After performing at the opening ceremonies of Women’s Worlds 2011, Tanya Tagaq was invited to participate in the first plenary, entitled ‘Breaking Cycles.’ Her inspiring and heartfelt words touched on the topics of how traditional Inuit ways of keeping healthy communities were repressed under colonialism, about strong role models, residential schools, imposed community relocations, healing and breaking the cycles of sexual abuse, and even publicly announcing her new pregnancy — plus she brought the plenary to a close with some beautiful singing.

She was on the panel with Andrea Smith, Devaki Jain, and moderator Joanne St. Lewis. She was there in place of Monica Chuji Gualinga from Ecuador, who had difficulties with her travel visa and was unable to attend.

This was one of four plenaries, and around 300 sessions overall, during the five-day international women’s congress which is Women’s Worlds, celebrating it’s 30-year history in 2011. It was held this year in Ottawa, Canada, and over 2,000 women from around the world attended.

Video filmed and produced for rabbletv by Greg Macdougall.