Introduction
The first-ever Inuk to play in the National Hockey League (NHL), Jordin Tootoo, is an example of how professional sports can change a person’s life. Despite struggling with alcoholism and mental issues after his brother committed suicide, Jordin managed to overcome the problems and become a successful NHL player. This paper will discuss the accomplishments of Tootoo, the story of his people, and his opinion regarding sports and indigenous communities.
Sporting Accomplishments
Jordin Kutluk Tootoo is a former professional hockey player of Inuit descent. His career in the NHL spanned from 2003 until 2018 when he announced retirement. Jordin started his NHL career with Nashville Predators and completed it when playing for Chicago Blackhawks. Jordin represented Canada on the international level and scored 65 goals and 96 assists (Muzyka, 2019). His strength, however, was not in scoring or assisting. He was an agitator and a distractor who made opponents lose focus, thereby increasing Tootoo’s team’s chances of winning.
Before coming to the NHL, Jordin played in Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League, both in Canada. He was awarded Rookie of the Year and numerous other honors while playing for the Opaskwayak Cree Nation Blizzard. In 2003, Tootoo won a silver medal with Canada at World Junior Championships. His major accolades were received when he was playing for WHL. His NHL career is most memorable with the most penalty minutes in the history of Nashville and with disciplinary issues. However, Tootoo always played a vital role in helping his team win because he performed mostly supporting activities which did not require individual brilliance.
Background
Tootoo was born on February 2, 1983, in Manitoba, Canada. His father was interested in teaching his children to play hockey and skate (Muzyka, 2019). Therefore, both Jordin and his brother Terence became hockey players. He is of Inuit descent – they are indigenous people who inhabit Greenland, Alaska, and northern regions of Canada. Because Jordin grew up within an Inuk community, he had the opportunity to learn about the customs and culture of his nation (Bergen, 2020). It is considered that Inuit originated from Thule people, who inhabited northern areas of North America from 1000 AD (Freeman, 2020). Manitoba has been inhabited mostly by the ancestors of present-day Inuit. When Europeans arrived at the continent, in the beginning, the contact between newcomers and Inuit was almost non-existent. During the 19th century, however, trade started to develop, but Europeans were reluctant to visit places Inuit inhabited (Freeman, 2020). Because of the harsh climate in the north, Europeans considered the homeland of Inuit as hinterlands. Only at the beginning of the 20th century, when all other land was occupied, the Canadian government and business people started expressing interest in northern areas (Freeman, 2020). After discovering that the land Inuit call home was rich with minerals and other natural resources, the government started classifying Inuit as Indians, which automatically made them fall under the federal jurisdiction (Freeman, 2020). This decision marked the beginning of the dissemination of European culture onto Inuit.
World War II magnified the significance of the lands inhabited by the Inuit. The emergence of aircraft as a common means of travel for long ranges made northern regions of Canada accessible. The government started building schools with the aim of re-educating Inuit, so they assimilate into Canadian culture (Freeman, 2020). This cultural oppression continued for several decades, and the 1980s marked its pivotal point. More than 1000 indigenous women were killed as part of race-based genocide led by the Canadian government (National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, 2019). The population of Inuit has been declining since their contact with Europeans, largely because of exposure to foreign diseases, such as influenza and tuberculosis (Freeman, 2020). Among the most common health concerns within the communities of Inuit are problems with mental health (Freeman, 2020). Many aboriginals commit suicide, and scholars have suggested that forced relocations have played a significant role in this context (Freeman, 2020). Jordin Tootoo has spent the majority of his time speaking of suicide among Inuit and why it is vital to research the issue.
Voice
Tootoo was the first Inuk to play in NHL and has emphasized the role hockey played in his life. As mentioned, suicide and mental health issues are among the most common issues, and Tootoo believes that hockey saved his life (Muzyka, 2019). Alcohol is available in many Inuk households and leads to adverse outcomes (Muzyka, 2019). Jordin’s brother, Terence, who also played hockey professionally, committed suicide while being under alcohol’s influence (Bergen, 2020). He was only 22 years old, and Jordin could have had the same addiction (Bergen, 2020). He experimented with alcohol several times, but his priorities changed after the head of Nashville Predators called Jordin. Tootoo decided to go “all the way” and give back to indigenous communities when he retires (Muzyka, 2019, para. 8). Jordin rarely speaks specifically of hockey today and instead focuses on charity and suicide prevention.
Conclusion
Jordin Tootoo is a former professional hockey player and the first Inuk to play in NHL. He did not score many goals to be considered an NHL star, but he did have capacities that allowed his team to be stronger as a whole. After retiring, Tootoo has spent his time speaking of issues among indigenous people and has emphasized the importance of suicide prevention among Inuit. He believes that a career in sports has saved his life from mental health issues, which are common among members of indigenous communities.
References
Bergen, R. (2020). ‘A battle no one knows about’: Jordin Tootoo talks mental health at Red River College.CBC. Web.
Freeman, M. A. (2020). Inuit. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Web.
Muzyka, K. (2019). Inuk NHL player Jordin Tootoo on life after going ‘All the Way.’ CBC. Web.
National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. (2019). Reclaiming power and place. Web.