A model worth imitating

It’s well-known that in Nunavut, written material isn’t always the best way of communicating vital information to people.

Many people are still more comfortable using the Inuit language in its spoken form. Many are reluctant to read written materials that emanate from government and other organizations. If they do read them, they often don’t get a lot out of meaning out of them, no matter what language the materials are written in.

One reason for this is that many people are barely able to read either Inuktitut or English. But another reason for this is that many government-produced materials are so badly written, they don’t communicate any meaning anyway.

Recently, Pauktuutit, the national Inuit Women’s Association, with the help of a grant from Health Canada, produced a set of public information materials that should be held up as models of excellence for others to follow.

It’s a set of three 16-page booklets aimed at helping Inuit women better understand how to look after their health. There are three versions of each booklet: eastern Arctic syllabics, western Roman orthography, and Labrador Roman orthography.

The first, on aging, covers things like menopause and osteoporosis. The second gives advice on how to reduce the risk of getting lung, breast, and cervical cancer. The third, aimed at men as well as women, gives advice on how to avoid heart disease and stroke.

The text is written in plain, clean language. It communicates. Unlike so much of the well-intentioned junk that governments use to say things to people, these booklets use language that avoids jargon and needless formality. They’re simple, but not patronizing.

This kind of simplicity is vital, because these booklets contain potentially live-saving health information that must be communicated effectively.

The illustrations, by Alootook Ipellie, are easy to see and well-placed, showing anatomical details labeled in English and the appropriate Inuit language orthography. Pauktuutit says the booklets will be distributed to mailboxes throughout the Arctic soon, so most readers should soon be able to see examples of what we’re talking about.

Pauktuutit deserves praise, of course, for producing their series of health booklets. But they also deserve to be imitated.

Other organizations, and governments, should study what Pauktuutit has done, and then apply the lessons to their own newsletters, brochures and other written materials.

JB