Passing Down Inuit Knowledge Through the Angunasuktiit Program 

In Clyde River, Nunavut, the Ittaq Heritage and Research Centre, a division of the Ilisaqsivik Society, is helping the next generation of Inuit youth reconnect with their culture, language, and traditional ways of life through the Angunasuktiit program – meaning “hunters” in Inuktitut. 

With support from the Rideau Hall Foundation’s Catapult Canada initiative, Angunasuktiit offers year-round, land-based instruction led by five full-time Inuit hunter-instructors. Youth and participants spend time on the land learning essential skills such as safe travel, harvesting, and food preparation, while gaining confidence, cultural knowledge, and a deep sense of purpose. 

Learning From the Land, Giving Back to the Community 

Each day, participants learn by setting up camp, navigating the land, and harvesting country foods that are later shared with the community. For youth facing barriers in formal education or lacking access to mentors and equipment, Angunasuktiit offers an alternative path to learning. The program not only strengthens cultural continuity but also promotes physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing through connection to the land. 

“The program increases community access to healthy country foods harvested from the land and involves teaching and practicing all aspects of hunting, harvesting, and being on the land based on Inuit knowledge. It ensures knowledge, language, and skills are passed on to the next generations. The program demonstrates the many impacts and benefits of supporting hunters as essential in communities, and the impacts and benefits of providing time on the land to youth and other community members.” says the Ilisaqsivik team. 

Community-Led, Inuit-Run, and Culturally Grounded 

Run entirely by Inuit for Inuit, Ilisaqsivik and Ittaq have decades of experience delivering cultural and land-based programs that reflect community priorities. The Angunasuktiit team works closely with Elders, the local school, and the health centre to reach youth who can benefit most – including non-attenders and those beyond school age seeking purpose, mentorship, and belonging. 

Since its start in 2020, the program has grown from one to five full-time hunters and is inspiring other northern communities to develop similar models. 

Strengthening Cultural Education with support from the RHF 

Support from the Rideau Hall Foundation’s Catapult Canada initiative is helping Ilisaqsivik build on the success of Angunasuktiit. Expanding capacity, creating learning opportunities for youth, and sharing this proven model of land-based education with other Arctic communities. 

By investing in initiatives like Angunasuktiit, the Rideau Hall Foundation is helping ensure Inuit youth have access to cultural learning that strengthens identity, community, and the deep relationship between people and the land.