On Thursday April 1, 1999
Canada's Inuit people achieved indepedence, and Iqualuit became their capital.
The Inuit have been ignorantly referred to as
Eskimos in the past, but the majority of people interested in the world we live in
appreciate that there is more to the Inuit than a liking for fur lined Parka jackets.
Their traditional hunting and trapping way of
life has been passed down from the elders over thousands of years -- the Inuit were on the
American continent before Columbus even knew that land exhisted
west of the Mediterranean.
In the early 1960's, the Canadian government
put it upon themselves to systematically destroy the Inuit culture by shooting their sled
dogs.
If you lose your driving licence, it's
probably because you were caught by the police while driving under the influence. The
Inuit were just trying to live their simple lives in a harsh environment. Take away the
dogs and you sever their mobility, independence, and eventually their self worth.
Paul Okalik was chose to represent the Inuit
-- on March 5th, 1999 -- and his task is early task was to give the Inuit back their self
belief and bring their culture back from despair.
Getting There
and Around:
Air Nunavut
P.O. Box 1239, Iqaluit NT, XOA OHO, Canada
Tel.: (867) 979-2400. Fax: (867) 979-4318
Based in Iqaluit, Air Nunavut offers service
to every Baffin community as well as Labrador, Greenland
and northern Quebec. Daily scheduled flights link Pangnirtung, Cape Dorset, Broughton
Island and Sanikiluaq.
Air Inuit
1985 55th Ave., Dorval QC, H9P 1G9, Canada
Tel.:1-800-661-5850. Fax: (514) 633-5485
Charters fly to Nunavut from La Grande
Rivière, Povungnituk and Kuujjuaq.
Nunavut Tourism:
Discover this land of incredible natural beauty and infinite space.
Flying to Nunavut:
Most people visiting Nunavut arrive by air. There are no road links from the South and,
with the exception of a 21-kilometre stretch between Arctic Bay and Nanisivik, no roads
between communities.
Government
of Nunavut:
Embracing both traditional knowledge and values and the new opportunities presented by
technologies like the Internet, the Government of Nunavut now provides a wide range of
services tailored to the unique needs of approximately 29,000 residents.
Map of Nunavut:
Large map of the Nunavut Territory with links to Nunavut Visitor's Centers and weather
reports.
Nunavut Flag and Coat of
Arms:
The motto in Inuktitut -- Nunavut Sanginivut -- means 'Nunavut, our strength'.
Nunavut
Handbook:
The 1999 on-line edition of The Nunavut Handbook. Still the world's most comprehensive
travel guide to Canada's Arctic.
Nunavut Parks:
Nunavut's territorial parks, heritage rivers, historic sites, and conservation areas
provide habitat for caribou, polar bear, and other wildlife and are places the Inuit like
to use for dog-sledding, boating or camping -- remembering the way their ancestors lived
thousands of years ago.
Nunavut.com:
Information gateway to Nunavut.
The Trans Canada Trail:
At present, the only portion of the Trans Canada Trail that can be found on the Nunavut
map is a section of Trail in the Iqaluit area.
Aboriginal
Youth Network:
Aboriginal young peoples connect and interact with each other from reserves, settlements,
friendship centers, schools, urban centers and communities around the world.
Arctic Dawn:
Go back to the Canadian Arctic in 1768 on the journey of Samuel Hearne. The story is
linear, although you can dive in at the table of contents from any page.
Nunatsiaq
News:
The Nunatsiaq News web site features the Nunavut and Nunavik editions of
Nunatsiaq News, all rolled into one.
Arctic Reading:
Nunavut:
One of a series of books on Canadian provinces by Lyn Hancock, this book is a colourful
and fun way to learn more about Nunavut.
Arctic Dreams:
Having lived in the Arctic for long periods of time, Barry Lopez brings you the
imagination and desire of this northern landscape. A thoughtful look at our relationship
with the landscape.
National
Aboriginal Day: June 21st.
Canada
Travel Guide:
Find out more about Canada. |
