Panikpak Letitia Pokiak, MA Anthropology

​We are thrilled to have Panikpak Letitia Pokiak sharing a talk on Climate Change as part of our morning program at this year's festival. 

​Panikpak is from Tuktuuyaqtuuq located in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, of the Western
Arctic, North West Territories. As an Inuvialuk, she was raised traditionally on Inuvialuit Nunangat, her arctic homeland, which frames her lens and worldview.

Inuit Nunangat is an Inuktitut term meaning “homeland.” It is used to describe the four Inuit land claim regions which includes the land, water and ice. Inuit Nunangat is a massive region covering more than a third of Turtle Island/Canada’s land mass and half of its coastline.

Panikpak completed the MA Anthropology program at the University of Victoria with the culmination of her thesis defense, for which she received the Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS)  / Proquest Distinguished Masters Thesis Award.

​Prior to grad school, Panikpak was instrumental in establishing the Giant Mine Oversight Board
office, an independent body that monitors the Giant Mine Remediation Project in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories—as well as supporting the implementation of the Giant Mine Environmental Agreement, which guides the remediation of the Giant Mine located Yellowknives Dene First Nation
territory.

Panikpak was an Indigenous Support Worker for the School District No. 71 for five
years, on the unceded traditional territory of the K’omoks and Pentlatch People of Vancouver
Island.

With her anthropology background, Panikpak has been involved in a number of
archaeological expeditions in her home territory, including the 2010 Archaeological Survey in
Aulavik National Park in the high Arctic on the Northwest Territories' Banks Island in which the HMS Investigator—the merchant ship purchased in 1848 to search for Sir John Franklin's ill-fated Northwest Passage expedition—was rediscovered.

Both Panikpak and the archaeology crew received the Excellence Award from Parks Canada. Panikpak aims to support and empower Indigenous Peoples in their sovereignty, rebuilding and well-being efforts.

Panikpak Letitia Pokiak's presentation on Climate Change is at 10:15 AM as part of our invitation only morning sessions at the 2023 K’omoks Festival.