ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒦᑉᐳᖅ, ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᕐᒥ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᔨᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᑦ
ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖓᓐᓂ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᕗᖅ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᓕᖅᑐᒥ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑐᑦ-ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᑐᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ, ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᔪᐊᓇᓯ ᑯᓪᓗᐊᕈᒃ
ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᔨᐅᔪᑦ ᔪᐊᓇᓯ ᑯᓪᓗᐊᕈᒃ, ᓴᐅᒥᖕᒥ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᒥᐊᕆ ᑲᕕᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᑲᑕᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᕗᖅ ᐃᓱᒪᓂ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ ᐃᓄᖕᓂ. (ᐋᑎ ᓴᑮᓯᐊᓐᒧᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᔪᖅ)
For English version, see ‘What does maqaitu-ing mean?’ Inuktitut faces challenging times, Sanikiluaq teachers say
ᖃᖓᓕᒫᑦᑎᐊᖅ ᔪᐊᓇᓯ ᑯᓪᓗᐊᕈᒃ ᑐᓴᕌᖓᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᒥ “ᒪᖃᐃᑦᑐ-ᐃᖕᒥ” ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ, ᐃᕐᙲᓐᓇᑲᐅᑎᒋ “ᑐᑮᕈᑎᓲᖑᕗᖅ.”
“ᖃᓄᖅ ‘ᒪᖃᐃᑦᑐ-ᐃᖕ’ ᑐᑭᖃᖅᐸ? ᑕᐃᓐᓇ ‘-ᐃᖕ’ ᓇᑭᙶᖅᐸ?” ᐃᓱᒪᓪᓗᓂ.
ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑑᓗᖅᑎᑦᑎᓲᖑᕗᑦ ᐃᓄᑦᑎᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᓂᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ ᒪᖃᐃᑦᑐᒥ (ᐊᖑᓇᓱᖕᓂᖅ) ᐃᓚᓯᓪᓗᑎᒃ “ᐃᖕ−ᒥᑦ,” ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᐅᕗᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᑉ ᑲᑕᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓᓂ, ᒥᐊᕆ ᑲᕕᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ. (ᐋᑎ ᓴᑮᓯᐊᓐᒧᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᔪᖅ)
ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ ᒪᖃᐃᑦᑐ ᑐᑭᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᒪᒃᑯᖕᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑑᓗᖅᑎᑦᑎᓲᖑᕗᑦ, ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑯᓪᓗᐊᕈᒃ, ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᔨᐅᔪᖅ ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᕐᒥ ᐹᑦᓵᓕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖓᓂ.
ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑑᓗᖅᑎᑦᑎᓲᕐᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ “ᒪᖃᐃᑦᑐ-ᐃᖕ” ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓂᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᕗᖅ ᐊᑲᐅᙱᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᔪᒥ, ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᕗᖅ ᒥᐊᕆ ᑲᕕᒃ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓲᖑᔪᒥ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᒥᖅᓱᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ.
“ᑲᑕᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᒥ ᐱᒋᐊᓲᖑᕗᖅ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.
“ᐅᖃᓪᓚᐃᓐᓇᕈᕕᑦ ᐃᒡᓘᑉ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ, ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᐃᕖᑎᑐᑦ.”
ᐅᓄᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ ᐃᓄᒃᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᑎᐅᔪᓂ ᑲᑕᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒐᓴᓄᑦ. ᑭᓪᓕᓯᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓂᑯᓂ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᕗᖅ ᐃᓚᖓᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᓂ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᑐᖃᓪᓚᕆᖓᓂ ᐃᓄᒃᑑᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑲᑕᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ 52.9 ᐳᓴᓐᑎᒥ 2021−ᒥ 61.9 ᐳᓴᓐᑎᒥ 2016−ᒥ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 2001−ᒥ, 69.6 ᐳᓴᓐᑎᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᑭᓪᓕᓯᓂᐊᖅᑎᓂᑦ.
ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᐅᓕᒫᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᕗᖅ ᑕᒪᒃᑭᒐᓚᖕᓂ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᐅᓯᓂᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖓᓐᓂ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ “ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓴᕋᐃᓐᓂᖏᓐᓂ,” ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᒥ — ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖓ ᐱᓇᖕᓇᕐᒥ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ — “ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᖅᑐᒦᓪᓚᕆᖕᓂᖓᓂ.”
ᑭᓱᑐᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᐱᐅᙱᑦᑐᐊᓘᙱᓚᑦ ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᕐᒥ, ᑕᒪᒃᑭᒐᓚᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᑦ ᓱᓕ ᐃᒻᒥᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᔪᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᐅᔪᓐᓃᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᕗᖅ, ᑲᕕᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.
ᒫᓐᓇᑎᑑᙱᑦᑐᖅ, ᐱᐅᓯᖃᑎᒋᔭᖏᑦ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᐸᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ. ᒫᓐᓇ ᐊᐃᑉᐸᖔᖓᓅᓕᖅᐳᖅ ᑕᒪᒃᑭᒐᓚᖕᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᒌᖑᔪᓄᑦ.
“ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑐᐊᖅ ᐅᖃᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᒥ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ. ᐱᕕᖃᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᐳᒍᑦ ᑲᑎᖃᑎᖃᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ — ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑐᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᓚᐅᙱᑦᑎᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑲᑎᖃᑎᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᕙᓚᐅᙱᓚᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒥ,” ᑲᕕᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.
ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᕈᓐᓇᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓅᓱᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᑕᒪᒃᑭᒐᓚᐃᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒥᓂᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᖃᓗᓈᑎᑑᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ.
“ᐸᓯᕙᒃᑲ ᐅᖃᓘᑎᕋᓛᑦ,” ᑯᓪᓗᐊᕈᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ. “ᑕᓚᕖᓴᓲᖑᕗᑦ, ᐅᖃᓕᒫᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᕙᐃᔅᐳᒃᒥ — ᐊᒻᒪ ᑕᒪᒃᑭᑦᑎᐊᖅ ᖃᓗᓈᑎᑑᖅᐳᑦ.”
ᐊᒻᒪᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ, ᐊᒥᓱᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓱᓇᒃᑯᑖᑦ ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᕐᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖓ ᐱᕙᒃᑕᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂ ᑐᕌᖓᓂᖃᙱᓚᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᐅᓯᖓᓐᓂ.
“ᐅᓇ ᑐᑭᖃᙱᑦᑎᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ,” ᑯᓪᓗᐊᕈᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ, ᑎᒃᑯᐊᕆᓪᓗᓂ ᖄᖓᓂ ᐃᓐᕼᐋᐱᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᒐᕐᒥ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᔪᒥ ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᕐᒥ ᓂᕕᐊᖅᓵᒥᒃ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᒧᒥᒃᓯᔾᔪᑎᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐹᓐᑲᐃᒃᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᒥ ᑕᐃᒎᓯᖃᖅᖢᓂ.
“ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᒥᒃ, ᑐᑭᖃᖅᑐᒃᓴᐅᕗᖅ ᐹᓐᑲᐃᒃᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥ,’ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᙱᓚᕋ ᐅᓇ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.
ᓱᓕ, ᑯᓪᓗᐊᕈᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓂᕆᐅᖕᓂᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ ᐆᒪᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐃᓱᒪᐅᔪᓂ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓂ ᐃᓄᖕᓂ ᐅᕙᓃᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑎᑑᓗᖅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᓗᐊᖅᑐᓂ, ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᔪᓂ.
“ᑕᒻᒪᙱᓐᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᑏᓐᓇᕈᑦᑎᒍᑦ — ᐄ. ᐊᔭᐅᕇᓐᓇᕈᑦᑎᒍᑦ — ᐄ,” ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.
“ᐅᓇ ᐱᐅᓯᕆᕙᕗᑦ. ᐊᓯᐅᔨᖁᙱᓚᒃᑲ.”
Students are being criticized for not speaking Inuktitut correctly, and they’re not being properly educated by the teachers. What I’ve been seeing is students are being questioned if they’re right or wrong without being corrected by the teacher and just shut off, maybe if they’re corrected without criticism, they would speak Inuktitut fluently without mixing it with English.