{"id":29282,"date":"2023-08-13T16:05:52","date_gmt":"2023-08-13T16:05:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/provost\/?p=29282"},"modified":"2025-04-08T10:59:44","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T14:59:44","slug":"carleton-celebrates-pigiarvik","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/provost\/2023\/carleton-celebrates-pigiarvik\/","title":{"rendered":"Carleton Celebrates Pigiarvik"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Carleton Celebrates Pigiarvik\n <\/h1>\n \n \n <\/header>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n

By: Linda Hartwell<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On August 9, the Carleton University community gathered to honour and acknowledge the Inuit community and celebrate the name Pigiarvik, which has been given to Carleton\u2019s main administrative building, formerly known as Robertson Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following Nideyin\u00e0n and Teraanga Commons, Pigiarvik is one of three campus buildings renamed under the New Names for New Times initiative<\/a> launched by President Benoit-Antoine Bacon to better reflect the university\u2019s diversity in its academic mission and campus operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new name, Pigiarvik (pronounced pee-ghee-awe-vik), which translates to \u201ca place to begin\u201d or \u201cthe starting place,\u201d was formally approved by the Board of Governors in December 2022, following a thorough engagement process with the Inuit Advisory Council and Inuit in the region and in the North, including students. The process was co-chaired by Benny Michaud, Director, Centre for Indigenous Support and Community Engagement<\/a>, Kahente Horn-Miller, Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Teaching, Learning and Research<\/a>, and outgoing Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Jerry Tomberlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Benny Michaud, Director of the Centre for Indigenous Support and Community Engagement speaks during the Pigiarvik naming ceremony.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Attended by students, staff, faculty and community members, the event was emceed by Benny Michaud, who shared the significance of the day with guests.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cToday is significant because we get to come together and have Inuit experiences reflected and accounted for on campus,\u201d said Michaud. \u201cThe word Pigiarvik encapsulates the idea of a starting place, or a place to begin, fitting for this building as it is where many students\u2019 journeys begin when they come to Carleton.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Inuit Elder David Serkoak, who was born northwest of Arviat, Nunavut and survived many hardships as a result of his community being forcibly relocated numerous times, shared his reflections on the importance of naming and looking back at history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Elder David Serkoak speaking on the importance of naming <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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\u201cWithin the Inuit culture, one of the things that is very, very important is naming someone,\u201d explained Serkoak. \u201cYou see a person with a soul.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cEvery summer when I go back to my home community with my grandchildren, I make sure to pay a visit to their namesakes,\u201d he said. \u201cIn Inuit culture, when you name your child after a dead one, the dead one lives again in the name. And the spirit has a body again.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s always good to look back at history to see the importance of naming,\u201d Elder Serkoak noted. \u201cIt\u2019s moments like this where we can see that naming was and is a meaningful part of Inuit culture.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

President Bacon emphasized Carleton\u2019s commitment to truly honour the name Pigiarvik.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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President Benoit-Antoine Bacon speaks during the Pigiarvik naming ceremony<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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\u201cWe are thrilled to make the Inuit culture more visible on campus and to enhance our partnership with this important Indigenous People,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have fully adopted the name Pigiarvik, and we are committed to reaching beyond the naming of the building to better support the Inuit on- and off-campus.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Bacon acknowledged there is still a lot of work to be done and that Carleton\u2019s commitment to reconciliation with the Inuit and all Indigenous Peoples is ongoing.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re taking significant steps in our collective ambitions and nurturing a sense of belonging for Inuit students, faculty and staff and for delivering resources and training to educate the community about the experiences, history and world views of the Inuit,\u201d he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Inuk throat-singer, songwriter, and artist Qattuu, performing for audiences.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, the Centre for Indigenous and Community Support led the university\u2019s involvement in the Nunavut Arctic College Exchange program<\/a> where six Inuit students and three Carleton staff members traveled north to Clyde River, Nunavut to participate in land-based learning facilitated by Nunavut Arctic College, community members, knowledge keepers, and elders. Carleton is also hiring an Inuit Community Liaison Officer who will work in the Centre for Indigenous Support and Community Engagement to strengthen and build connections and pathways for Inuit to access post-secondary educational opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closing the afternoon celebration, Inuk throat-singer, singer, songwriter and performing artist Qattuu, who has her roots in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, performed songs from her newly released debut album entitled Midnight Sun<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n