Symposium participants stress need for Indigenous led, distinction based funding for language reclamation
January 29, 2021
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
In an emotional presentation on a funding model for Indigenous languages, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated President Aluki Kotierk said that when the federal government drafted the Indigenous Languages Act she had failed to make them understand that Inuktut should get the same official language consideration and status in her homeland as English and French.
“Funding models are tools. They are a means to an end. How are we going to achieve our goal?” said Kotierk, speaking as part of a panel on the third day of a five-day virtual symposium on Indigenous languages hosted by Canadian Heritage.