Three Nunavummiut win Indspire awards

Indspire announced this year’s award winners and they include four Inuit, three of which are Nunavummiut: Piita Irniq for culture, heritage and spirituality, Madeleine Redfern for public service, Jorden Konek for youth and Labrador’s Gerald Anderson for environment and natural resources. (PHOTO COURTESY INDSPIRE)

Three Nunavummiut are recipients of the 2015 Indspire Awards, the indigenous education-focused organization announced Oct. 28.

Among the 14 recipients of this year’s awards, Nunavut elder and Inuit cultural teacher Piita Irniq picked up a culture, heritage and spirituality award for his work sharing Inuit culture across the country and the globe.

The former Commissioner of Nunavut hosts workshops on traditional Inuit practices, counsels Inuit inmates in southern prisons and has built inuksuit in cities across the world.

Former Iqaluit mayor Madeleine Redfern won the public service Indspire award for her social advocacy and her work with a number of organizations in Nunavut and across the country.

Following graduation from law school, Redfern became the first Inuit law clerk for the Supreme Court of Canada. Redfern went on to become executive director of the Qikiqtani Truth Commission, which explored events of the 1950s, 60s and 70s that affected Inuit living in the Baffin region, before going on to be elected as Iqaluit mayor in 2010.

And Indspire’s Inuit youth award goes to Arviat videojournalist Jordan Konek.

Konek started his own production company, Konek Productions while working as researcher with the Nanisiniq History Project in Arviat.

Konek has spoken at international conferences about Inuit perspectives on climate change. Today, Konek works as a reporter-editor for CBC North in Iqaluit.

A fourth Inuit recipient — Gerald Anderson of Labrador — won an environment and natural resources award for his work establishing fisheries and marine education in the region.

“Over the course of their professional careers, these individuals have made distinct, enduring contributions to their communities and to the entire country,” said Roberta L. Jamieson, president and CEO of Indspire.

“We are proud of each recipient and are honoured to be able to share their stories with all Canadians.”

The 2015 Indspire Awards gala will be held Feb. 27, 2015 at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary.