Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre - Rooted in the North: Cultural Reconnection and Healing in Inuvik
Akwesasne, Ontario, April 10, 2026
For many Sixties Scoop Survivors and their families, healing is deeply connected to reclaiming identity through land, language, and community. In Inuvik, the Healing with Culture program offered through the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre continues to create meaningful pathways for that reconnection, grounded in the lived realities and traditions of the North.
Photo courtesy of: Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre
At the heart of the program is land-based learning.Participants engage directly in traditional harvesting activities, gaining hands-on experience that reconnects them with seasonal practices and ancestral knowledge.
Photo courtesy of: Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre
These teachings extend beyond harvesting to include preparation and preservation of country foods skills that reflect not only cultural continuity but also self-sufficiency and wellness. Through these experiences, participants rebuild confidence and strengthen their connection to both landand identity.
Photo courtesy of: Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre
Language, Culture, and Everyday Connection
Cultural revitalization within the program is not limited tospecific teachings, it is embedded in everyday interactions. Language is encouraged throughout activities, creating natural opportunities to hear, speak, and reconnect with Gwich’in and Inuvialuit languages.
Photo courtesy of: Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre
Participants also engage in cultural expressions such as sewing, games, music, and dance. These moments foster familiarity and belonging, helping restore connections that were disrupted through displacement and systemic separation from culture.
Photo courtesy of: Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre
Recognizing the layered impacts of the Sixties Scoop, the program integrates emotional and mental wellness supports alongside cultural learning. Access to counselling and community-based support ensures that participants are not navigating their healing journeys alone. This approach reflects an understanding that cultural reconnection and personal healing are interconnected each strengthening the other. With guidance from knowledgeable staff and support workers, participants are able to engage at their own pace in a space grounded in respect, safety, and understanding.
Photo courtesy of: Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre
One of the most impactful elements of the program is the sense of community it fosters. Survivors, families, and community members come together to share stories, support one another, and rebuild connections across generations.
Photo courtesy of: Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre
By centering Gwich’in and Inuvialuit knowledge, language, and cultural practices, the program contributes to a broader movement of reclamation where identity is strengthened, relationships are rebuilt, and knowledge is carried forward.
Photo courtesy of: Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre
Through initiatives like Healing with Culture, the ongoing work of supporting Survivors continues not only by addressing past harms, but by creating space for renewal, resilience, and future generations to thrive.
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