It was decades in the making and now the Nunatsiavut Government is confident the first-ever Labrador Inuit dictionary reflecting the Labrador Inuit Standardized Writing System  will be around for a long time to come, inspiring generations of young minds to embrace  the almost-forgotten language of their grandparents.

On Monday, Oct. 29, the dictionary – along with several other new interactive learning tools – was officially unveiled in Nain and seven other sites including on Memorial’s St. John’s campus.

Labradorimi Ulinnaisigutet Inuktitut – English Dictionary has been a dream for more than 20 years. Its launch will help preserve the Inuktitut language for generations, noted Daniel Pottle, deputy speaker of the Nunatsiavut Assembly at the event on Monday.

A new interactive CD-Rom was also launched. Rosetta Stone is designed to teach people the Inuktitut language by using pictures to establish the meaning of words and phrases so that there is no translation.

In addition to the new CD-Rom, a new children’s book and a book of stories generated from a Labrador storytelling festival were launched at the Beatrice Watts Boardroom in the Inco Innovation Centre.

It was fitting the launch was held there.

Dr. Watts – who received an honorary degree from Memorial in 1992 – is listed as one of the editors of the new dictionary. Dr. Watts was renowned throughout Labrador as a skilled educator and passionate community leader. She devoted her life to preserving and restoring the Inuktitut language of the Inuit. Early in her teaching career, she observed that Inuktitut was at risk. Dr. Watts committed herself to reinstating the native language in school curriculum, and opening the door for a whole new generation of Labradorians to learn to speak and appreciate their native language.

She passed away in April 2004.

Catharyn Andersen, an MA student in linguistics at Memorial and director of the Torngâsok Cultural Centre in Nain, is one of the project co-ordinators of the dictionary.

Dr. Axel Meisen, president of Memorial, spoke at the launch, which was also attended by Dr. Reeta Tremblay, dean of Arts, as well as students, staff and faculty members of Memorial.

The Nippik Inuit Drummers also performed at the launch in the lobby of the Inco Innovation Centre.