Ilinniagaqarnerma Aqqutaani Eqqarsaatersuutit / Reflections Throughout My Education in the Arctic

Nunatsinni peroriartorpunga kalaallisut oqaatsit ilitsoqqussaralugit. Taamaakkaluartoq, qaffasissumik ilinniagaqarnerup tikikkiartornerani danskisut oqalussinnaaneq paasilluarsinnaanissarlu piumasaqaatinngoraluttuinnartarput. Ilinniartitaaneq nunatsinni tassaasussaavoq naalagaaffinngornissap ilusilersoriartornerani toqqammaviliisussaq. Kalaallisut oqaatsigut kinaassutsitsinnut, oqaluttuarisaanitsinnut aammalu siunissatsinnut atassusiisuupput.

Ilisimatusarfimmi bacheloriliorninni inaarutaasumik misilitsissutitut allaaserinikuuara “Nunatsinni Nunat Inoqqaavisa Pisinnaatitaaffiisa Inissisimaneri”, naalakkersuinikkut aammalu inuiattut aaqqissuussaanerup iluani. Inaarutaasumik misilitsinninni oqaatsit ilitsoqqussakka atorlugit allaaserinnippunga, kalaallisut. Tamannali sorsuutiginikuuara pingaartillugu takutinnissaa ilisimatusarnikkut nammineq oqaatsigut inissaqartinneqarnerusariaqartut isumaqarama.

Ilinniarninni aqqusaartuartarpara nunaqaqqaartutut pisinnaatitaaffitta ilisimaneqarneri aammalu pingaartinneqarneri killeqartut, inuiaqatigiit akornanni aammalu naalakkersuinerup iluani. Eqqarsartaatsikkut nunasiaataasimanerup kingunerisaanit kalitatta aallaavii takusinnaalerutsigit, nunatsinni ilinniartitaanerup nammineq ilusilersornissaa anguniarlugu oqaatsigut aallaavigalugit ingerlatseriaaseqarnissaq aallunneqarnerusariaqarpoq, ilisimatusarnerup iluani. Taamaasilluta ataatsimoortumik kinaassutsitta ilinniartitaanerup iluani ilusilersornissaa, kinaassutsitsinnit aallaaveqartumik nammineq paasinnittariaaserput malillugu ingerlatseriaaseqarnissaq pingaartinnerusariaqarparput inissaqartillugulu.

Norges Arktiske Universitetimi, Tromsømi ilinniarninni, issittumi nunaqaqqaartut oqaluttuarisaanerat ilinniagarinikuuara. Tamanna aallaavigalugu specialiliorninni sammivara nunat inoqqaasut oqaatsit aallaavigalugit ilisimatusariaaseqarneq. Misissuininnilu iserfigaakka nunaqaqqaartutut ilisimasat najoqqutaralugit ilisimatusariaatsit. Allaaserisap imarivaa nunatsinni Ilisimatusarfimmi, kalaallisut oqaatsitta qanoq ilinniartitaanerup iluani atorneqarneri, aammalu illoqarfeeqqami Kautokeinomi Norgemiittumi, Sámi Allaskuvla - Sámi University of Applied Sciencesimi, Saamit oqaatsitik atorlugit namminneq nunaqavissutut ilisimasatik aallaavigalugit ilinniagaqassusaanut sanilliullugu.

UArctic International Secretariatimi, Rovaniemi, Finlandimiittumi suliffimmik misiliinikuuninni, nukimmik annertuumik tunivaanga inuiaqatigiinnitta akornanni alloriarusussusermik. Qujamasunnarpoq UArcticimi sulininni soqutigisakka aallulluarsinnaagakkit. Tamanna ineriartuutigingaarpara inuttut aammalu anguniakkamma tungaatigut. Taamaakkaluartoq, nunaqaqqaartutut ilinniagaqarluni oqitsuinnaaneq ajorpoq. Takusinnaasagut allat takusinnaaneq ajormatikkit. Kisiannili naleqassusaa uaniippoq, ilinniartitaanerup iluani suut amigaataanersut aammalu tamakkiisumik naleqartitatta takutinnissai pingaartittaratsigit, uagutsinnit aallaaveqartumit.

Isiginnittariaatsit pilersartut ilusilersorneqartarput misigisatsinnit aallaaveqartumit, tamakkulu ilutigaat ilisimatusarnikkut misissueriaatsit. Taamaattumik nunatsinni uagutsinnit aallaaveqartumit ilinniagaqassutsikkut pinngorartitsineq ilusilersortariaqarparput, kalaallisut oqaatsigut sakkugalugit. Nunasiaataasimanerup kingunerisai ullutsinni suli atuuttut apeqqusersunngikkutsigit allannguinavianngilagut, ilutsinni aammalu avatangiisitsinni.

Ilinniagaqarnerma aqqutaani, avataanit apeqqusersorneqarnerit imaannaanngissimapput, taamaakkaluartorli peroriartorninni tarrarsorfigisinnaajuaannakkakka tassaapput arnat inuuninniittut. Aqqutissiuussisuupput soqutigisamma aalluttuarnissaanut ilusilersueqataangaatsiarnikuullutillu. Taakkuupput eqqaasitsiuaannartut suminngaaneerninnut kinaaninnullu. Tunniutiinnanngisaannarnerisa ilumoorussiuarnerisalu, ullumikkut killiffigisannut sunniuteqangaatsiartuupput.

Linda Lyberth Kristiansen 25-inik ukioqarpoq Nuummilu inunngorluni. Nunat inoqqaavisa oqaluttuarisaanerat UiT Norges Arktiske Universitetianni ilinniagarinikuuaa Tromsømi, Norgemiittumi. Siornatigut ICC-mi suliffimmik misileereernerata kingunerisaanit, nunanut issittunut sammivilinnik suliniutinik aallussisalerpoq, pingaartumik nunaqaqqaartut oqaasii aammalu pisinnaatitaaffiinut tunngasut uukkataralugit. UArctic International Secretariatianni Rovaniemi, Finlandimiittumi suliffimmik misiliinikuuvoq, kandidatitut specialiliani, nunaqavissut oqaasii aallaavigalugit ilinniagaqassusermik misissuinini ingerlatiitigalugu.

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In Greenland, we are a population that grows up speaking Greenlandic, our native tongue, but the further we go in the education system, the more we are obligated to operate in Danish. Education is the next vital frontier in our process of independence and building our capacities in terms of institutions.

Indigenous languages are foundational to identity, cultural heritage, and to our future as a people. In my Bachelor’s thesis, I wrote about Indigenous Peoples rights’ status and utilization in Greenland in the governmental level. I wrote my thesis in my native language, Kalaallisut (Greenlandic). It was mainly to make a statement for my rights, for my language to step up in academia. I have researched and experienced throughout my education that Indigenous rights are not valued and not known well enough in our local communities, in the governmental level, as well as in other institutions and authorities. By decolonizing our own mindsets and making more space in the educational system for our Indigenous languages, we strengthen our sense of who we are in our own terms. Instead of (mis)understanding ourselves in other cultures’ terms, we develop frameworks of our own.

During my semester at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, I decided to follow the path of Indigenous-related issues in the Arctic, especially in the Circumpolar North. I am currently working on my Master’s thesis, focusing on the implementation of Indigenous languages in academia. I analyze the utilization of Greenlandic at Ilisimatusarfik (University of Greenland), as well as Sámi languages at Sámi Allaskuvla (Sámi University of Applied Sciences) located in Kautokeino, Norway. In my thesis I compare how they implement their own native language in their higher education, and to what extent.

In addition to my personal and professional development during my studies in Norway, I also had the opportunity to work with Arctic-related programs, such as the Indigenous Youth Leadership Workshop with other Indigenous youth from northern countries. That gave me various opportunities, which also led me to my internship at the UArctic International Secretariat. This chance has given me strength to work more for my people. I am very grateful that UArctic gave me the opportunity to express my passion on an international level, and the opportunity to grow and evolve every day.

It can be difficult as an Indigenous scholar to study Indigenous matters, because it is so reflective. But the value of being an Indigenous scholar is that it allows us to see what is missing and needed in academia, to make that visible, and to highlight what is meaningful with respect to Indigenous peoples’ own understanding of themselves and the world.

The view in which one sees the world is shaped not only by one’s personal and relational experiences, but also by the theoretical and methodological perspectives in research. Greenland needs to indigenize their own history through strengthening their native language in the education system. You cannot change anything without fighting colonialism within us and within our surroundings.

I am surrounded by strong and vulnerable women, who have had a significant impact throughout my path. They never give up and stay true to themselves. Those women in my life are the reason for what I do. They are the reason why I never lose sight of where I come from.

Linda Lyberth Kristiansen is a 25-year-old Inuk woman from Nuuk, Greenland. She currently studies Cultural and Social History at Ilisimatusarfik / University of Greenland, and was previously an Indigenous Studies graduate student at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø. Her previous internship at the Inuit Circumpolar Council has led her to many roles focused on Arctic policy and Indigenous peoples' rights, as well as cultural inclusion and improving resiliency and mental health for Indigenous peoples.