People & Culture

Passing the Mic, Part 3  — The students of Netsilik School, Taloyoak, Nunavut

Episode 77

Inuit youth from Canada’s most northerly community share their stories using their own voices and words

  • Feb 27, 2024
David McGuffin (left) interviews Netsilik School, Taloyoak, student Roger Oleekatallik while his classmate Steve Alookee listens in. (Photo: Thomas Lundy/Can Geo)
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Over the past two years, Canadian Geographic has been running “Passing the Mic,” a podcast training program in remote Nunavut communities. This week, we are pleased to showcase the third episode of this year’s series, which features stories produced by the students at the Netsilik School in Taloyoak, Nunavut.

David McGuffin (front) and Tom Lundy (centre left) with the Passing the Mic students at Netsilik School in Taloyoak. (Photo: David McGuffin)
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The aim of this program is to give Inuit youth the tools to share their stories with the world in their own voices, using their words. I think you’ll agree that these stories provide a wonderful window into a unique and welcoming Inuit community. 

Taloyoak is mainland Canada’s most northerly community, sitting on the shores of the Arctic Ocean and the Northwest Passage. My Canadian Geographic colleague Tom Lundy and I spent a week in late October working with the students and teaching podcasting at Netsilik School. The students’ ages ranged from 13 to 18, and we couldn’t have asked for a more enthusiastic group. 

Today, we will hear from Nellie and Tyra, Faith Pauloosie and Leah Aklah, Leo Lyall and Steve Alookee, Alexis Ruben and Alayna Aklah and Shayna Nanook and Amaiyah Totalik. 

Thanks to all of them for the amazing work they put in. Enjoy! 

Also, these kinds of stories are exactly why we do the #RCGSPolarPlunge fundraiser every year. On March 4th, your donations will compel a lot of otherwise sensible people to plunge into the freezing lakes, rivers and oceans across Canada, including in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, in support of Canadian Geographic and this podcast. 

So, to keep this kind of unique, balanced, thoughtful, independent storytelling coming, please go to RCGS.org/polarplunge

Thank You. 

And thanks to Netsilik students Joyce Ashevak and Martha Neeveacheak for providing the beautiful throat singing used in this episode. You can hear their story in the previous episode.

And if you’re community or school in Nunavut that would like to take part in the “Passing the Mic” podcast training program, drop us an email at [email protected]

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