We had the pleasure of attending Inhabit Media’s second annual author event last week, where we were able to meet and chat with Nunavut media creators, the vast majority Inuit.

We were also happy to put our money on the table for the privilege of bringing home their books and artwork. We can report that each one is more than worth the list price.

A glance through the current catalogue shows the diversity of Nunavut’s culture, with young and adult readers getting the opportunity to learn about both Inuit mythology and issues relevant to modern-day life.

Organizers were worried not enough people would show to make the event – which required flying authors in to Iqaluit – achieve a good return on investment. It was nice to see a steady lineup at the cash register and often lineups to get signatures from the authors who were brought in for the event, a sign that the work is hitting the mark.

Inhabit would surely have a much tougher go of it if it weren’t for funding from government and Inuit organizations, whose contracts enable the company to produce important educational and historical resources in the territory’s official languages. The government doesn’t have the capacity to be in the content creation business, and Inhabit has great partnerships that benefit Nunavut content creators.

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