Iqaluit(ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ), Baffin Island

Iqaluit is the largest community in Nunavut.                              As of 2021, it has a population of 7,428 with 55.5% being indigenous, 94.6% of the Indigenous population identifying as Inuit, 2.2% are First Nations, and 1.6% are Métis. 

Iqaluit is the capital of Nunavut, on the southern part of Baffin Island, at the head of Frobisher Bay.

Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun are the two official indigenous languages in Iqaluit. 

Iqaluit Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge we are meeting in Iqaluit on lands covered

by the Nunavut Agreement and within Inuit Nunangat.

The Indigenous Peoples

Inuit are the Indigenous who come from the northern regions of Canada, Greenland, Alaska, and Russia. The name "Inuit" means "the people" in Inuktitut, it refers to a diverse group living in communities across these regions.

The Inuit are a very distinct Indigenous group in Canada, who have their own rich culture and connections to the land and sea, including traditional hunting practices and oral story telling tradition. 

A treaty on this land

On may 25th, 1993, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, or the Nunavut Agreement treaty was signed between the Canadian government and the Inuit peoples of Nunavut.

Because of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, the lands in and around Iqaluit is not “unceded territory” in the same way that places don't have a treaty or an agreement has been made, that's because the Inuit peoples negotiated and surrendered certain claims in exchange for rights provided under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.

More recently, the Government of Canada, Government of Nunavut, and the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc signed the Nunavut Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement. This gives the control of public lands, freshwater, and non‑renewable resources to Nunavut over time, looking to be done by April 1st, 2027. This is the largest land transfer is Canadian history and gives the government of Nunavut and its people so much more freedom.

 

The Tukisigiarvik Society was established to provide support for both the modern challenges and the cultural needs of Inuit people. Established in 2003, the organization serves as a vital resource for individuals and families in the region, offering support in areas ranging from education to cultural preservation. Our mission is to empower individuals through skill development, fostering community well-being, and preserving the traditions and cultural practices of the Inuit. Over the years, Tukisigiarvik has grown to become a cornerstone in Iqaluit, known for its inclusive approach that blends modern services with traditional Inuit values.

 

Fort Erie

 

Fort Erie is a town in Ontario, on the Niagara River with access to Lake Erie, across from Buffalo, New York.

As of 2021, 5.0% of Fort Erie's population is made up of indigenes peoples, with 66.7% of that being first nations and the other 26.5% being Métis.

 

Fort Erie land acknowledgment 

We acknowledge that the land upon which we are gathered is the traditional territory of the Attawandaronk, the Haudenosaunee and the Anishinaabe people. We are the beneficiaries of ancient agreements such as the Dish With One Spoon between the Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee, who agreed to share the abundance of the land through peace, friendship and mutual respect; the Two Row Wampum, by which the Haudenosaunee welcomed the settlers and agreed to share the land in mutual respect; and the Treaty of Niagara, considered a fundamental document by First Nations in all future relations and treaties with the British.

We recognize that we have a responsibility to be stewards of the land, in cooperation and collaboration with the Indigenous peoples, not only for one generation but for all generations to come. We understand that we have an obligation to learn the lessons of our history, educate ourselves about the experiences of the Indigenous people and seek opportunities to heal the wounds that will result in reconciliation with our Indigenous sisters and brothers.

Many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people live and work in Fort Erie. We stand with all Indigenous people, past and present, in promoting the wise stewardship of the lands on which we live. We have the good fortune to live in a land of such abundance, diversity and beauty – let us be vigilant in protecting Turtle Island

The indigenous peoples

First Nations Peoples refer to the Indigenous peoples who are ethnically neither Métis or Inuit. First Nations is a general name for the descendant peoples of North America who are often refed to as the "Indians" under the Indian Act. 

It is a diverse group comprises over 600 distinct First Nations groups and communities and includes both "Status" and "Non-Status" individuals. 

A treaty on this land

Fort Erie is on the lands affected by the Niagara Purchase of 1781, which is a formal land agreement between the Crown and the Anishinaabe.

Fort Erie also has connections to the Dish With One Spoon treaty, which is an agreement grounded in Indigenous legal traditions, the Dish with One Spoon is one of several Wampum that define the relationship between the Anishinaabek poeples and Haudenosaunee Confederacy. It is now kept by Indigenous Peoples in Toronto as a peace agreement between the Anishinaabek and Haudensaunee.

Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre

"The Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre has a rich history which includes reestablishing our traditions and culture. For decades, Indigenous people were restricted in practicing our ways and performing our ceremonies, which lead to many of our people to lose this knowledge. The Fort Erie Friendship Centre aims to correct this by helping our communities to heal and reclaim their identity. This movement began in the late 1970s with our founders who originally created the Fort Erie Native Social Club, a satellite to the Niagara Regional Native Centre."-https://www.fenfc.org/ 

It is an incredible community space for all indigenous people in the area with so much to offer, they provide programs from healthcare and childcare to the arts, it's place for education for anyone, indigenous or not.

https://nlca.tunngavik.com/ https://www.fenfc.org/ https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100014187/1534785248701 https://www.forterie.ca/en/town-hall/land-acknowledgement.aspx https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/article/nunavut/ https://www.britannica.com/place/Iqaluit 

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