HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY, N.L. — Two Inuit elders were part of Memorial University history recently when they were given honorary doctorate of law degrees.
The degree-awarding ceremony, held Thursday in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, was the first special convocation the university has ever held in Labrador.
Jean Crane of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Nellie May Winters of Makkovik were presented with the honorary doctorates by Memorial president Vianne Timmons, the first Labradorian in the role.
The ceremony began with traditional Inuit drummers and featured a land welcome by Tshaukuesh (Elizabeth) Penashue, a past-recipient of an honorary doctorate from Memorial.
Crane is a well-known artist, advocate and elder who was instrumental in setting up Libra House, an emergency shelter in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. She also sat on Memorial's board of regents for several years, and was involved as an elder, mentor and teacher with the university’s Inuit bachelor of social work and the Inuit bachelor of education degree programs.
Winters is a prolific traditional Inuit artist who has had her work showcased across Canada and internationally. She works in a variety of mediums, including garment design, illustrating and doll-making. In 2020 she published a book, "Reflections from Them Days: A Residential School Memoir from Nunatsiavut," which contained her personal memoirs, stories and illustrations.
Ashlee Cunsolo, founding dean of the school of arctic and subarctic studies at the Labrador Institute of Memorial University, said both women have been inspirations.
“Creating a new school, university programming and a campus in Labrador is possible because of people like you and inspired by people like you,” she said during the live-streamed event. “Indeed, because of people like you, Nellie and Jean, we are able to envision Labrador futures full of love and learning, strength and solidarity, resilience and reclamation, and we are able to strive towards futures of thriving, flourishing and self-determination.”
Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe, who was at the ceremony, said it gave him great pleasure to congratulate the two women on receiving the honours.
“We are extremely grateful to both for the tremendous contributions they have made over the years in helping to advance and promote our unique way of life,” Lampe stated in a news release.
An honorary doctorate is given to people who make extraordinary contributions to society or exceptional intellectual or artistic achievement.
