Ottawa’s Inuit community celebrates life

Hello,

Today, World Suicide Prevention Day, Ottawa’s Inuit community held  it’s 9th annual Celebrate Life event to bring attention to a hard reality that affects all Inuit families in Canada. Inuit have the highest suicide rate in Canada, and one of the highest in the world. Suicide accounts for 40% of the deaths among Inuit youth, a rate that is 5 times higher than in the rest of Canada.

As Maatalii Okalik, the newly elected President of the National Inuit Youth Council, explained: “We are here to celebrate the beauty and uniqueness of our Inuit culture and to recognize the strength we have as a people and to build on this strength.”

Close to 100 persons gathered on Parliament Hill at lunch time to take part in the celebration.  Here are a few moments that were captured.

Maatalii Okalik, the newly elected President of the National Inuit Youth Council

The performance by first and second year students from Nunavut Sivuniksavut:

Riit Mike

Kristen Kownak and Riit Mike

Kristen Kownak and Riit Mike

Country-gospel performer Etulu Aningmiuq, from Pangnirtung, said the opening prayer and performed a couple of songs.

Terry Audla, president of Inuit Tapiriit Katanami, also addressed the audience and accepted a $25,000 check from Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund.

Charlotte Qamaniq and Charlotte Carleton demonstrated traditional throat singing.

The celebration closed with a performance by singer-songwriter Charles “Saali” Keelan accompanied by drum dancers Archibald Kadloo and Moses Koonoo.

Charles “Saali” Keelan

Archibald Kadloo

Moses Koonoo

Thank you all for such an inspiring event. May your message of hope continue to spread and change lives.
France Rivet