Booklets grounded in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
Inunnguiniq is planning a person’s life path for a good future. This teaching has been passed from generation to generation. Inuit culture and knowledge are passed on not only for one lifetime, but for generations to come. - Joe Karetak
Based on Inuit teachings outlined in inunnguiniq, or making capable human beings, a series of four booklets were developed in 2021 through a partnership between the Aqqiumavvik Society and the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH). These resources for Inuit families and caregivers of children up to 6 years of age include: Family Connections, Fatherhood is Forever, Growing up Healthy, and Parents as First Teachers.
Each of these booklets is grounded in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, and the cultural teachings, expectations, and practices around healthy pregnancy, baby’s best start and child rearing. The resources provide guidelines and practical information to help parents in early childhood learning and healthy development, and ultimately to strengthen Inuit families and communities for generations to come.
The resource booklets include:
- Family Connections which presents information for parents and caregivers on bonding, forming secure attachments with children, and connecting with extended family and community;
- Fatherhood is Forever which discusses the important parenting role of fathers, including learning about being a positive role model for children and some of the different approaches they can take to deal with different situations;
- Growing up Healthy which focuses on the steps parents and caregivers can take to keep infants and children well, through nutrition, physical activity and caring for the body; and,
- Parents as First Teachers which places emphasis on early childhood development and learning through experience and play.
In 2025 the NCCIH collaborated with the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS) to translate the booklets in two additional dialects. The booklets are now available for download in English, French, Qikiqtaaluk nigiani (Inuktitut, South Baffin dialect), and Nunavimmiutitut (Nunavik Inuktitut - Tarramiutut, Hudson Bay and Itivimiutut, Ungava Bay dialects).
The booklets are also as available for hard copy order from the NCCIH at no charge.
For more information, please contact: