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Mission and Service Story – November 15: Living Language

The Kitikmeot Heritage Society is helping revitalize Inuinnaqtun, the language of the Inuinnait people. Through language programs and learning resources, they are preserving cultural knowledge for future generations. Here is the Mission and Service Story for November 15, 2026.

Did you know that fewer than 500 people speak Inuinnaqtun fluently? 

Inuinnaqtun is the language of the Inuinnait people, who live in the central Canadian Arctic. It carries generations of knowledge, history, and culture. But many Inuinnait lost their language when they were stolen from their families and communities, and sent to residential schools. 

When a language disappears, we risk losing generations of knowledge, stories, and ways of understanding the world that can never truly be replaced. Today, people are working to reclaim their language and ensure it can continue to be spoken for generations to come.  

In Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, the Pitquhirnikkut Ilihautiniq/Kitikmeot Heritage Society is helping make that happen. The society works with community members to preserve Inuinnait language and culture, including offering one-on-one language immersion sessions where learners can work with mentors and practice speaking Inuinnaqtun. 

And they’re committed to finding new ways to help people learn, too! 

Since 2021, the Inikhaliuqatigiit team has been developing resources to support Inuinnaqtun language revitalization. One exciting achievement is a free Inuinnaqtun Dictionary app, available for Apple and Android devices. 

The team has also created “Inuinnaujunga,” a curriculum designed for beginners, and is developing lessons for more advanced learners. They’re also working with linguist Richard Compton from the Université du Québec à Montréal to develop a community grammar of Inuinnaqtun. 

There’s plenty more to explore on the society’s website, inuinnaqtun.ca, including language-learning resources, podcasts, oral histories, and material about Inuinnait culture and traditions. 

All of this work takes time, knowledge, and extraordinary collaboration. It builds on the knowledge and commitment of the Inuinnait people themselves, who are finding new ways to learn, share, and strengthen their language. 

When we give through Mission and Service, we help support partners like the Kitikmeot Heritage Society as they carry out this important work in their communities. 

Keeping a language alive means keeping its stories, knowledge, and cultural connections alive, too. Thanks to the dedication of the people doing this work, Inuinnaqtun continues to have a place in the lives of today’s learners and generations to come. Let’s give generously. 

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Use the accompanying PowerPoint slides for a visual overview.

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Access this story as a printable PDF here.

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More Mission and Service stories are here!

Mission and Service Stories were previously called Minutes for Mission.