Introduction to Inuktitut | Winter 2026

Institute Nordique du Québec will offer this practical Inuktitut course in winter 2026 under the aegis of its Training Committee. The course is designed to introduce participants to the language and culture of the Inuit of Nunavik.

Led by anthropologist and ethnolinguist Aurélie Maire, the program offers:

1. An introduction to the basics of the language and its structure;
2. Thematic workshops that focus on vocabulary adapted to the participants' needs and interests.
3. An interactive approach, including conversational exercises.

Training details

Dates and Duration: Every Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., from January 30 to April 24, 2026 (12 sessions total). Allow approximately 1 hour per week for the learning exercises suggested by the instructor.

Location: Université Laval campus 

Format: Face-to-face to facilitate dynamic interaction and practical group exercises; however, distance participation is also possible. Please note that participants taking the online training course will be required to turn on their cameras and actively participate in the exercises.

Cost: information to follow

Target audience: Anyone looking for a practical introduction to Inuktitut, including researchers, Northern professionals, and indigenous language and culture enthusiasts.

Please note that this is a non-credit course.

Please be advised that the course will be conducted in French.

Aurélie Maire's biography

Aurélie Maire holds doctoral degrees in anthropology from Université Laval and in ethnolinguistics from the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (INALCO). She is also a graduate of INALCO's Inuit language and culture program. Since 2008, she has spent several winters in Nunavut studying Inuit terminology, orality, and graphic arts practices. In 2018, she was appointed editor-in-chief of Inuit Studies, a journal published by Université Laval's Centre interuniversitaire d'études et de recherches autochtones. She contributes to various research projects that promote Inuktitut and circumpolar Inuit culture. Since 2025, Aurélie Maire has been contributing to the Inuktitut courses offered to the INQ community.