On July 9, 2013, Nunavut will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. To commemorate this major landmark in Nunavut and Canadian history, NTI commissioned a monument to pay tribute to the decades of tireless work of everyone who helped conceive, negotiate, and now implement the NLCA.
NTI selected one master carver from each region of Nunavut to create the monument. Many carvers applied for the prestigious work, and the application process was difficult.
In May, 2011, Inuk Charlie of Taloyoak, Paul Malliki of Repulse Bay, and Looty Pijamini of Grise Fiord travelled to Iqaluit to begin designing the monument.
They spent a week working out the design, and in the end, put together a smaller model they said embodies many of the most important symbols of Inuit culture.
The trio of carvers returned to Iqaluit in June, 2012, and finished most of the work on the large pieces of the monument.
They return to Iqaluit in April, 2013, to finish the monument and move it to its final location for mounting. The monument will be unveiled during a ceremony at the NTI offices in Iqaluit on Nunavut Day, July 9, 2013.
The monument gives recognition and tremendous, sincere thanks to all of the people who played an important role in negotiating the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
It was not the work of one person, but of a team of dedicated negotiators, Board members, interpreters and translators, lawyers, and even geologists, who helped bring about the land claims agreement. NTI thanks all of the Inuit in communities who used Inuit qaujimajatuqangit to contribute to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. Inuit struggled and fought and used knowledge to have so many different benefits included in the agreement. The monument recognizes all the families who sacrificed time with their husbands and wives during the negotiation and ratification phases. Very often people were away from their families for weeks at a time, year after year, and NTI acknowledges and pays tribute to this important sacrifice.
