Incorporation of Inuit Qaujimanituqangit, or Inuit Traditional Knowledge, into the Government of Nunavut

Abstract

Defining the term “indigenous knowledge” is a difficult process as it encompasses different things to different people. Variations on the term are about as many as there are interpretations of the concept. Inuit Qaujimanituqangit, or “Inuit traditional knowledge,” is a topic of much interest for the Government of Nunavut, which has publicly stated that it will use Inuit Qaujimanituqangit (IQ) as its foundation. IQ, in this context, becomes more than a purely intellectual exercise: from legislation and policy development, to program design and delivery, to needs assessment, statistical analysis, etc. IQ has huge practical ramifications on public administration in Nunavut. The anthropological element of IQ subsides somewhat, and contemporary political and social development issues come to the fore. IQ, then, becomes a question and means of actualizing social and political aspirations of a people. In this paper, I will talk a bit about the IQ work in the Department of Sustainable Development, the policy and program development framework that we developed for the Department, and about the model and set of guiding principles upon which we base our work.