Who Is a Famous Inuit Leader?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 27, 2020

A famous Inuit leader is Terry Audla, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK). Audla leads the ITK, a national advocacy organization, to represent 55,000 Inuit people living in 53 communities.

Another famous Inuit leader was Jose Amaujaq Kusugak, who died in 2011. He worked through the 1980’s and 1990’s to promote and preserve the Inuit language through broadcast radio. He held two terms as president of the ITK from 2000 to 2006. He also led a political battle against the Canadian government to successfully implement Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. In 1999, the Nunavut Territory was created. Kusugak passed away at the age of 60 from cancer while at the height of his career.