From Traditional Beginnings to Boardroom Executive - Embracing the New, Healing Through Traditional Culture

Clara Evalik's father came from nomadic beginnnings. His early life took him from Alaska, to the Western Arctic, to the Central Arctic, where he operated a trading post. Clara's mother was raised on the land and taught her children how to make their own clothing, maintain their language and to eat animals harvested from the land. Clara grew up in Ikaluktutiak, Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, in Canada's Arctic. Her family lived in town during the winter months and on the land at camp in the summer where they harvested Arctic Char for winter supplies, as well as eating other traditional foods such as geese, muskox and caribou. Clara's parents emphasized education as well as traditional values.They were lessons she used to become an executive in the governments of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. In this episode we discuss balancing the old with the new, Clara's involvement in the creation of the territory of Nunavut, the connection of the Inuit to the land, achieving success in the modern world, and the healing power for Inuit women who recently participated in a workshop on how to make the puhitaq, sunburst trim for the hoods of parkas, a special symbol of Inuit womens identity. We also have a surprise visit from Claras grandson.