Noel Kaludjak of Rankin Inlet was honoured with the Meritorious Service Decoration medal for his work over the past two decades in helping men improve their mental health and adjust their priorities to put family first in their lives, during a special ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on May 8.
The event was hosted by Gov.-Gen. Mary Simon and saw 73 Canadians acknowledged for their efforts during Mental Health Week from May 6 to 12.
Kaludjak said he was humbled and deeply honoured to receive the award.
He said it’s been a long road since he first started the Men Rising Up program (Angutiit Makgiangninga) in the early 2000s to help build stronger, healthier families.
“I’ve been just trying to help because I have this passion to help women and children who deserve a safe home,” said Kaludjak.
“I push for men in every community to form their own group, so that they can help each other and learn from each other.
“Before our men’s group started, I don’t think there were too many resources in place to help men here.
“People were kind of skeptical for awhile but, after a few years, they actually started seeing changes in the men we connected with and people started to believe in what we’re doing.”
Kaludjak said he believes change is coming along, but it’s still quite slow.
He said progress is being made and, at least, there is now a growing awareness that some men truly do need help to change and become a better father and better husband.
“I didn’t begin this journey to receive recognition or awards. I do it out of care and concern about people’s quality of life in the North.
“I use myself as an example when I do this because I was there. I was not a very good father or husband. And I was not very good to the people around me.
“I had anger issues and attitude issues that affected everyone around me, especially my close family. I struggled with alcoholism, but now I’m sober. I fell off the wagon for a bit, but I got back on. It’s one day at a time, but I don’t believe I’ll ever touch another drop of alcohol.
“And, you know, if I can change and do better, so can every other man.”
Kaludjak has recently started another men’s healing program in Rankin called Better Fathers, Better Husbands.
He said there’s a number of men out there who want to be better, but they really need help in doing that.
“You have to want to do it. But, in many ways, it’s all about helping each other to heal rather than trying to do it alone and group support can help a lot.
“Every man is not a super hero or a super expert on hunting and all things Inuit. So much of it can often be where we place our priorities.
“Family — your children and your spouse — have to be your top priority. Everything else comes second.
“A father’s role is to do whatever it takes to ensure he and his partner’s children grow up healthy, safe and happy because every child deserves a safe and secure home.”
ᓄᕆᐅ ᖃᓗᔾᔭᖅ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᐱᒃᑯᒋᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᑖᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕐᒥᓄ ᐊᕋᒍᓄ 20 ᐃᑲᔪᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᖑᑎᓂᒃ ᐃᖢᐊᖅᓯᒋᐊᖅᖢᓂᒋ ᐃᓱᒪᖏ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᕿᒋᐊᖅᖢᓂᔾᔪᒃ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᓂ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᐅᑦᑎᓂᖅ ᖃᑕᖑᑎᖏᓂᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓂ, ᐊᑐᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒌᒃᑐᑦ ᕆᑐ Hᐊᓪ ᐊᑐᕚᒥ ᒪᐃ 8.
ᑲᑎᖓᐅᔪᖅ ᑐᖓᓴᐃᔨᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑲᕗᓄ ᔭᓄᕈ ᒥᐊᓕ ᓴᐃᒪᓐ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᑯᓪᓗᑎ 73 ᑲᓇᑕᐅ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᖓᓂ ᐱᓇᔪᒃᑐ ᐊᑐᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᖓ ᐃᓱᒪᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᒪᐃ 6-ᒥ 12-ᒧ.
ᑲᓗᔾᔭᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᒃᓴᐃᕈᑎᓚᐅᕋᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓗᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᒃᑯᓕᓪᓗᓂ ᑐᓐᓂᕆᔭᐅᓂᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔾᔪᑎᒥᒃ.
ᐅᖃᕆᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᑯᓂ ᐊᖁᑎ ᐊᑐᓕᕋᒥᐅᒃ ᐱᒋᐊᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᖑᑎᓄ ᐃᓅᓇᓱᐊᑦᑎᐊᕋᓱᒃᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᓴᖅ (ᐊᖑᑏᑦ ᒪᑭᒋᐊᕐᓂᖓ) ᐱᒋᐊᓵᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᕐᕋᒍ 2000 ᓴᖏᑦᑎᐊᖁᓪᓗᒋ, ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒋᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᖃᑕᖑᑎᒌᖕᓄᑦ.
“ᐃᑲᔪᕋᓱᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᐸᒃᑐᖓ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᐱᔪᒪᓂᖃᕋᒪ ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓗᒋ ᐊᕐᓇᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓱᕈᓯᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖏᑦᑐᒥ ᐊᖏᕋᖃᕆᐊᓕᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᖃᓗᔾᔭᖅ.
“ᐱᖁᔨᕙᒃᑐᖓ ᐊᖑᑎᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᓕᒫᓂ ᐋᕿᒃᓯᖁᓪᓗᒋ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐃᓅᓇᓱᐊᑦᑎᐊᖅᑎᓂ, ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑎᒌᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᖃᑎᒌᒡᓗᑎᒃ.
ᐱᒋᐊᓚᐅᖏᑎᓪᓗᒋ ᐊᖑᑎᓄ ᑲᑎᖓᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ, ᐱᑕᖃᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖏᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᑐᒐᒃᓴᓂ ᐃᓕᓯᒪᔪᒥ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᑎᓄ ᐊᖑᑎᓄᑦ ᑕᒫᓂ.
“ᐅᒃᐱᕈᓱᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᑯᓂ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ, ᐊᕐᕋᒍᒐᓴᖕᓄᑦ, ᑕᑯᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᐊᖑᑎ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᔭᕗᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᒃᐱᕆᔭᐅᓕᖅᖢᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ.” ᖃᓗᔾᔭᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖓ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᒐᒥ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓱᓕ ᓱᑲᐃᑦᑐᖅ.
ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᓯᒋᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᖅᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ, ᐊᒃᓱᓪᓘᓃᑦ, ᐊᖏᒡᓕᕙᓪᓕᐊᒐᒥ ᐅᔾᔨᖅᓱᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᖅ ᐃᓚᖏ ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑖᑕᑦᑎᐊᕙᐅᑲᓐᓂᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᐃᑦᑎᐊᕙᐅᑯᑦ.
“ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᒋᐊᓚᐅᖏᑕᕋ ᐊᖅᑯᑎ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᒪᓪᓗᖓ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓃᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᔪᑎᕈᔪᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᓗᖓ. ᐱᓕᕆᕙᒃᑕᕋ ᐃᒃᐱᒋᒐᒃᑭ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓱᒫᓗᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᓂᖓ ᐃᓅᓯ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ.
“ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ ᐆᒃᑑᑎᒋᓪᓗᖓ ᐱᓕᕆᓕᕌᖓᒪ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᐊᑐᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖕᒥᒐᒃᑯ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ. ᐊᑖᑕᑦᑎᐊᕙᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖏᓐᓇᒪ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᐃᑦᑎᐊᕙᐅᖏᖦᖢᖓ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᑦᑎᐊᖏᑉᐸᒃᖢᖓ ᖃᓂᒋᔭᒃᑲᓂ.
“ᓂᙵᐅᒪᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᕐᓘᑎᐅᓴᖕᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑭᑦᑯᓕᒫᕐᒥᒃ, ᐱᓗᐊᕕᒃᑐᒥ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᒃᑲ. ᐊᔪᒍᑎᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᖕᒧ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒃ ᐊᑐᕈᓐᓃᖅᑕᕋ.ᑲᑕᑲᓐᓂᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᒐᓗᐊᕋᒪ ᕿᓚᒥ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓇᖏᖅᓯᑲᓐᓂᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ. ᐅᓪᓗᖅ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᐊᓂᒍᖅᑎᒃᐸᒃᖢᒍ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐊᑐᖅᓯᑲᓐᓂᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔾᔮᕈᓐᓃᖅᑐᖓ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᖕᒥᑦ.
“ᐊᒻᒪᓗ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᕕᑦ, ᐊᓯᔾᔨᕈᓐᓇᕈᒪ ᐃᓅᑦᑎᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓗᖓ, ᐊᓯᒃᑲ ᐊᖑᑎ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᒥᔪᑦ.”
ᑲᓗᔾᔭᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓵᓵᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᓯᐊᓂᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᓄ ᒪᒥᓴᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᑖᑕᑎᐊᕙᐅᓂᖅ, ᐅᐃᑦᑎᐊᕙᐅᓂᖅ. ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᓄᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᖑᑎᑦ ᐃᓅᓇᓱᐊᑦᑎᐊᑲᓐᓂᕈᒪᔪᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᓕᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᒪᒃᐸᑕ. “ᐱᔪᒪᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᑎᑦ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ, ᓇᐅᒃᑯᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ, ᐃᑲᔪᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᒃᑰᕐᒪᑦ ᒪᒥᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᒪᒥᓐᓇᓱᖏᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᑎᖓᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᑦ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᑦᑎᐊᕙᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᒪᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᐊᓗᒃ.
“ᐊᖑᑎᓕᒫ ᐱᒃᑯᓇᖅᑐᐊᓗᖏᒻᒪᑕ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓃᑦ ᓯᓚᓐᐃᑦᑐᖏᓐᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓯᖏᑦ ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓄ. ᐅᓄᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓂᓯᒪᔪᓐᓇᕐᒪᑕ ᐱᔪᒪᓂᒃᑯᑦ.
“ᖃᑕᙳᑎᑦ − ᕿᑐᕐᖓᑎᑦ ᐱᖃᑏᓪᓗ − ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᑎᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᑎᑦ. ᐊᓯᖏᑦ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᐅᑎᓗᒋ. “ᐊᑖᑕᐅᑉ ᐃᓕᖁᓯᖓ ᐱᓇᔪᐃᓐᓇᕐᓗᓂ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᓄᓕᐊᓂᓗ ᕿᑐᕐᖓᖏᑦ ᐱᕈᒃᓴᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᑲᐅᔪᒥ, ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖏᑦᑐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒃᑐᓂ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪᓗ ᓱᕈᓯᓕᒫ ᐃᓅᔭᕆᐊᓕᑦ ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᖏᑦᑐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖏᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᖏᕋᓂ.