Apologize - Mamiatunarniq (Ma-mi-at-tu-nar-niq) - It’s a lot harder for the person who is hurting you physically or mentally to hurt you again when you ihumagiyungniiq (forgive).

Acceptance - Akauksarniq (Aka-uk-sar-niq) - Inuit accept new people to live in their communities and also accept their (guests) culture.

Perseverance - Sapiliqtailiniq (Sa-pi-liq-tai-li-niq) - In our culture, we are told to work until we are done with the job, so later in the future, we won’t have to get back to it.

Generosity - Tukurniq (Tu-kur-niq) - In our culture, we are told to share our caribou or any other animal when they are fresh.

Honesty - Suliniq (Su-li-niq) - My grandpa tells me that being honest is the best solution to problems. Because even if I lied, I’ll eventually be caught. He said it’s not the technology that catches lies, it’s the human nature that catches lies.

Teamwork - Piliriqatigiiniq (Pi-li-ri-qa-ti-gii-niq) - Team work has gotten Inuit to survive the Arctic in the past, we are constantly told to work together.

Listening - Tusaasurniq (Tu-saa-sur-niq) - My grandparents always tell me to listen to my neighbors, especially if they’re elderly. “Listening can save your life, can give you more information and can also take you far.”

Practice - Ukturayuniq (Uk-tu-ra-yu-niq) - “Practice makes perfect”. My grandparents tell us to practice hunting, so we’ll know what to do when needed.

Like any other culture in the world, Inuit have their own knowledge and have respect for their language, culture and traditions because that is what saved their lives. I myself try to follow Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit because I grew up helping my grandparents. I used to think that my grandparents didn’t want me to have fun when my friends are outside enjoying their times.

I am now a grown up and now understand what they were teaching me. It’s their way of life and that’s how they grew up, but most importantly, they want me to be successful, strong and prepared for the rest of my life. I can now work on my own, build things by myself and know better to buy things that my grandfather, James Konek has taught me. We now sit in his home and think about the times I cried as loud as I could to go out and play and just laugh together. A couple weeks ago my grandpa asked me to take him to his porch to get something. As we were going out, he asked me “do you remember when you cried to go home building this door?” Then we laughed and talked a little more about it.

I went home and thought, what if he didn’t teach me all those things?

- Jordan Konek

"I am interested in learning about what Arviat history was like. I want to find out as much as possible. What was it like to live when there were no houses built? No computers? And what was it like to be a great hunter? My hobbies are theatre production, building things with wood and hunting."

The Sivulinuut Elders Society, Inuit youth and the University of British Columbia are working on a two year project which involves researching, writing, and filming the history of Arviat, Nunavut and the Kivalliq region from the Inuit point of view. Read more of their research, writings and videos on the Nanisiniq Project web site at: http://nanisiniq.tumblr.com

Check out Jordan’s blog at Jordan-Konek.tumblr.com