An Exploration of Yoga and Inuit Quajimajatunqangit

This paper was written for a course at Naropa University.

Nunavut is the newest and largest territory in Canada. It covers 21% of Canada’s total area mass and includes most of the Arctic Archipelago, part of the mainland, and all of the islands in Hudson Bay, James Bay, and Ungava Bay (Kikkert). Nunavut means “Our Land” in Inuktut and the territory is composed of 25 scattered communities throughout the region. Between these 25 communities, the current total population of Nunavut in 38,780 (Population Data). The median age of Nunavummiut (the people of Nunavut) is twenty-five years old and 85% of Nunavummiut are Inuit. Inuit have been occupying Nunavut for over 4,000 years and they trace their ancestors back to the Thule people, a prehistoric maritime society (Rea).

With the arrival of the first Europeans over 400 years ago, Inuit began to engage in trading and slowly acquired many foreign possessions (Action in Canada). In time, the Canadian government became very interested in the North as a source of raw materials such as oil and precious metals and needed permanent communities to claim sovereignty over the vast expanses (Brockman). Their solution was to forcefully establish sedentary Inuit communities across the North (Brockman). Dog teams, vital to the Inuit way of life, were slaughtered by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to ensure these communities stayed put, once Catholic missionaries became aware of Inuit, many moved to Nunavut with a mission to educate and convert the Inuit (Action in Canada). Canadian residential schools were government-sponsored religious schools that were established in an attempt to assimilate Indigenous children into European culture (Residential Schools in Canada). From the 1800s to 1996 children were forcibly removed from their families and community and taken sometimes thousands of kilometers away to southern schools where they had little or no contact with home (Residential Schools in Canada). With the removal of children from families came the intended erasure of traditional knowledge and a lineage of intergenerational trauma (Residential Schools in Canada). “Relocations into permanent communities sometimes thousands of kilometers away from familiar animal migration patterns marooned hunters; the expectation of a sedentary lifestyle coupled with a lack of wage-based labor encouraged idleness, often leading to alcohol and other abuses” (Action in Canada). A major consequence of this assimilation tactic is that traditional knowledge and health practices are no longer accessible to every young Inuk.

Nunavut’s youth currently face intense intergenerational trauma and PTSD from residential schools, the federal dog slaughter, colonization, and current federal neglect. The suicide rate in Nunavut is fourteen times higher than the Canadian national average, 70 percent of students in Nunavut experience food insecurity, and teenage pregnancy rates are equal to those in third world countries. Nunavummiut are also living with a housing epidemic, mental health crisis, and institutional racism. Given these extreme conditions, its no wonder youth are struggling with anxiety, depression, suicide, and self-care.

Growing up in Nunavut is no easy task, and unfortunately, we lose many youth to suicide and homicide every year. It is not uncommon to hear stories of incest and rape from friends on a daily basis, and it almost becomes normal to hear of traumatic alchohol or drug-induced experiences that children and youth are subjected to on a regular basis. Living in Iqaluit blatantly revealed my privilege just through the fact that I lived in a safe home that always had enough food; this forced me to begin processing the privileges of my white, middle-class, Christian life at a very young age. As soon as I turned eighteen I began travelling internationally and found myself wandering around SouthEast Asia. Through cosmic alignment I eventually found myself at a small ashram in Northern Thailand, studying classical Yoga with teacher’s who were students of Shri Yogendraji, the Yogi who brought the practices of Yoga to Indian laymen.  

Through the teachings of Yoga, my life began to make sense and feel manageable. I was taught that Yoga is a way of life, inclusive of our daily thoughts, meals, and interactions with our environment which supports our individual and societal potential (Yoga Teacher Training Course & Certifications). My teachers taught me that through practical applications of Yogic ideals, including simple philosophies which guide the practices of Yoga, we can be guided to a life that is free from physical illness and supportive of emotional, mental, and spiritual health (Yoga Teacher Training Course & Certifications). Through the teachings of Yoga, I began to heal a lot of my personal familial trauma. My relationship with Yoga matured into a curiosity around how Yoga could benefit Nunavummiut youth in a way that unites Inuit traditional values, offers tools for developing emotional regulation, and is implemented in an ethical manner that does not embody a colonial approach. Although Yoga has an extensive written history through various ancient texts, it is by no means the only global lineage of mindfulness.

For thousands of years, Inuit have been practicing brilliant techniques of training the body, mind, and spirit which foster their synergistic relationship with the harsh Arctic environment. Some of these practices are now often referred to as “Inuit Games” and are enjoyed on special days within schools and specific clubs. Inuit from all over the circumpolar Arctic congregate bi-annually at an event called the Arctic Winter Games, which is an international tournament that hosts fifteen different events (Sports: Arctic Winter Games). One of these events is the Inuit Games event, which requires serious commitment from its athletes. The competitive nature of this sport event signifies that these ancient practices have not been lost. Although the knowledge of their specific function and form is alive and thriving, these practices are not utilized for physical, mental and/or spiritual benefits in most Nunavummiut youth’s day to day lives. 

Most ancient communities had ways to train the body and mind to unite with the land, with each other, and live in harmony amidst their unique environments through this interconnection  (What is Yoga). Inuit Game’s historic purpose is undeniably akin to the intention of Yoga (What is Yoga). An elder from northern Quebec stated that, “In Inuit culture, there are breathing practices for hunting in extreme conditions and many games shared during the long hours indoors that built strength, focus, flexibility and well being like yoga does” (What is Yoga). Yoga also uses a combination of breathing exercises, body stretches, relaxation, and philosophical guidelines which inherently align with Inuit Quajimajatunqangit, which are the Eight Guiding Principles of Inuit Culture (Inuit Quajimajatunqangit). I was surprised to learn that Yoga practices are not foreign to Inuit, as many traveling Yoga practitioners have passed through the northern territory. While Kerry Lawson, a world-renowned Yoga teacher, was working with elders in Nunavut she wrote that an Inuit elder told her “It  (yoga) is the same as our culture” (Robak). Below I will list the parallels between Inuit Quajimajatunqangit, which can also be translated as “Inuit Traditional Knowledge”, and the guiding principles of Yoga’s main texts, including Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Shanti Mantras, and The Bhagavad Gita.

Parallel Relationship between Inuit Quajimajatunqangit and Yogic Guiding Principles

ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒌᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᖅ - Inuuqatigiitsiarniq 

Respecting others, relationships and caring for people

Patanjali’s verse 2.30 on the Yamas offers guidelines for how to relate to others.  The five Yamas ask practitioners to avoid violence, lying, stealing, wasting energy, and possessiveness; the subtle manifestations of these attributes may arise in the way we speak to, care for, or even think about others. Inuuqatigiitsiarniq and the Yamas both encourage humans to engage in social situations with respect and kindness by restraining any disrespect that could emerge between interpersonal relationships. 

ᑐᙵᓇᕐᓂᖅ - Tunnganarniq

Fostering good spirit by being open, welcoming and inclusive

Shanti Mantra: “May all be happy, May all be free from diseases, May us all experience what is Good, May none be subject to misery, Om Peace, Peace Peace.”

This traditional Yogic mantra is often recited in Yogic traditions to promote the wellbeing of all beings. The Shanti (peace) mantra aligns with the Tunnganarniq principle as they both encourage the practitioner to embrace all beings with a non-biased sense of compassion and empathy.

ᐱᔨᑦᓯᕐᓂᖅ - Pijitsirniq

Serving and providing for family and/or community

Pantajali’s verse 2.1 on Kriya Yoga states that through perseverance/hard work, the study of self and outside knowledge, and surrender to God (the Creator/nature) one will live an integrated life of action that will create balance; this can also be known as Karma Yoga or the path of selfless service. This verse relates to Pijitsirniq as they both guide people to serve and provide for their loved ones and/or their communities; this cannot be done without hard work and humility.

ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᖅ - Aajiiqatigiinniq

Decision making through discussion and consensus

The Bhagavad Gita is an ancient book that is studied by many Hindu monks and Yoga practitioners. It is believed to guide its students towards a better way of life and was written 5,000 years ago by Lord Krishna (Yadav). Through the story of Arjuna, Krishna gives the readers many lessons about decision-making. The Gita tells us that is always important to consult with the people who you trust before making any decisions (Yadav). Just like Aajiiqatigiinniq, the Gita empowers people to see that consulting with others (especially wise elders) is an imperative step in the decision-making process. 

ᐱᓕᒻᒪᒃᓴᕐᓂᖅ - Pilimmaksarniq

Development of skills through observation, mentoring, practice, and effort

Pilimmaksarniq can also be related to Patanjali’s verse on Kriya Yoga, which says that through fortitude/hard work, self-study and study of outside knowledge, and devoted practice one will cultivate the skills which are necessary to live in your surrounding environment, whatever that may be. Kriya Yoga’s self-study, the study of outside knowledge, devoted practice, and fortitude/hard work are respectively related to Pilimmaksarniq’s values of observation, practice, and effort. 

ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᒌᓐᓂᖅ - Ikajuqtigiinniq

Working together for a common cause

Shanti Mantra - “May we both be protected, May both of us enjoy together, May both of us work together, Let our work be fruitful, Let there be no hatred between us, Om peace, peace, peace.”

Just like Ikajuqtigiinniq encourages us to graciously work together in a way that is productive and beneficial to everyone involved, the Shanti mantra also helps us to cultivate a similarly beneficial attitude while working with others.

ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕐᓂᖅ - Qanuqtuurniq

Being innovative and resourceful

Patanjali’s verse 2.32 unpacks the Niyamas which can be thought of as “observances” or “positive duties”. The five aspects of the Niyamas are the purity of the mind, contentment, training of the senses, self-study and study of ancient texts, and devotion to a higher power. The Niyamas help us with spiritual living. Spirituality is deeply related to creativity, as innovation can only evolve once we reach a state of whole health (mental, physical, spiritual). Through the practice of observing patterns in oneself and the physical world without attachment, one is able to reach a place of innate resourcefulness and innovation.

ᐊᕙᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᒪᑦᓯᐊᕐᓂᖅ - Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq

Respect and care for the land, animals and the environment

Within the Yamas, verse 2.30, the first restraint which is prescribed is Ahimsa or non-violence. The Yoga practitioner is encouraged to contemplate non-violence beyond its physical form and restrain from verbal or mental forms of violence. Every action, interaction, and thought is carefully woven into a life that is filled with kindness, care, and foresight. Through this principle, we are encouraged to extend our energy into contemplative care for every piece of this earth, including the land, animals, and ecological systems. In a modern context, Ahimsa and Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq both encourage us to practice non-violence through conscious consumerism and being mindful of our actions that will affect non-human organisms and systems.

Through this comparison of Inuit Quajimajatunqangit and Yoga’s guiding principles, we are able to see the parallel ethics that both Inuit traditional knowledge and Yogic philosophy encourage us to practice.

While I questioned if practices from Yoga could help youth in Nunavut I turned to study other organizations that have successfully implemented mindfulness programs. The Holistic Life Foundation (HLF) is an organization that provides Yoga programs to students throughout public schools in the United States. Their Mindful Moment Program evolved out of Baltimore, Maryland, a city with experiences that are similar to Nunavut’s as they are faced with institutional racism and high rates of poverty, domestic abuse, substance abuse, and sexual abuse. HLF teaches students and teachers alike simple breathing techniques (pranayamas) which have a direct impact on the physical body (Mindfulness Research). Breathing techniques have become their main focus, but they also teach simple postures and other self-care tools that increase student's emotional awareness and control (Mindfulness Research). In the school where the Mindful Movement Program was first implemented, suspension rates have become non-existent, and attendance and graduation rates have reached an all-time record high (Mindfulness Research). These tools for self-regulation are being utilized when students experience impulsivity. A fifth-grader stated in his HLF testimonial: “Sometimes when I get mad I just breathe deep… I just, like I picture me being in a certain place I like, and I just thought I could overcome everybody and then I just stop being mad…I think of being a bigger person and doing something maybe a wise man would do… I think of something that a stronger, a mentally stronger person would do.” (Mindfulness Program & Training Testimonials).  For the first time in their life, these children and youth feel in control of their experiences, which is a radical idea if most of your life has been a series of mental and physical violations. As student’s practice deepens they are often able to navigate emotions such as anger, frustration, and fear with awareness. In turn, this awareness increases student’s social competence and prosocial behaviors which have a direct impact on bullying behaviors (Butzer). “Bullying can lead to a variety of negative effects on students, including difficulties with academic performance. In addition, problem behaviors such as bullying often result in suspensions and disciplinary referrals, which means those students end up missing out on important academic material, too” (Butzer). Through the Mindful Movement Program’s activities students are able to interact with themselves and each other in a more compassionate and loving way, as they navigate their own feelings with an awareness that they are in control of how they react to outside triggers. Additionally, when a bully-free school is created all students benefit and are able to excel in their personal, academic, social environments (Butzer). Ongoing in-school Yoga programs may also help students feel a positive impact on their mood and reduce stress, anxiety, depression. All of these benefits have a direct impact on student’s self-worth and ability to practice resiliency during times of chaos outside of school. 

Through studying the proven benefits that mindfulness programs can offer vulnerable children and youth, as well as deepening my understanding of the unique correlations between Yogic philosophy and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, I am inspired by the possibilities that could arise from programs that focus on mindfulness, holistic health, and community care.

A mindfulness program will only be able to come to life through community collaboration with Inuit, local educators, and youth themselves. Re-inventing the wheel is unnecessary when we already have so many successful programs to learn from. I believe the next step to explore is how to use pre-existing mindfulness programs as a framework for integrating Inuit-guided mindfulness activities and philosophies. I hope that my own journey and curious interrogations can offer insight on how to support Nunavut youth’s reclamation of their mental, spiritual, and physical health.

Citations

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