September snow, where art thou?

Happy October!

"I'm so excoited!!!" said the Cat in the Hat.

I have a new blogging friend so I thought I'd post a note to welcome her into the blogging world even though I do not blog regularly. Tunngasutsiarit ᑐᙵᓱᑦᓯᐊᕆᑦ!

In a totally unrelated topic, Canada's Members of Parliament have voted in favour to keep the long gun registry only by a slim margin.

The entire issue reminds me of the time I was obtaining my firearms license (since I know that I'd be subject to registering any new firearms that I acquire or purchase). The process to obtain my firearms license gave me much resentment since I tried getting the fee for the license waived using a specific passage in the NLCA:

"Part 5.6.27 - Licensing

Subject to the terms of this Article, an Inuk with proper identification may harvest up to his or her adjusted basic needs level without any form of license or permit and without imposition of any form of tax or fee;"

A letter was sent to me with my application saying that I still have to pay or prove that harvesting is my only means of obtaining food or something to that effect.

So I take it that this is why NTI is fighting the registry with an interim injunction issued by the Nunavut Court of Justice - so that Inuit hunters do not have to register their firearms and/or pay the fee associated to getting a firearms license.

I wonder at what stage it is with the courts (?).

Inuktituuvut

tiasting tiasting uan, tuu, talii. uil ta uiiul silim saiti pliis sitaan ap.

ᖁᕕᐊᓱᑉᐳᖓ ᐅᓪᓗᒥᑦ ᐃᓅᒐᒪ ᓱᓇᒥᒃ ᐃᓱᒪᓇᖓ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᑉᐳᖓ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᒥ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᒥ ᑕᑯᕗᖓ ᖁᖓᓐᓂᐊᖅᑯᖓ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᓪᓗᖓ.

ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇ ᑲᕙᕐᓇᑐ ᙯᒐᓗᐊᖅᐸᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᓗᖓ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᓪᓗᖓ ᓈᒻᒪᓂᖅᓴᐅᓂᐊᖅᑰᕋᒪ.

Almost three years ago, I felt a deep urge to move back to Nunavut as I and my young family were living in Peterborough, Ontario at the time.

Mainly, I knew it was due to the fact that my young children were not exposed to Inuktitut in their daily life even though I spoke it regularly at home. Everywhere else they went, be it daycare, school, a friends' house, stores (not forgetting the ever pervasive television and mainstream media) were running all in English. A seed was planted at that time when I had those thoughts going through my head.

Now, having lived in Iqaluit for just over two years, I can say that I am not completely satisfied with the results. However, I am comfortable at the moment to be a lot closer to family and good friends and can practice more of what I'd like to preach. I seem to be becoming more and more surrounded by Inuktitut and pray that it is rubbing off moreover on my family.

Tuniq Tyme 2010

My blog is soooo neglected...

I just realized my posts have become so irregular, it has become a semi-annual thing (my second-last post was Tuniq Tyme 2009!).

Nonetheless, as a good friend of mine has started his own thing, I promised myself that I'd try to keep at this as well.

Anyways, This years' Tuniq Tyme has been jam-packed with fun activities for kids and families and i'm sure the night-life is alive as ever.

So far, we've gone to see contests for ice sculptures, tea/bannock making, iglu-building, fear factor to name a few.

It might be just me but I came across the Inuktitut phrases both on the website and booklet this year and have a few pointers:

"Iqalunnimiutauvunga – I’m from Iqaluit"
This should be: "Iqalummiutaujunga/vunga" because you do not say "Kinngarnimiutaujunga" or "Kimmirurnimiutaujunga."

"Ulaakut – Good morning" is missing the double "l" and "k": ullaakkut

"Qaniungi – I’m fine" is missing the extra "n" as well: qanuinngi

"Agga – No" is completele wrong: "agga" is "hand" while "aagga means "no.

"Naqurmiik – Thank you" change the "q" to a "k": nakurmiik

"Qujanamiik – Thank you" add one more "n": qujannamiik

And finally,
"Ilaali – You’re welcome" is perfectly arranged and so i'm out.