Avataq receives money for web projects

Beverley J. Oda, the federal minister of heritage, and Michael M. Fortier, the federal minister of public works, recently announced that Ottawa is supporting an Avataq Cultural Institute project.

The project involves using the Internet to raise awareness of the Inuit culture of Nunavik.

“Using Internet technology, this project will provide more Canadians with access to the treasures of our collective heritage,” Oda said.

The “Immersion in the Heart of the Inuit Culture of Nunavik” project is receiving $351,735 to increase awareness of Inuit culture through the creation of two Web portals: Ullumi and Avataq.

The Avataq portal will draw on collections of archival photographs, artworks, archaeological artifacts, oral traditions, and toponymy to present more than 4,000 years of Inuit culture and history. The Ullumi portal will focus on contemporary life in the Arctic.

“Thanks to the remarkable work of the Avataq Cultural Institute, we can all expand our knowledge of the Inuit culture,” Fortier said. “We invite young and old alike to use the new technology available to them to be acquainted with the region’s living cultural heritage.”