Inuit Studies Conference and iNuit blanche |

for hands-on participation. However, twenty years ago, the first Inuit Studies Conference did not have the same atmosphere.

In 1996 a clash between Inuit and the academic community resulted in the conference being protested due to a lack of inclusion of Inuit voices. This year, thanks to the strong participation of the Nunatsiavut Government and conference advisory commitee, more Inuit speakers and participants were in attendance than ever. Keynote speakers included: Natan Obed, President of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK); Maatalii Okalik, Leader of the National Inuit Youth Council; Sámi artist Joar Nango; Natalia Radunovich, linguist and lexicographer; and singer Tanya Tagaq.

The strong Inuit presence strengthened the quality of the discussions throughout the conference. However, the need for even more Inuit participation and leadership within the conference should not be undercut. The majority of panelists were still nonInuit. The full potential for the Inuit Studies Conference to become a revitalizing and innovative space for Inuit thinkers to come together is not yet realized. Thankfully, this year’s conference demonstrated a commitment to more Inuit-centred knowledge exchange and community building.

The big highlight for art lovers was the concurrent event iNuit blanche, a clever play on the Nuit Blanche format common to cities as varied as Paris to Toronto, a free multi-city, all-night arts festival. iNuit blanche was a great way for visitors to explore the city of St. John’s in a scavenger hunt-style game of bingo. Hopping from