In this episode of The Greatest Classroom on Earth, host Geoff Green sits down with Kathy Snowball Aputiarjuk, an Inuk singer-songwriter, educator, and communications director from Kangiqsualujjuaq (George River), Nunavik. Kathy’s journey—from a young girl learning guitar at home, to a student on the 2019 Students on Ice Arctic Expedition, to returning as an educator and rising musical talent—is a powerful story of culture, resilience, and community leadership.

Kathy opens up about her childhood in a close-knit Arctic community, also the birthplace of Canadian Governor General Mary Simon, the spark that ignited her love for music, and how throat singing, language, and land shape her creative voice. She shares memories from her first expedition to Greenland as a student, and the full-circle moment of returning as an educator on this year’s SOI expedition.

We also dive into her growing music career—festivals, collaborations, and her debut EP—as well as her important work with Anguvigaq, protecting Inuit harvesting rights and supporting beluga research rooted in Inuit Knowledge.

Kathy’s reflections on hope, change, youth leadership, and the power of community are moving and unforgettable. Stay tuned to the end of the episode to hear her original song, Nakursaniq Pijunnaniq, a soulful track about gratitude, resilience, and finding your way through the metaphorical forest.