Cathy Towtongie takes some time to answer the Proust Questionnaire. (File photo by Sarah Rogers)
Kamiks, Trump and Celine Dion: Cathy Towtongie takes the Proust Questionnaire
Former NTI president is enjoying her time away from public eye
After spending more than 30 years in public life, Cathy Towtongie is enjoying a rest.
“It was a busy time,” the former MLA said of her most recent foray into the political world — a run for president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. in December, which she ultimately lost to Jeremy Tunraluk.
“Selling yourself is the hardest part of being a politician.”
Now, the 66-year-old is spending her time being a grandmother and seamstress, focusing on herself and her family.
She recently took time to answer the Proust Questionnaire from her home in Rankin Inlet.
What is your greatest fear?
I think right now, because of the high suicide rates across Nunavut, for my grandsons to lose hope.
In our history, it was the elders who used to commit suicide when they felt they were useless.
My greatest fear is my grandsons believing they are useless in the Western world.
I don’t want them to cut their life off. I want them to enjoy it.
Which living person do you most admire?
My husband.
What is your greatest achievement?
The greatest achievement, for me personally, is knowing how to sew waterproof kamik. You can wade through the ocean water [and] the lakes in them and people admire them.
I’m a residential school survivor, so it took me years to gain that authenticity, and I know if people wear them they can survive in the environment that we are in.
Which person do you most despise?
I think at the moment, Trump [U.S. President Donald Trump].
He’s very unpredictable as a leader, and at this time our world needs certainty, stable leaders, and Trump has the ability to affect the world. But he’s very unpredictable and… I have no words, I can just say Trump.
Which talent would you most like to have?
I love singing. I think I would like to sing like Céline Dion. Oh, I love her voice.
Where would you like to live?
Rankin Inlet is the centre of my universe, but I also love northern Saskatoon. I have great friends in Saskatoon among Cree people on a reserve.
They’re so kind. When you really get to know them, they’ll give you the shirt off their back.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I think I would stop being so meticulous.
I just think and rethink, and rethink. I would like to change that, where I would just not care. But I do care.
What is your greatest regret?
My greatest regret is not paying more attention to my father when he was boating from Coats Island to Coral Harbour and he would put me in his seat and tell me, “Panik, look at the seaweed, look at the waves, which direction are we heading?”
I didn’t get it.
I could have learned it, but I didn’t get that education, because I had to leave to a residential school before I could.
How would you like to die?
Naturally, but happy. So don’t mourn me — laugh. There’s enough sadness in the world, and people that know me know I have a good sense of humour.
Once in front of God, what would you tell him?
I tried. I tried my very best. And I love you because I’ve felt your love.
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.
Everyone should be able to tell their story, and no one story is bigger, better or more meaningful than another. Many small towns in Canada, saw it mostly in Newfoundland and Labrador where elders stories are collected in a published magazine yearly, great stories and collections of history. One thing in this interview with the story, of this: how elders felt useless and committed suicide? We don’t usually hear or recognize this today. I think it’s significant in that it may be passed down to the generations, but interpretation of other reasons to suit today’s struggles. But it’s something nonetheless in the history, in the blood, just saying. And why would elders feel useless ? That too is interesting. Are we making our kids feel useless even today, and maybe more so than pass times. As today, the story of suicide and a useless feeling shows more in our young people. Bless and blame not, but history of suicide could be nailed down to people making others feel less of people within the people themselves. Your turn.
Very interesting suicide story indeed. Before contact with outside world Inuit were mainly concerned with surviving. To survive the arctic takes incredible amount of wherewithal which Inuit were very capable of doing. However, elderly or even severely sick people maybe couldn’t keep up with surviving, and saw themselves as a hinderance for the rest of the tribe.
I love these quesnnaires. It’s nice to get to know people. Thank you for sharing Cathy Towtongie 😌❤️