Zebedee Nungak

Zebedee Nungak ( ; born 23 April 1951) is a Canadian Inuk author, actor, essayist, journalist, and politician. As a child, Nungak was taken from his home in the community of Saputiligait, along with two other children, for the purposes of an experiment by the Canadian government to "expunge them of Inuit culture and groom them to become northern leaders with a southern way of thinking." Nungak later became pivotal in securing successful land rights claims and the creation of his home territory of Nunavik.

In his early career, Nungak worked as a translator and interpreter for the Canadian government. He then became one of the founding members of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association, and a signatory to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. During the aboriginal rights constitutional conferences, Nungak was the co-chair of the Inuit Committee on National Issues. He later served as vice president, and eventually president, of the Makivik Corporation, where he actively worked to ensure the recognition of Inuit rights. In 2017, in recognition to his services to the Inuit of Northern Quebec, he was awarded the National Order of Quebec by Premier of Quebec Philippe Couillard.

Early life Zebedee Nungak was born in the community of Saputiligait, Nunavik, Quebec, a small village south of Puvirnituq Nungak's mother was biracial, having been born to an Inuk mother and a Scottish father; Nungak never met his maternal grandfather. He was one of seven children, alongside Talasia, Poasie, Harry, Aliva, Alasie, and Joanasie.

The "Eskimo Experiment"

Career As a result of their extended time as part of the experiment, Nungak and Ittinuar realized they had a unique perspective of both the north and south. He also worked as an editor for ("[The] Message"), a trilingual newsletter, and as a broadcaster for CBC North Iqaluit. The association represented the Inuit, working alongside the Grand Council of the Crees, in negotiations with the governments of Quebec and Canada for the first land claim on behalf of the Inuit. He had previously served as its vice president.

Writing career and journalism Nungak is a prolific journalist, having written over sixty articles for a variety of magazines. One of the subjects of Nungak's works is the fictional study "Qallunology", the Inuit study of white people. The study designates the philosophical other as the , from the perspective of the Inuit. Qallunology is featured heavily in the documentary Qallunaat! Why White People Are Funny, which he co-directed. Nungak received 1916 votes, placing fourth. He subsequently ran in the 1979 Canadian federal election, again as an independent politician, running in the riding of Abitibi. Nungak lost the race, only receiving 986 votes, or two percent of the vote. Despite his open opposition to the movement, Nungak refused to describe himself as a "federalist", separating himself from both the Liberal Party and Quebec Liberal Party's form of federalist approach, as well as their disregard for Indigenous self-preservation. Nungak expressed his concerns that an independent Quebec would potentially isolate the Inuit of Nunavik by severing their ties with the other Inuit in Canada and subsequently end the special relationship that Nunavik had with the federal government. He was critical of the sovereignty movement, whose rhetoric ignored Indigenous voices as they were deemed "inconsequential" compared to the Francophone Quebecois electorate. As president of the Makivik Corporation, Nungak went on speaking engagements in Brussels, Geneva, and London to advocate against the movement and a potential second independence referendum. As part of his engagements, Nungak met with the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations and the Royal Geographical Society of London.

Awards and accolades In 2017, Nungak received the National Order of Quebec by Premier of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, during the 2017 Canadian honours in recognition to his contributions to Quebec's society. He was awarded the Knight insignia.

In 2021, Nungak was one of five recipients of the First Peoples' Medal by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, J. Michel Doyon, to honour their contributions in their communities and abroad.

Personal life Nungak lives in the community of Kangirsuk with his wife and seven children. Nungak plays the accordion.

Selected works

Electoral history