The Legacy of Hope Foundation Presents – Roots & Hoots Episode 37: Featuring William Tagoona

(Ottawa, ON) January 12, 2023 – On this week’s episode of Roots and Hoots, host Gordon Spence is pleased to be joined by William Tagoona.?William is a musician and member of one of the first Inuit rock bands The Harpoons. William is also an accredited journalist, who served as editor of Tagralik Magazine. William is a natural story-teller and this lent to his 30-year-career as a CBC broadcaster, creating Inuktitut language programming. In this podcast episode, William describes the many landscapes of Nunavut and Nunavik, as well as stories that unite the old and new.

William Tagoona was born in Qamani’tuaq, known by its English name Baker Lake, which is now a part of Nunavut. In this episode, you will hear William share the complicated history and impact of the Churchill Residential School. William went to the Churchill Residential School in 1964, the first year it opened having just turned 12 years old.?He describes his experience there with Inuit children from much of the Eastern Arctic, including Baffin Island and Arctic Quebec. William remembers all the different dialects that children spoke, and how hard it was to communicate at first. Eventually the children resorted to speaking English, in search of a common language.

He talks about the sadness and loneliness that the children felt, but at the same time, the true uniqueness of the experience. Through the Residential School, the Federal Government brought in Inuit from far distances across the North - this had never been done before. If not for the people who attended the Churchill Residential School, William believes Nunavut would not exist today. He says the landscape changed when the people organized politically, in hopes and perseverance of carving out a better future after the abuse and mistreatment suffered at the hands of those entrusted to care for the children while at the Residential School.

William shares of his career in radio broadcasting and the joy and fulfillment he has found in his work as well as his music. William recalls memories from his childhood, as the son of Armand Tagoona, the first Inuk Anglican Minister, and how he used to love to sing in church above all else. He talks of the early days of The Harpoons and the devoted fan base they found in Greenland.

When speaking about Reconciliation, William says that he hopes the stories and Testimonies that were shared by Survivors, are the strength and determination of the youth who are carrying the torch of Reconciliation today. He sees it as his responsibility, to share his story as much as possible with youth, so that the truth does not get lost. Reconciliation has always been a dream, much like the creation of Nunavut was a dream that became reality. William sees music as a vital tool for saving Indigenous languages, specifically with youth and his language of Inuktitut. The episode ends with his song Anaanaga, which is an ode to his parents.

The LHF is a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for over 22 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and impacts on 7 generations of Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) children, their families and communities from attending Residential and/or Day School. By fostering empathy and understanding, LHF encourages people to address discrimination and injustice and contributes to the equity, dignity, and respectful treatment of Indigenous Peoples.

The LHF has more than 30 educational exhibitions that promote awareness of Indigenous history that are free to borrow. LHF also has curricula for K-12 and for adults, along with Activity Guides, Workshops and Training, and Podcasts all aimed at educating Canadians about Indigenous history and the shared history of Residential and Day Schools, the Sixties Scoop, etc. In order to offer solutions on how to be an ally. The LHF works to eliminate racism against Indigenous Peoples.

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For Media Inquiries, please contact:

Teresa Edwards , B.A., LL.B./J.D., Executive Director & In-House Legal Counsel, LHF Email:[email protected] Tel: 613-237-4806 ext. 303?