Inuit Muslim woman

Young, Inuit and Muslim:  Maatalii Okalik-Syed’s faith journeyAs a young Inuit woman, Maatalii Okalik-Syed is exceptional in many ways.

From a very early age, the 21-year-old native of Pangnirtung, Nunavut committed herself to helping others. She’s worked with several grassroots Aboriginal and Inuit organizations, all the way up to the Government of Nunavut. And now she’s set to graduate from Carleton University with a Human Rights and Political Science degree, minoring in Aboriginal Studies.

But an impressive resume is not the only thing that sets Maatalii apart. Maatalii is a Muslim, one of a small but growing number of Indigenous women in Canada converting to a religion most associate with the Middle East.

It’s not known exactly how many have converted, but some Indigenous Muslims report seeing more and more people like them praying at Ottawa-Gatineau mosques. People like Linda Soliman. A Cree woman originally from Fort Albany in northern Ontario, she credits Islam with strengthening her parenting skills and improving the relationship with her parents.Comment:  Just the existence of an Inuit Muslim woman is a stereotype breaker.

For more on the subject, see Lakota-Muslim Parallels.

P.S. I think I read about a Lakota Muslim woman before. But if I did, I can't find a link to the story.