak co-chaired the Inuit Committee on National Issues. He negotiated with the Canadian government. He wanted Inuit rights to be part of the Canadian constitution. From 1995 to 1998, he was the president of the Makivik Corporation. This group managed money given as part of the JBNQA. He had also been its vice president.

Writing and Journalism

Nungak is a well-known journalist. He has written over sixty articles for many magazines. These include Inuktitut, This Magazine, and Windspeaker. He speaks English, French, and Inuktitut fluently. He has published books in all three languages. His writings focus on keeping Inuit stories alive. He also works to raise awareness about protecting Inuit languages.

Nungak has published collections of stories from Puvirnituq. He also published a book called Illirijavut. ᐃᓪᓕᕆᔭᕗᑦ. That which we treasure. La langue que nous chérissons. This book helps with Inuktitut language revitalization. As part of the Avataq Cultural Institute, Nungak traveled around Nunavik. He wanted to see how the Inuktitut language was doing. He then wrote a plan to help save it. Nungak strongly supports protecting Inuit languages and culture. He even hosts games of Uvangaqqaaq ('Me First'), an Inuktitut word game. He calls himself "the Alex Trebek of the North."

One of Nungak's ideas is "Qallunology." This is a fictional study where Inuit people study white people. This idea is shown in the documentary Qallunaat! Why White People Are Funny, which he helped direct.

Zebedee Nungak's Political Involvement

Nungak ran for federal and provincial office twice. In 1976, he ran as an independent politician for the seat of Duplessis in Quebec. He came in fourth place. In 1979, he ran again as an independent in the riding of Abitibi for the federal election. He did not win this race.

Nungak openly disagreed with the Quebec sovereignty movement. This movement, led by the Parti Québécois, wanted Quebec to become an independent country. Even though he was against this, Nungak did not call himself a "federalist" in the same way as the Liberal parties. He felt they did not care enough about Indigenous self-preservation.

Nungak worried that an independent Quebec would separate the Inuit of Nunavik from other Inuit in Canada. He also feared it would end Nunavik's special relationship with the federal government. He wanted the federal government to step in if Quebec became independent. He criticized the sovereignty movement for ignoring Indigenous voices. He said they were seen as "unimportant" compared to French-speaking Quebec voters. Nungak responded, "Well, it may be true that our numbers are inconsequential but the land we tread—where we have had our homes for thousands of years—is not inconsequential at all."

As president of the Makivik Corporation, Nungak traveled to places like Brussels, Geneva, and London. He spoke out against Quebec's independence movement. He met with officials at the United Nations and the Royal Geographical Society of London. Nungak also served as a councillor for the community of Kangirsuk.

Awards and Recognition

In 2017, Nungak received the National Order of Quebec. This award was given by the Premier of Quebec, Philippe Couillard. It recognized his important work for Quebec's society. He was given the Knight insignia.

In 2021, Nungak received the First Peoples' Medal. This award was given by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, J. Michel Doyon. It honored his contributions to his community and beyond.

Zebedee Nungak's Personal Life

Nungak lives in Kangirsuk with his wife and seven children. He works as a cultural commentator. He also works for the Avataq Cultural Institute on language preservation. Nungak enjoys playing the accordion.

Images for kids

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  Between 1966 and 1969, grades 9–11, Nungak attended Ottawa's Laurentian High School.

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  Map of the Nunavik region