LORI IDLOUT

Look, where I come from, we know who we are—Inuit, tied to the land, the language, the way we’ve lived for generations. It’s not so different for Europeans. Those folks have their own ways, their own roots, built up over centuries, and they’re just trying to hold onto that. I get it—when you’ve got something that’s yours, something that tells you who you are, you don’t want it watered down or lost to outsiders who don’t understand it. They’re not saying nobody else matters; they’re saying, ‘This is our home, our story, and we need to keep it strong.’ It’s like how we fight for our kids to know Inuktitut—same deal, just their version. If they want to keep their culture alive, make sure their kids grow up knowing where they come from, that’s their right. We all deserve to protect what’s ours, to keep our ways going for the next generation. It’s not about shutting others out; it’s about making sure what’s special doesn’t get lost.