Ottawa puts money into two Inuit-language books

An entity called the Unaaq Cultural Society will get $80,300 from the Department of Canadian Heritage to produce two Inuit-language school books for children and youth, the department said in a news release.

The group will produce a 48-page Inuit-language book about constellations and cosmology aimed at children from Grade 4 to Grade 8.

The group will also use the money to produce a 60-page book on folklore surrounding “the little people” for students in Grade 6 to Grade 12.

The Unaaq society will also train up to 10 young people, who will interview and film Kivalliq elders who have knowledge of the constellations or old folk tales.

The group will distribute 500 copies of each book to schools, early childhood centres and community libraries in Nunavut.

They will also make it available on the website of the Nunavut Bilingual Education Society.