“I had this vision, having been an only child to a single parent, that that was not going to be the path for my own children, but you don't know what life has in store for you,” shares Hilu Tagoona. She is from Baker Lake in Nunavut, the center of Canada. After high school, she went straight to work for the Government of Northwest Territories. She worked an entry level job in social services for two years, then worked as a career development officer doing work around training, employment and apprenticeships. She did the job for a long time but she took breaks to try other things like teach Adult Basic Education, human resources and now she works in marine conservation.

Tagoona ended up in the marine conservation field after 20 years of environmental advocacy on the side. Living in a community where there is a lot of industrial activity, she felt as First Peoples, Inuit and Indigenous people, they had an important role in thinking about how the land, water and animals would be impacted. That’s why she was part of community led advocacy, impact assessments and working as an intervener. She was on the board of Oceans North, Mining Watch Canada and other boards. “The community work that we do outside of paid work can sometimes lead to something that you never imagined would happen. And that's where I am today,” she smiles. 

Tagoona loves what she does because she gets to talk to harvesters and elders and hear what they say about why different lands and waters are important. “It’s been a truly rewarding experience,” she explains, thinking about the process of deciding what happens, where and when.

For her schooling, Tagoona went to regular grade school and while she went straight into the working world, she still wanted to go to university. She got a chance to get certified as a career practitioner, and participated in but did not finish the midwifery program through Nunavut Arctic College. She got her maternity care worker certificate in Rankin Inlet. She ended up going to university in Ottawa and got her bachelors degree later in life. 

Her advice for Indigenous students who have to leave their home communities to get their education is, “most definitely do it, but also be prepared… apply for every funding opportunity that’s available there…Research some of the schools that you’re looking into, research the city, research the communities that you’re considering going to, find a place where you feel like you’re connected.” For Tagoona, that was the Indigenous centre on campus. She suggests having other activities, for that was music, and getting outside. She would go to the parks to get fresh air. 

When it comes to obstacles, Tagoona’s husband passed away from cancer when he was quite young, leaving her to raise them as a single parent. She had a strong support system and her kids grew up and did very well but it was not what she had planned for herself. 

If she could give a message to her younger self it would be to find a confident healthier version of herself and figure out who she is earlier on. Surrounding herself with people who inspire her made the biggest difference so she would encourage herself to do that early on, learning from others with healthy habits,

To balance her mental health, Tagoona had hobbies like sewing, giving her a challenge and bringing out her artistic side. Moving her body playing basketball helps her too, going for walks, going square dancing or jigging. “Movement for me is a lifesaver,” she shares. Finding a circle of positive, supportive people is also helpful and having a planned trip to look forward to is also good. Getting out and about as much as possible is what she suggests. 

When it comes to inspiration, Tagoona looks to her grandmother who was so smart, positive and strong. She imagines her during hard times and remembers if she could raise a family during the difficult experiences she had then she would be okay. She really sees her grandmother as her rock.  

Hilu Tagoona didn’t expect to become a single mother after losing her husband to cancer, but she had a strong circle of support cheering her on. She ended up in a job where she gets to do what she’s been passionate about for twenty years - protecting the earth and listening to her people’s wisdom. She raised her kids well and got her degree, following her dreams in her own time.

Thanks to Alison Tedford Seaweed for authoring this article.