‘I did not fail the way the government probably wanted us to fail:’ William Tagoona takes Proust Questionnaire

William Tagoona is often referred as “legend.” A “pioneer,” or a “father” of Inuit rock.

But when he started playing music at the age of 13, at the residential school in Churchill, Man., he could only sing in English — he would be punished for speaking his mother tongue, he says.

But now, decades later, he is a musician, journalist and a passionate advocate for Inuit rights.

At his home in Kuujjuaq, Tagoona took some time to answer the Proust Questionnaire.

What is your greatest fear?

My greatest fear is always losing ourselves. Many of us are from the era when the government was out to eliminate our culture and our language, and many of us have experienced that.

I have the greatest admiration for the young people today. If you look at them, they’re quite different than the way we were. You start to see them wearing their tattoos and wearing clothing that is made by Inuit — they’re showing their Inukness.

Losing ourselves is a really scary thing, but we have a lot of hope as well.

Which living person do you most admire?

My father and mother. I was taken away from them very young. I was nine or 10 and I never really lived with them again.

[Tagoona was first taken to the Clearwater Lake Sanatorium in Manitoba, and shortly after that to the residential school in Churchill.]

I’m still so sorry that I did not grow up with them.

I know that the life would’ve been so different had I been with them and raised by them like any other normal child.

You can never heal from that.

What is your greatest achievement?

My greatest achievement is my family. I have a wife, and we raised children, and I see them doing well. I was there with them their whole upbringing and I see them now.

I did not fail the way the government probably wanted us to fail. That is my greatest achievement.

What is your current state of mind?

I’m very hopeful. I’m still very hopeful. There are a lot of things that we see in our communities because of drugs and alcohol, but there’s still so much hope out there.

Which talent would you most like to have?

I’d like to be a great hunter. A great hunter possesses so many skills that I don’t have — the skill to navigate without tools, for example.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I can’t think of anything. I’m happy the way I am. I wouldn’t want to go back and change anything.

What is your greatest regret?

Leaving my parents is still the greatest regret of my whole life. I don’t think you can ever heal from that. I know they talk about you learn to live with it, but it’s always in your heart.

Once in front of God, what would you tell him?

I have nothing but thanks for him. I’ll be so happy when I’m finally with him.

Nunatsiaq News is borrowing the old Proust Questionnaire parlour game to get to know people who are in the news. If you know someone in your community who our readers should get to know by taking this questionnaire, let us know by email: editors@nunatsiaq.com.