(July 9, 2020 – Iqaluit, Nunavut) On Nunavut Day, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) President Aluki Kotierk launches the Inuktut Writing Prize, administered by Nunavut Tunngavik Foundation (NTF), a charitable organization operated by NTI.
Nunavut Inuit may submit an unpublished book, a collection of unpublished short stories or poems, or an outline of a book or short-story collection. The Inuktut Writing Prize will award one author with $80,000 and support to continue writing over a year, including a writing residency and mentorship, to develop the material into a book. Four additional prizes will be awarded in the values of $10,000, $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000. NTF will work with the winning author to complete and publish a book and a compilation of the other materials submitted.
The protection, promotion and revitalization of Inuktut—in all aspects of life in Nunavut—is one of NTI’s five priorities for 2018-2021. The Inuktut Writing Prize will contribute to achieving this goal, creating Inuktut literature and increasing the everyday use and understanding of Inuktut.
“Inuktut is a living language. The Inuktut writing prize is a way to increase the availability of books which tell our stories. It is one way to ensure that our language continues to thrive,” says President Aluki Kotierk.
All creative ideas are welcome, in any of Nunavut’s Inuktut languages and in the author’s preferred writing style (syllabics, roman orthography, etc.). Nunavut Inuit over the age of 18 are eligible. Submissions/outlines must be for unpublished, original book or short stories or poems and are due October 9, 2020. The application form and additional information are available on NTI’s website.
-30-
For more information, please contact:
Jessie Fraser
Senior Inuktitut Policy Advisor
Phone: 867-975-4900 / Toll-Free 1-888-646-0006
Backgrounder
Objective
The Nunavut Tunngavik Foundation (NTF) recognizes the importance of protecting, promoting and revitalizing Inuktut in written works and wishes to provide an incentive and support to encourage more Inuit to write and publish material in Inuktut.
Prize
The Inuktut Writing Prize will award one author:
a) a monetary award of eighty thousand dollars ($80,000.00)
b) an opportunity for a sponsored writing residency; and
c) an opportunity to work with other Inuit such as writers, linguists, mentors, and editors etc. to finalize their written work as a book.
Cash prizes for four (4) runner-up winners (the “Additional Prizes”), and their submissions will be compiled and published as well, adding to the repertoire of written materials by Inuit in Inuktut. The amount of the Additional Prizes for runner-up winners will be as follows:
Ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) – 2nd place
Five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) – 3rd place
Three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) – 4th place
Two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) – 5th place
Eligibility
Any Inuk enrolled under the Nunavut Agreement over the age of 18, is eligible to submit an Inuktut material for consideration.
The following individuals are excluded from applying: NTF Board of Directors and employees; Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) Board of Directors and employees; and Inuktut Writing Contest Selection Committee and Appeal Committee members.
Criteria
To be considered for the Inuktut Writing Prize, an Inuk must submit an Inuktut material which outlines the intended full-length written composition in Inuktut with a minimum of 8 double-spaced pages and a maximum of 12 double-spaced pages. The Inuktut written work must be an original work written by the author which has not been previously published. The Inuktut written work must not contain content written by other writers.
Requirements
The submission of a Inuktut written work must include an application form. The authors name must not appear anywhere in the Inuktut material either in the body, the title, or the electronic file name to ensure the objectivity of the selection jury.
Submission Period
Submissions are due October 9, 2020.
Review of Submissions
Submissions will be pre-screened by NTI staff to ensure the submissions meet the requirements of the Prize and the threshold requirement of minimum and maximum page count.
Submissions will be reviewed by a Selection Committee appointed by NTI President comprising of experts in Inuktut linguistics, creative writing, and publishing. The committee will include regional representation of Nunavut, and may include appointment of alternate members to review Inuinnaqtun written works.
The review by the Selection Committee will be fair, impartial and inclusive to all forms of Inuktut written works. The review must also respect all dialects and preferences of dialects by the applicants.
The review may include whether there is adequate regional representation of all Inuktut written works.
Appeal Process
An unsuccessful applicant may appeal the decision to an Appeals Committee comprising of up to three (3) individuals appointed by NTI President. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final. The appeal application must provide reasons for the appeal to be considered. If there is a complaint of plagiarism, or if the screening staff, or a member of the selection jury suspects that a submission has been plagiarized, NTI will conduct a reasonable investigation and disqualify the submission if plagiarism has been found.
