Indigenous Success Stories: Inuit

“Qaumajuq” [HOW-ma-yourq], meaning ‘It is bright, it is lit,” which celebrates the light that flows into the new building connected to the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The circle of language keepers representing Indigenous communities across Inuit Nunangat and Treaty 1 territory endowed the WAG building with an Anishinaabemowin name: Biindigin Biwaasaeyaah {BEEN-deh-gen Bi-WAH-say-yah}, meaning “Come on in, the dawn of light is here” or “the dawn of light is coming.”

Bill C-91 “The Indigenous Languages Act” will among other provisions:

• contributes to the objectives of the declaration
• supports the reclamation, revitalization, strengthening and maintenance of Indigenous languages in Canada
• supports and promotes the use of Indigenous languages
• commits to working with provinces, territories, Indigenous representative organizations and Indigenous governments to create effective support for Indigenous languages in Canada through a variety of mechanisms
• establishes an Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages