Sympathy for Inuit street women

It’ s hard enough living in a southern city as an Inuk, but certainly I have it a lot easier than the Inuit women portrayed in the last issue of Nunatsiaq News. (“Chez Doris: a refuge for the Inuit street women of Montreal,” Nunatsiaq News, January 21, 2000)

It’s scary enough that you have to adapt to a completely different environment, but scarier when you don’t have the support or the resources to live a decent life.

There are many obstacles to face, and new things to learn and you have to constantly watch out for yourself. Winnipeg toughened me up. I don’ t know if that’s for the better, but you can’t be naive or trusting when you live in a city. It’s a real eye-opener and I am glad that I’ve had the opportunity because of what you learn along the way.

But unlike the women in that story, I’ve had the opportunity of visiting my family and friends and camping and doing all the things I really, really enjoy up North at least once a year. It’s not cheap but in the end it’s worth it for my well-being.

There is absolutely nothing worse than having a craving for a fresh Arctic char and dreaming about trips on the cool spring ice during the midnight sun and not being able to. Now I understand how some qallunaaqs feel when they move North.

My heart goes to those women in Montreal. I wish them the best of luck.

Joanna Awa
Winnipeg