Tagak Curley

Who is Tagak Curley?

Tagak Curley is an Inuit leader, politician and businessman from Nunavut. As a prominent figure in the negotiations that led to the creation of Nunavut, Tagak is considered a living father of confederation in Canada. He was born in a hunting camp at Coral Harbour, Northwest Territories.

From 1966 to 1970, he worked as a development officer with the federal Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Based on his experiences, Curley became politically active and took on leadership roles at the local level to promote better living conditions for Inuit in local communities across Nunavut. From 1970-71, Curley served as the Repulse Bay settlement manager. He also acted as editor of the Keewatin Echo, the first English-Inuktitut newspaper in Canada. He was a founding member and the first president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami in 1971. ITK was formed to represent Nunavut Inuit by their own organization.

Curley held leadership positions with the Inuit Cultural Institute, the group that first initiated the process to recognize Nunavut as a formal territory in Canada, as well as Nunasi Corporation, an Inuit economic development organization, and in Nunavut Construction.