"The Experimental Eskimos" Screening and Inuit Elder Visit
Inuit Day is November 7th!
Join us for a captivating screening of the documentary "The Experimental Eskimos" followed by a sharing circle with Inuit elder Minnie Akparook. Elder Minnie will be in the Office of Indigenous Relations throughout the day, so please feel welcome to come and spend some time together!
When: Tuesday, November 7, 2023 | 12:30 - 2:30 PM
Where: EC5 1111
Let the stories of resilience, tradition and innovation inspire us on this special occasion!
To attend the screening and sharing circle, please register here.
Documentary Synopsis
In the early 1960s the Canadian government conducted an experiment in social engineering. Three young Inuit boys were separated from their families in the Arctic and were sent to Ottawa, the nation's capital, to live with white families and to be educated in white schools. The consequences the experiment would have on the boys, their identity and culture was brushed aside. The bureaucrats did not anticipate the outcome. The three grow up to be political activists and leaders - often at odds with the government that brought them south. They establish Indigenous rights in Canada and are instrumental in the creation of Nunavut, the world's largest self-governed Indigenous territory. But it all comes at a tremendous personal cost. Peter Ittinuar, Zebedee Nungak, and Eric Tagoona recount their stories, achievements and challenges in this film about an attempt at assimilation, empowerment, and the triumph of the human spirit.—Anonymous