Arviat mayor unfazed by criticism
of his Israel hats
Critic has 2nd thoughts about possibly teaching at hamlet’s future university campus if local leaders show support for ‘genocidal ideologies’
Arviat Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr. participates in the Nunavut Association of Municipalities annual general meeting in November 2024. Savikataaq says he’s free to wear what he wants amid online criticism of him being pictured wearing hats representing Israel. (File photo by Arty Sarkisian)
A hat is just a hat, says Arviat Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr., after his choice to wear a Star of David tuque on national news last month drew criticism from Nunavut and across the country.
“To me, it’s just a hat, no different than wearing a hamlet hat or a Nunatsiaq News hat or a Canada hat or American hat,” Savikataaq said in a phone interview.
Savikataaq sported the tuque in an April 25 CBC News story about his hamlet’s celebration for being chosen as the host community of Inuit Nunangat University’s main campus. Savikataaq and his hat appeared on a television broadcast of The National and on the CBC News website.
Dozens of people have posted on social media to both criticize and support Savikitaaq’s choice. The posts have drawn hundreds of comments.
Beth Kotierk, a lawyer originally from Nunavut, is calling on Savikitaaq to apologize and stop wearing the hats.
“It’s showing a political support for a a settler colony that is in active, ongoing genocide,” Kotierk said in an interview.
Israel has been at war with Hamas, a Palestinian militant group in Gaza, for two and a half years, since Hamas killed 1,200 people in Israel and took approximately 250 others hostage on Oct. 7, 2023.
Since then, Israel has killed more than 72,000 people in Palestine and injured 172,000 others, according to the World Health Organization.
Human rights organizations have accused Israel of committing genocide, and many pro-Palestian protests have taken place around the world, including in Iqaluit. The United Nations has also concluded that Israel’s war on Palestine is a genocide.
Kotierk said the university announcement was exciting and she was interested in moving to Arviat to teach a law class.
However, seeing a hamlet leader wear symbols representing Israel gives her second thoughts.
“Teaching there would still be ideal, but being exposed to such ideologies, genocidal ideologies and supports for genocide within a small community can be even more isolating than it has already been,” said Kotierk, who converted to Islam in 2023 after a visit to the West Bank.
“It’s been an isolating experience already as a visible Muslim, so it wouldn’t really be a welcoming environment.”
Kotierk resigned from her role on the advisory board for Nutrition North Canada in December 2023, in protest of the Canadian government’s continued support of Israel.
Last month isn’t the first time Savikitaaq has been photographed at a public event in Israel gear, and his green Star of David tuque isn’t the only hat of this type that he owns. The Arviat mayor was photographed at a Nunavut Association of Municipalities event in 2024 wearing a black Star of David ball cap.
When asked, Savikitaaq wouldn’t say what his intention was with his hat selection. He said he has a right to freely wear and express what he wants.
“If people aren’t happy with me, they can contact me directly,” he said. “I’m not concerned about, and I don’t look at, what people wear. It’s up to them.”
To each their own !!!!!!
An opinion coming from someone who has not been invited to teach at the university because the university is not at the point of even trying to find professors. This sounds more like self promotion and grand standing. Plus Beth herself wears a hijab which is her choice and she should be free to make her own choice, although some might question and challenge that choice but it is hers to make.
A hat is a hat he says, wonder how he feels about a certain kind of red hat
“To me, it’s just a hat, no different than wearing a hamlet hat or a Nunatsiaq News hat or a Canada hat or American hat,” uh-huh, the diaper is overflowing on this guy.
Universities are supposed to be places where free thinking, open dialogue, and difficult discussions are encouraged. Not places where people are expected to conform to one political view before they are considered welcome.
Mayor Savikataaq said he has the right to wear what he chooses, and that is part of free expression. Ms. Kotierk is also free to disagree with him. But suggesting that a community would be unwelcoming, or that its leaders support “genocidal ideologies,” because of a hat seems contrary to the spirit of academic debate and open-mindedness that universities should stand for.
If that is her view of dialogue and disagreement, then perhaps it is for the best that she would not be teaching there.
That is a sports cap as in baseball.
A tuque has no visor. Also genocide is based on intent. Palestinian are just unwanted people even by other Arab nations just like some Jew are hated by other ethnic people around the world.
Sad part is nobody would bat an eye if it was a Palestinian flag. I don’t care for either side in this conflict, but I won’t try and defame someone’s reputation l or doxx them online because of their political stance and beliefs. Free will and free speech and what make nunavut and canada great. This is exactly the kind of thinking we need the Nunavut University to be defined by. Thank you Mr. Mayor for standing up and not letting the woke leftists tear you down. Arviat strong!
Any politician should be respectable. A baseball cap/hat/etc should not be allowed when in meetings or in public when on mayor duty. Be more respectable and have common sense to dress appropiately. We dont see the Mayors from the south dress like the mayors in the North at all. You all say North is no different from the south. Then act like it.
Universities used to be all about challenging mainstream narrative. Now this guy challenges the narrative and he people say he shouldn’t get a univetsity in his town? Crazy
Good man Joe jr, known you and your family for decades, very honourable people, ignore all these hateful racist trolls, and as a northerner, we are all the same, a hat is a hat,and remember True North strong and free.ok trolls let’s go
Holy Anaq! Let’s gave it a rest. Edmonton Eskimos then this? Small group in south of 60 is thinks they that are ALL THAT. Visit Arviat and find out, talk to Edmonton Eskimos fan club in Inuit lands and hear their stories that was unheard. Help your fellow Inuit with high cost of living and high cost of transportation.