"Learning should emphasize relationships with self, family, the community, the land, and the spiritual world. Relational learning also recognizes the importance of intergenerational knowledge, sharing, and reciprocity. Elders and Knowledge Keepers are experts and have clear roles to play in passing on wisdom and knowledge. This is a reciprocal and honoured relationship" (GNWT, 2021, p.40). 

“The keepers of traditional Indigenous knowledge in every community are worthy of honour, consideration, and respect. Courageous Indigenous leaders, young and old, deserve the ongoing support of all Canadians to create equal opportunities for everyone on this land. Reconciliation will be successful when all Canadians have committed to learning about our shared past, listening to Indigenous truths, and pursuing a new and more inclusive, collaborative and respectful path towards a better future”

“It is in the power of every researcher and educator to do something to improve the lives of people [...]  Serving people’s well-being is a great challenge, but it is also our greatest calling [...] Progress is not always easy, of course. It requires understanding, commitment, compassion, patience, and likely some amount of courage. (Hostetler, 2005, p.21). 

• Trevor Makenzie (Teacher, Author and Inquiry Consultant for BDDEC) 

• Jessica Vance (Inquiry Leader Consultant for BDDEC) 

• Deidre Wilson (Professor at Western University) 

• Iain Brodie (Professor at Western University) 

• George Gadanidis (Professor at Western University) 

"Effective leadership is a product of the heart and an effective leader must be visionary, passionate, creative, flexible, inspiring, innovative, courageous, imaginative, experimental, and initiates change” (Naylor, 1999 as cited in Amanchukwu et al., 2014, p.6). 

To the Community of Tuktoyaktuk:  To the families, experts, teachers, traditional knowledge holders and elders...thank you for sharing your wisdom. Thank you for supporting and guiding our students in being and becoming capable learners. Thank you for welcoming us into your community. 

To the Students of Mangilaluk School: Thank you for sharing your gifts, talents and knowledge with us. Thank you for your creativity and kindness, and thank you for helping us learn and grow as educators. 

To the Staff of Mangilaluk School: To our teachers, support assistants, CYC, PSTs, Home-School Liaison and any additional supporting staff members, thank you for your dedication to our students and your commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, Indigenizing Education and Language Revitalization. 

“The Northern teacher has an added responsibility to know and understand not only the historical significance of education for Aboriginal communities but also to know and understand contemporary social, political and economic realities. These teachers are also learners, engaged in a process of coming to know and understand a new way of teaching, of learning and of living…” (Burleigh & Burm, 2012, p. 23 as cited in ILEH, 2021, p.42).