Pinnguaq Association in Northern Canada
This text was produced for the Ságastallamin - Telling the Story of Arctic Indigenous Languages exhibition in 2019. Read more about the Ságastallamin exhibition.
Photo: Pinnguaq website
Online learning tackles long distances and low budgets
Nunavut, the northernmost Canadian territory, is home to about 38,000 people and covers an area of about 2 million square kilometers – more than twenty times the size of Iceland. Distances between the Inuit communities are vast and transportation is expensive. How can learners and speakers of the Inuit languages come together?
The Pinnguaq Association – a non-profit from Pangnirtung, Nunavut – connects Inuit through the internet. The association develops online applications that promote health, wellness, and growth. Several Pinnguaq applications foster language learning and development.
For example, Uqalimaarluk (Read to Me) is a storytelling app with e-books in Inuktitut, promoting literacy in the language. The video game Inuit Uppirijatuqangi is available in both English and Inuktitut, and its players can learn Inuit mythology while enjoying the challenge of identifying myths.
In addition to language and culture, Pinnguaq provides numerous applications and workshops that focus on the creation and use of technology. The unique Pinnguaq mix of culture and technology was awarded a 10 CAD million Canadian Smart Cities prize in May 2019, enabling Pinnguaq to develop and expand further in the future.
Website and social media
Facebook: @pinnguaq
Instagram: @pinnguaq
Twitter: @pinnguaq
Disclaimer
All information was obtained from the Pinnguaq website.