Inuit leaders, newly appointed ministers gather at Tapiriit 2025 gala
Ottawa event celebrates Inuit food, culture for about 700 guests at National Arts Centre
Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, speaks at Tapiriit, the organization’s annual social event, held Tuesday evening at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. (Photo by Nehaa Bimal)
A celebration of Inuit food, leadership and sovereignty took centre stage Tuesday night as Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami hosted its annual social event Tapiriit at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
Tapiriit — meaning “united” in Inuktut — brought together more than 700 guests, including Inuit leaders, federal cabinet ministers, premiers and cultural figures, for an evening of traditional country food and music.
From left, Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Rebecca Alty, and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. President Jeremy Tunraluk attend the Tapiriit event at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on Tuesday (Photo by Blair Gable)
ITK president Natan Obed acknowledged the presence of several Inuit regional leaders in his opening remarks, including Duane Smith, chairperson and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corp.; Jeremy Tunraluk, president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.; and Johannes Lampe, president of the Nunatsiavut government.
Also in attendance were Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok, Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai, and National Inuit Youth Council president Susie-Ann Kudluk.
Several newly appointed federal ministers were there, fresh from a swearing-in ceremony earlier Tuesday at Rideau Hall, including Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty, and Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand.
Obed used his speech to underline increasing engagement between Inuit organizations and the federal government, citing the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee and the existence of three federal ministries dedicated to Inuit-related issues.
He also warned of growing geopolitical threats to the North and neighbouring Greenland and affirmed the role Inuit play in defending Canadian Arctic sovereignty.
“We know that the Arctic, the Northwest Passage, and the strategic space above the Canadian Arctic is, in the geopolitical sense, fraught with risk,” Obed said. “We as Inuit uphold the sovereignty for this space for Canada.”
Guests mill around the quaq station hosted by Ethan Angnatok, Mary Tatty and Alicia Manik, sampling raw Arctic meats at Tapiriit. (Photo by Nehaa Bimal)
He called on Canada to uphold its constitutional obligations and land claims agreements, emphasizing that Inuit are “not just recipients of benevolence from this country.”
“We are active parts in ensuring that Canada is as strong and as free as it possibly can,” he said, while pledging to be “faithful partners” to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government.
The event featured a selection of traditional Inuit country foods, including smoked iqaluk (Arctic char), umingmak (muskox) meatballs with paurngaq gravy, and reindeer sausage pogos.
The menu was curated by food consultant Malaya Qaunirq Chapman, who also works with the television show Nunavummi Mamarijavut, an Inuit culinary series on APTN.
She collaborated on the menu for two months with Kenton Leier, executive chef with National Arts Centre, and sous-chef Chris Commandant.
A quaq station featuring raw Arctic meats was hosted by Ethan Angnatok, Mary Tatty and Alicia Manik. Country food suppliers included Kitikmeot Foods, Kivalliq Arctic Foods, Pangnirtung Fisheries and the Inuvialuit Country Food Processing Plant.
Obed closed his speech by emphasizing the collective effort needed to support Inuit priorities.
“This is something that we know is possible, and it takes every last one of you in this room to work in concert, to imagine a better Canada,” Obed said.
“A place where Inuit Nunangat is not only a name that people understand, but… it actually has teeth and meaning to the way in which Canada makes its decisions about the Arctic.”
While people are living in their feces and cannot wash themselves in Puvirnituq – we got to start to address the undignified reality in which to many Inuit are living. Individual got to start healing before that society can heal – no one can heal when living in such conditions. But eh, let’s show off the beauty of Inuit culture in Ottawa.
Should itk and everyone else just never celebrate, communicate, network or maake partnerships to better inuit at these events.
It seems counter-intuitive at first blush, but we the Inuit need this space and forum for Inuit Nunangat needs, aspirations and accomplishments.
space and forum for Inuit Nunangat to express its needs, aspirations and accomplishments.
Until you start holding these kind of gala in Nunavut when the real issues are
Holding them in the south the reality in Nunavut will never be addressed fully
Why is there never any galas in Nunavut where Nunavumiut can attended to
To let the younger the see the happening and learn and led from seeing the older generation doing it
Until then
Having elderly parents is a challenge. Many young parents and their children has got everything. But elderly parents don’t really get much attention. Just being discriminated public ATVs and loud vehicles and people just takes advantage of their stuff. Inuit communities like arviat, no fun. Huvalikiaq our elders are brain washed from the past alwasy goes on around white man’s way, but our generation today, there’s just no jobs for their elderly kids.
Alot of their kids just don’t work, their elderly parents are well and but kids here in arviat, all grown up no jobs, just unemployment just being bossed around.
Many younger generations just don’t know what they’re doing.