Aaqitauvik Healing Centre Opens in Quaqtaq, Nunavik

Quaqtaq, Nunavik, is just over 61 degrees North at the top of the western side of the Ungava Bay in northern Quebec. Nunavik means "place to live" in the local dialect of Inuktitut, and the Inuit inhabitants of the region call themselves Nunavimmiut.

Nunavik comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, covering a land area north of the 55th parallel. It is the homeland of the Inuit of Quebec. Almost all of the 11,627 inhabitants of the region, of whom 90% are Inuit, live in fourteen northern villages on the coast of Nunavik.

On Friday, February 13, 2009, a Protocol Event took place in Quaqtaq, Nunavik, to open up the Aaqitauvik Healing Centre to serve the entire region of Nunavik. The main visionaries behind this project are long-term Quaqtaq residents and community leaders--Bobby and Eva Deer.

Eva Deer is one of the most amazing women of the North that I know of. In the past, she has been able to successfully hold down three important positions in Quaqtaq simultaneously—the mayor, the school principal, and a congregational pastor.

She has also experienced much heartache and emotional pain in her life, having lost three of her children tragically—one to suicide, and two in a house fire. Yet, in spite of this, Eva Deer today is “free indeed,” and can talk openly to anybody about these past painful experiences, but with the pain removed from her heart.

Eva today radiates the joy on her countenance, and now, having retired from being mayor and school principal, she has devoted her life to founding the Aaqitauvik Healing Centre in her community which will reach out to all of the communities of Nunavik, and even into Nunavut.

This healing centre does not belong to any one sphere of the community, or to any one institution or organization, but is for the whole community.

Eva would be the first to say that she owes much of the credit for the practical implementation of the healing centre vision to her husband Bobby (on right). Theirs is an inter-cultural marriage, Eva being Inuk, and Bobby being First Nations from the Mohawk tribe.

In their marriage which has stood the test of time, Eva is the visionary, and Bobby is one of the most capable administrators in the North. Their giftings complement one another well, and they are people of prayer and of hard work as well.

They are pictured here with Vae Eli, a Samoan chief who is the director of Island Breeze Canada, and who came to Quaqtaq for the Protocol Event to open the healing centre on Friday, February 13, 2009.

Here Eva Deer is presenting a gift to Pita Aatami, the president of the Makivik Corporation, at the opening Protocol Event on February 13. As Eva explained in her remarks.

“About five years ago, I experienced something that I never experienced before in my whole life. That is to receive healing in my heart for the wounds that occurred especially during my childhood experiences. My journey began many years ago when I got involved with Nunalituqait Ikajuqatigiitit (NI) [Original People (Inuit) Supporting Each Other]. As president of that organization, I used to attend healing conferences when the time permitted.

“Whenever I was away from my job, I always wanted to help people with the hardships in their lives. I believe for this reason, I made a big step to try to start this healing centre, because I know that when a person is seeking help for their life’s issues, there is a way that people can receive help.

“Our goal for this healing centre is to serve our people, people who are in need socially, emotionally and spiritually. This centre will not be used only for healing purposes. It will also be a training centre to train our people in the area of counselling and social development.”

At least three of the executive members of the Makivik Corporation, along with other dignitaries, chartered a plane out of Kuujjuaq to be in Quaqtaq for this Protocol Event to participate in the opening of the healing centre.

Makivik is the ethnic organization mandated to represent and to promote the interests of Nunavik. Its membership is composed of the Inuit beneficiaries of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA). Makivik’s responsibility is to ensure the proper implementation of the political, social and cultural benefits of the Agreement, and to manage and invest the monetary compensation so as to enable the Inuit to become an integral part of the northern economy.

Pita Aatami (on left) enthusiastically expressed his support for this project, while other dignitaries from the region of Nunavik as well as Quaqtaq residents listened intently.

Some of the visiting dignitaries on the front row included (moving from left to right):

1. Johnny Adams (chief negotiator with federal and provincial government for territorial status for Nunavik),

2. Joseph Annahatak (behind pole), mayor of Kangirsuk, and representing the mayors of Nunavik,

3. Maggie Emudluk (chairperson of the Kativik Regional Government),

4. Alacie Arngak (chairperson of the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services),

5. Michael Gordon (Economic Development vice president of Makivik), and

6. George Berthe (corporate secretary of Makivik, and president of Air Inuit).

Here is a bit of background on these organizations that represent the true gatekeepers of Nunavik.

Maggie Emudluk represented the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) which she currently serves as the chairperson. The KRG is a public organization created in 1978 pursuant to the Kativik Act and the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement . The KRG has jurisdiction over all the territory of Québec located north of the 55th parallel, excluding the Cree community of Whapmagoustui.

Outside the municipal boundaries of the Northern villages, the KRG acts as a municipality. In this manner, it has the duties and powers of a municipal corporation, and employs over 300 workers and possesses 11 departments.

Alacie Arngak represented the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services as its chairperson. This is an organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the population of the 14 communities in Nunavik’s territory. Its overall mission is to adapt the health and social service programs to the population's needs and to the region's realities. It ensures the organization and efficient use of resources granted to the Nunavik region.

George Berthe (seated in foreground) is not only the corporate secretary of the Makivik Corporation...

...but is also the president of Air Inuit, owned by Makivik, and therefore by the people it serves. It considers keen participation in the social life of Nunavik a primary part of its mandate.

Two non-Inuit guests from the outside who were also invited to participate in the Protocol Ceremony were Vae Eli, director of Island Breeze Canada, and Roger Armbruster, director of Canada Awakening Ministries.

In Roger Armbruster’s remarks, he commended the regional government leaders of Nunavik for being gracious to support this healing centre, not only because it would benefit their own people, but that they were also humble enough to acknowledge that they, too, were in need of further healing themselves. He went on to say:

“It gives me great joy to see this healing centre officially open today, with the special blessing of those who have the legal authority in this part of the earth, the territory of Nunavik. This tells me that the Inuit of Nunavik are beginning to take charge of their own destiny, so that they can move beyond the hurts and the pains of the past into a future that will be much better.

“You, as the elders and the gatekeepers of the land, are doing this today for your children, and for future generations. This healing process is foundational to dealing with the economic, social and environmental issues of future generations.

“Through a healing centre such as this one, I see a real and a tangible hope for many people to see themselves, not as victims of past wrongs, but as a free people who are taking responsibility for their own destiny. Forgiveness means that the past is over, and grace means that the future will not be as the past…”

Roger then introduced Vae Eli to these leaders, who were eager to meet this chief all the way from the South Pacific Islands of Samoa.

In his speech, Vae Eli declared:

“Honoured guests, leaders of our communities, elders, to the younger generation, and to all of you whom we know as “the great people of the North.” Greetings from Samoa, and the people of the South Pacific.

“As indigenous peoples of the world, we have faced many changes—our values, cultures, and our relationship with the Creator are being threatened. This affects our lifestyle, and our communities, our families and individuals. It affects us physically, intellectually and spiritually.

“That is why this healing centre is very powerful. It is an example to your communities, and to the indigenous peoples of the world.”

Vae then followed up his speech by doing a haka dance from his South Pacific tribe, which was and is his own heart language. The Samoans were a war-like people, but today they are redeeming these dances to be used only against the enemy of our soul.

The leaders and audience really connected with this expression of Samoan culture.

Here you can see the response on the faces of Maggie Emudluk, Pita Aatami...

...and also of Johnny Adams and Joseph Annahatak.

Vae Eli then followed up by presenting gifts to the government leaders, starting with Pita Aatami, and then to the other regional leaders as well…

…including Maggie Emudluk...

...and Alicie Arngak...

...and Johnny Adams.

There is a sense that the indigenous people from the South Pacific are connecting with what they refer to as "the great people of the North" in standing together and in understanding together with this healing process. United we are all stronger, a a big part of the healing process is to see the tribes and nations of the earth reconnect, respecting one another's dignity and worth, and also each of our distinctives and uniqueness.

Only as we reconnect in heart and spirit will the full glory of our God and Creator be revealed!