Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
Inuit traditional knowledge encompassing nature, humans, and animals.
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) is an Inuktitut phrase often translated as 'Inuit traditional knowledge,' 'Inuit traditional institutions,' or 'Inuit traditional technology.' It refers to a body of knowledge and unique cultural insights of Inuit into the workings of nature, humans, and animals, with both practical and epistemological aspects rooted in the principle that human beings are learning, rational beings with infinite problem-solving potential within the dictates of nature and technology.
- field
- Traditional knowledge, culture, governance
- known_for
- Inuit traditional knowledge, institutions, and technology; political slogan in Nunavut
- components
- Inuuqatigiitsiarniq, Tunnganarniq, Pijitsirniq, Aajiiqatigiinniq, Pilimmaksarniq, Piliriqatigiinniq, Qanuqtuurniq, Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq
Lore & Background
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit comes from the verb root 'qaujima-' meaning 'to know' and can be literally translated as 'that which has long been known by Inuit.' According to the Government of Nunavut's 2013 document 'Incorporating Inuit Societal Values,' it includes components such as Inuuqatigiitsiarniq (respecting others), Tunnganarniq (fostering good spirit), Pijitsirniq (serving community), Aajiiqatigiinniq (decision making through consensus), Pilimmaksarniq (skill development), Piliriqatigiinniq (working together), Qanuqtuurniq (being innovative), and Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq (respect for land and animals).
Reader's Guide
Since the early 21st century, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit has become a political slogan in Nunavut as the government attempts to integrate traditional Inuit culture into modern governance to combat disempowerment caused by colonialism. This integration involves citing oral history through interviews with Elders. While some critics have dismissed oral history as unreliable, Nunavut's government has consulted Elders on culture and environmental knowledge. IQ has also been increasingly incorporated into Canadian academic settings, with studies using Inuit ecological knowledge to track Arctic animal locations in the face of climate change. The Igloolik Research Centre focuses on documenting IQ, and Nunavut Arctic College has published oral history through the Interviewing Inuit Elders book series.
Did You Know?
- Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit can be abbreviated as 'IQ'.
- The Inuit Language Protection Act of 2008 establishes the right for parents to have their children receive an education in Inuktitut.
- In 2021, Polar Biology published a study that used Inuit ecological knowledge to track changes in Atlantic walrus locations due to climate change.
- The Igloolik Research Centre in Igloolik, Nunavut focuses on documenting Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, climatology, and seismic data.
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