The Canadian territory of NUNAVUT Tereza Vargová, FNSPE CTU

General Information

the largest, northernmost, newest and least populous Canadian territory Nunavut means 'our land' in Inuktitut, the Inuit language Inuit means 'the people', singularly Inuk covers 1,877,787 km 2 of land and 160, 935 km 2 of water => almost 20% of Canada

General Information the capital city: Iqaluit (formerly known as Frobisher Bay) population of 31,906, mostly Inuit, with population density being one of the lowest in the world – persons per square kilometre highest point: Barbeau Peak – 2,616 m on Ellesmere Island

Alert, Canada

Nunavut Flag

Coat of Arms

Climate most of the area is frozen and snow-covered for more than half the year the earth of the Arctic tundra has a permanently frozen subsoil (= permafrost) in summer, a thin layer of topsoil thaws and creates many pools, lakes, and marshes => attracts mosquitoes, midges, black flies => attracts migrant birds

Polar bear

Arctic fox

Beaver

Canadian Lynx

Moose

Grey wolf

Wolverine

(short) History of the Inuit the first well-documented post-Columbian contact between Europeans and the Inuit was during Martin Frobisher’s 1576 search for the Northwest Passage – sought as a possible trade route to East Asia

The Northwest Passage

(short) History of the Inuit the discovery of oil in the northern regions of Canada during the 1960s and 1970s stimulated aboriginal groups to bring several land claims against the Alaskan and Canadian governments transition completed on April 1, 1999

The Inuit People there are 4 Inuit regions in Canada, collectively known as ‘Inuit Nunangat’ – Nunatsiavut (Labrador) – Nunavik (Québec) – Nunavut – Inuvialuit (Northwest Territories)

The Inuit People

there are 8 main Inuit ethnic groups: the Labrador, Ungava (= Québec), Baffin Island, Igloolik, Caribou, Netsilik, Copper and West Arctic Inuit Inuktitut, the Inuit language, has five main dialects in Canada

The Inuit People

traditionally hunters, fishers, and gatherers who moved seasonally from one camp to another – hunt whales, walrus, caribou, seal, polar bears, birds, and fish – gather naturally available plants – grasses, roots, stems, berries, and seaweed

Bowhead whale

Walrus

Caribou

Seal

The Inuit People somewhat traditional gender roles marriage was common for women at puberty and for men when they became productive hunters family structure is quite flexible – several households form communities

The Inuit People the Inuit use dog sleds for transportation on both land and sea ice – the Canadian Eskimo Dog (the official animal of Nunavut), the Greenland Dog, the Siberian Husky, and the Alaskan Malamute are favoured by the Inuit Inukshuk - human-made stone landmarks used where natural landmarks are insufficient

Inuit dog sleds

Inukshuk

The Inuit People traditional law: – maligait – refers to what has to be followed – piqujait – refers to what has to be done – tirigusuusiit – refers to what has to be avoided should an individual’s actions go against the traditional laws, the shaman would usually intervene

The Inuit People in a culture with oral history, elders are the keepers of communal knowledge, the community library => cultural taboos against sacrificing elders among the Igloolik Inuit, however, death of elders by suicide is not uncommon

Quiz

In 1576, Martin Frobisher was searching for: A) the Northeast Passage B) the Southwest Passage C) the Northwest Passage D) the Southeast Passage

Quiz In 1576, Martin Frobisher was searching for: C) the Northwest Passage

Quiz The traditional law does not consist of: A) piqujait B) inugait C) tirigusuusiit D) maligait

Quiz The traditional law does not consist of: B) inugait

Quiz Death of elders by suicide is not uncommon among: A) the Netsilik Inuit B) the Ungava Inuit C) the Igloolik Inuit D) the Baffin Island Inuit

Quiz Death of elders by suicide is not uncommon among: C) the Igloolik Inuit

References ericans/inuit_peoples.php various Wikipedia pages – various infoplease pages –

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