Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Practices in Entrepreneurship

Rhoda Cunningham ᕉᑕ ᑲᓂᖕᕼᐊᒻ

Iqaluit, NU

Abstract

The research study investigated local Inuit women in business in Iqaluit, Nunavut to explore their uses of traditional knowledge in their private business practice. Data about what Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles were applied in the private sector were collected through semi-structured interviews with four participants. They described some of the challenges and positive experiences they have faced as indigenous business owners. Their work practices include efforts to persevere, promote, and revitalize the Inuit language, traditional knowledge, and culture. These practices educate people about the use of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in business. The findings show how Inuit women entrepreneurs of Iqaluit have exercised decolonization to overturn misconceptions of how Inuit ways are integrated into the private sector. During this journey, they have created a new business culture.

Key Words: Inuit, women, business practices, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, decolonization

ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᕕᒻᒥᓂ

ᕉᑕ ᑲᓂᖕᕼᐊᑉ

ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ

ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖓ

ᖃᐅᔨᓴᓚᐅᕋᑦᑕ ᐊᐱᖅᓱᑲᑕᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓂ ᐊᕐᓇᓂᒃ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᕕᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᖃᓗᓐᓂ, ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᖏᑦ ᓯᕗᓕᑦᑎᓐᓃᙶᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᖕᒪᖔᑕ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᖃᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.  ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᑦ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᑦ  ᐅᒃᐱᕆᔭᖏᑕ ᑐᙵᕕᖏᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᒻᒪᖔᑕ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖃᕐᕕᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᓚᖓᒍᑦ ᑎᓴᒪᑦ ᐊᐱᖅᓱᒐᒃᓴᑦ ᐊᐱᖅᓱᑲᑕᒃᑐᑎᒍ.  ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕈᓯᕆᕙᒃᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐱᐅᖅᓱᐊᖅᑕᐅᔪᒃᓴᐅᖕᒪᖔᑦ, ᓴᖅᑭᔮᖅᑎᑕᐅᔪᒃᓴᐅᒻᒪᖔᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐆᒻᒪᖅᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓗᒍ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᖓᐅᑎᖓᑦ, ᐱᐅᓯᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑦ, ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᐅᓪᓗ ᑐᙵᕕᖏᑦ.  ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᐅᓯᑐᖃᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᓂᐅᒻᒪᑕ ᐊᓯᒥᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᕕᒥᓂ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᖕᒪᖔᑕ.  ᐊᖅᑯᑎᓕᐊᒥᒍᑦ, ᐱᙳᖅᑎᑦᓯᖃᑕᐅᓯᒪᕗᑦ ᓄᑖᒥᒃ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᕕᖃᕈᓯᒥᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᐅᓕᖅᑐᒥᒃ.

ᐅᖃᐅᓰᑦ ᓇᓂᓯᔾᔪᑏᑦ: ᐃᓄᐃᑦ, ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ, ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᕕᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᖏᑦ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᑐᖃᖏᑦ, ᓯᓚᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ

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