Sileema Igutsaq Angoyuak

Indigenous Engagement & Knowledge Advisor

Community:

Iqaluit, Nunavut

Education:

Environmental Technology Program (ETP, 2011-2013), Nunavut Arctic College

Hello, my name is Sileema Igutsaq Angoyuak, born and raised in Iqaluit, Nunavut. I also lived in few other Inuit communities such as, Baker Lake, Kinngait (formerly known as Cape Dorset), Kimmirut, and have spent extended periods of time in Rankin Inlet.

I graduated high school in Iqaluit, Inuksuk High School in 2007. I had my son in June 2008. His name is Xavier, and he was born in Ottawa, ON. He is my one and only child.

In 2010, I had the wonderful opportunity to take part in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. I was in Vancouver/Squamish, BC for about three to four weeks. We took part in many activities where we taught what our culture/traditions are, also we learned more about other First Nations, Metis and Inuit from other regions about their culture/traditions. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity I took part in. The best part was performing for the world at the Opening Ceremonies.

I also attended and graduated from Nunavut Arctic College in 2013. I took Environmental Technology Program (ETP, 2011-2013). During the time I was enrolled, I had the wonderful opportunity to take part in International Polar Year conference that was held in Montreal, Quebec. There were 3 of us students from ETP that did a presentation to promote ETP and gain some potential partners/co-manage courses and to mingle with everyone and learn about science programs that were/are run in the circumpolar regions. We had a chance to see/view other presentations and meet other Inuit from around the world. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I had the chance to take part in.

Once I graduated ETP in May 2013, I was hired as Conservation Officer by the Government of Nunavut’s Dept. of Environment, which I was stationed in Kimmirut, Nunavut. Which gave me the wonderful opportunity to gain work experience which I never thought I would be able to do. It gave me insight on many different things like Enforcement, to biology, to Acts/Regulations/By—laws etc. Also gave me more experience on how co-management partners work, and how other organizations from territorial, community/local governance, to Inuit Organizations work, communicate and move forward together. I held that job until September 2015.

I was then hired by Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada as Aquatic Science Technician. I did a lot of field work in Iqaluit, Pond Inlet and Pangnirtung. I was able to also teach ETP 2nd year students about Arctic and how we sample them and why we sample them and how the samples are used and why. Also, I was able to educate some people in Pangnirtung as I went there to sample Turbot, where I explained what each sample can tell us, how we use it, and why it is sampled. Working at the fish plant in Pangnirtung was a wonderful learning experience that I always love to work at.

I was a Council member at the Nunavut Qulliit Status of Women Council, as well as the current President for the organization. I served two terms with the organization and my term ends March 2022. I take part in meetings either in person, telephone conference calls, virtual etc. I am blessed to be apart of the council. It has given me the opportunity to lead, organize, learn and reach other when needed, which were some hard for me in the past. Such a great feeling to be apart of the Council. I also was in acting position of Executive Director, while we were waiting to hire a ED.

I took on the role of Community Engagement Coordinator with DFO and Canadian Coast Guard Services Canada. This position gave me the opportunity to engage and teach/inform about Inuit, Inuit culture and history and how different Inuit are from First Nations and Metis. We also helped create “Indigenous Employees Network”, which met once in awhile, to have conversations that were hard to have with non-Indigenous people, or how other programs and services and resources available in each region. We also created a presentation on Inuit Qaujumajatuqangit (Inuit societal values), and presented it to many levels of government employees. I also took on another role, with another team that focused on Truth and Reconciliation, and how it can/could be implemented within the workplace, and what Indigenous people wants to see happen, or be offered, in efforts of TRC.

I had the opportunity to work for Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), in Ottawa, ON, as Policy Advisor. I started out as a support staff for various files such as MMIWG (Inuit focused), Environment and Marine, National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy. And in this time, I was able to take part in meetings, startup of strategies, and/or policy and legislation changes. After awhile, I took on files regarding “Women’s Health” and “Midwifery Advisory Working Group”, where the regional representatives of Inuit Nunangat gave their time and efforts for meetings, to help make policies, legislations, strategies and workplans for the files.

I am happy and excited to be starting with Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects (ICCE), and to expand my knowledge on Indigenous peoples, and share my Inuit knowledge with ICCE staff and board.