One of the best-known communities just off Baffin Island, on Dorset Island, is Cape Dorset, now recognized around the world for the outstanding soapstone carvings, prints and drawings of its Inuit artists (see Inuit Art; Contemporary Inuit Art). The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that meetings have largely been held remotely. The word comes from the morphemes inuk ("person") and -suk ("ersatz, substitute").It is pronounced inutsuk in Nunavik and the southern part of Baffin Island (see Inuit phonology for the linguistic reasons). Baffin Island lies in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Courtesy, Jennifer Allford, Candace Pedersen, an Inuit guide who travelled with passengers onboard the RCGS Resolute, gave a presentation about her traditional tattoos; their history, present-day comeback and meaning. Lake Harbour, Baffin Island: An Introduction to the Social and Economic Problems of a Small Eskimo Community. Baffin Island is a rugged place with awe-inspiring, and often record-breaking, sights for those who dare to venture out from the cities. When the site, Iningat Ilaglit, goes live later this year (with a low bandwidth option for the north), it will be the first time many Inuit have seen the early drawings. The Resolute drops us off at Iqaluit and I leave south Baffin Island with a tiny bit of Inuit art and a ton more knowledge about the people who make it. The most eastern administrative region of Nunavut, the Qikiqtaaluk Region is also the most populated. Still others, like David Pudlat, show you their work as you walk around town. Apak, a 12-year-old Inuit boy, lives in Pond Inlet on North Baffin Island on the edge of the Arctic circle. The names ‘Dorset’ and ‘Pre-Dorset’ come from Cape Dorset, Baffin Island. Inuit material culture was greatly modified by the increased flow of trade goods, including firearms, and by the large supply of wood provided by frequent shipwrecks. Reps say that plans to boost iron ore output will affect marine mammals that Inuit depend upon. Every time I look at the Inukshuk I bought on a rocky path, I’ll remember the resilient and creative people I met and this rugged, beautiful place they’ve called home for thousands of years. Baffin Island has been inhabited for over 3,000 years, first by the pre-Dorset, followed by the Dorset, and then by the Thule people, ancestors of the Inuit, who have lived on the island for the last thousand years. (See alsoIndigenous Territory.). “What now?” I ask, a little surprised. They don’t get many customers in Kimmirut. Candace Pedersen, who has traditional tattoos on her forehead, arms and fingers, explains that Inuit women would mark their accomplishments — “each piece of clothing they sewed, each time they skinned a fox” — with a tattoo. The land was originally settled by Víkingar, who were fleeing forced Christianization and feudalism, over 1,000 years ago. Apak, a 12-year-old Inuit boy, lives in Pond Inlet on North Baffin Island on the edge of the Arctic circle. In 2012, Sutherland also announced that the presence of alloys used by the Vikings in whetstones on Baffin Island suggest a possible trade network between the Baffin Island Inuit and the Vikings. Ludger Muller-Wille and William Barr, Franz Boas with the Inuit of Baffin Island, 1883–84: Journals and Letters (1998). We’ve arrived by zodiac from the ship, one of many excursions we take in ten days of exploring art, culture and wildlife on south Baffin Island. Peter Pitseolak and Dorothy Eber, People From Our Side: An Inuit Record of Seekooseelak (1975). We walk around a few archeological sites, watch a million thick-billed murre nesting on massive cliffs and circumnavigate icebergs. Bjarni appears to be the first European to see Baffin Is… The famous and famously shy artist holds up a pencil drawing that’s almost as big as she is. In 1576, the Inuit of Baffin Island made contact with European explorers, when Martin Frobisher traded with the Inuit and, according to different records, kidnapped one or three of them in the bay that now bears his name; more conflict ensued on his 1577 expedition. I buy an ookpik and two drawings, one of blackberries another of a camp stove. Baffinland mine expansion threatens Inuit culture, North Baffin leaders say. “Welcome and thank you for coming” a man grins while pushing his shopping card past laundry detergent that costs $41. Now, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection is digitizing 100,000 Inuit works drawn between 1959 and 1988. On a geological basis, Baffin Island is known to be a continuation of Canadian Shield’s eastern edge. The Pre-Dorset culture was a Paleo-Eskimo group of people who settled on the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and in northern Greenland around 2500 BC, lasting to around 500 BC. Located in Nunavut in the Arctic Archipelago, it is separated from Greenland by Davis Strait and Baffin Bay, from northern Québec by Hudson Strait, and from the Melville Peninsula by the Foxe Basin and the narrow Fury and Hecla Strait. Oh, and his work has been shown in museums in London and Barcelona. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. Although the Inuit may have welcomed regular trade and occasional employment, it is thought that their population declined rapidly because of dietary changes (see alsoCountry Food in Canada) and exposure to European diseases. Baffin Island: Rich in Inuit Culture The Baffin Island Inuit have lived on the island for thousands of years and are descended from the earlier Thule culture. The language has several subdialects, including North and South Baffin. Its area is 507,451 km2 (195,928 sq mi) and its population is about 11,000. Rather than tying the dogs up all summer, he explains, they’re taken to the islands with fresh water and seal meat delivered by boat for dinner. This movement to stop the testing was not the first instance in which Baffin Island Inuit fought against offshore oil and gas extraction. Please try again. Signing up enhances your TCE experience with the ability to save items to your personal reading list, and access the interactive map. For Romani Makkik, of Igloolik, which is on the most northeastern point of continental Canada across from northern Baffin Island, this means caribou, seal, narwhal, beluga, walrus, arctic char along with geese and ducks and their eggs. Baffin was Born In The North in 1979. Artists riffed off what they knew — the land, people and wildlife. You don’t have to search far to find a long list of accomplished Inuit artists in Cape Dorset, an ‘Art Capital of Canada’ and we are lucky to meet a few during our afternoon here. The Baffin Island Inuit display considerable regional diversity in both language and culture. (See alsoInuit High Arctic Relocations in Canada.). In about 986, Erik Thorvaldsson, known as Erik the Red, formed three settlements near the southwestern tip of Greenland. ), One of the best-known communities just off Baffin Island, on Dorset Island, is Cape Dorset, now recognized around the world for the outstanding soapstone carvings, prints and drawings of its Inuit artists. The wildlife and scenery of Baffin will be the focus of this inspiring ice strengthened ship-based expedition as you explore the wild east coast of Baffin Island discovering the … The latter share many cultural traits with the Labrador Inuit on the other side of Hudson Strait, which was frequently crossed for trading purposes. Qamutiks are seen on the sea ice at Pond Inlet, overlooking Bylot Island. Those in the far north belong to the Iglulik (Igloolik), who also live on the mainland. Baffin Island is Home to Nunavut’s Capital city Iqaluit, and 2 others. Inuit culture is ancient and very much alive today. From paninuittrails.org. Circumnavigate Canada’s high Arctic Baffin Island from western Greenland Visit local Inuit communities and learn about their culture, both modern and traditional Chance to observe Arctic wildlife: polar bears, whales, seals and large bird colonies See immense icebergs at UNESCO World Heritage site Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland According to the 2016 census, the total Inuit population in the Baffin region was 14,875. From the ship’s deck, we spot caribou, seals and a whale breeching. Come explore Baffin Island and experience the first place that Europeans landed in the New World. Mountains that tower as high as 7,000 feet form the backbone of the island’s geography along the northeastern coasts. Go bird-watching. It’s the place to go for Arctic exploration, so keep reading to find out the best things to do on Baffin Island. The remaining groups, often collectively referred to as the South Baffin Island Inuit, are concentrated along the rugged east coast, including Cumberland Sound and Frobisher Bay, and along the north shore of Hudson Strait. (See also Inuit Myth and Legend and The Goddess of the Sea: The Story of Sedna. Between the 11th and 13th centuries the Thule spread over the island displacing the Dorset. Come explore Baffin Island and experience the first place that Europeans landed in the New World. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Inuktitut is a language commonly spoken by many Baffin Island Inuit. His name is David Pudlak. He brought with him four Inuit captives, who did not survive more than two months. His dad taught him. Its name comes from excavations made at Cape Dorset at Baffin Island. Seven years later, the Canadian government placed another moratorium on oil development in Lancaster Sound after Inuit groups successfully expressed their opposition to the program. We cruise past a polar bear on an ice floe, watch another one swim between pans of ice and see a third stalk walrus lounging on the (aptly named) Walrus Island. We encountered an issue signing you up. (See also Inuit Art and  Contemporary Inuit Art.). In June 2014, the National Energy Board approved plans from a consortium led by Multi-Klient Invest AS (MKI) to begin five years of seismic testing around Baffin Island. GOVERNMENT OF NUNAVUT Your source for information about Government of Nunavut programs, regional tourism and local business opportunities. Here, we explore the beauty and bewilderment of Baffin Island. Another day, her husband Angulalik points out sled dogs running around on little islands on our way into the tiny community of Kimmirut. In the Resolute’s presentation room, we hear that young people in Cape Dorset (many descendants of those early artists) are employed to write tags and alt text (such as: “Imaginary scene depicting two mermaids braiding each other’s hair”) so people can access the archive online. The Dorset culture has been assumed to have developed from the Pre-Dorset, however the relationship between the two remains unclear. © 2020 Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. We see a lot of the Inuit’s natural world in our 10 days in the Arctic. NORÐLAND (NORTH COUNTRY). The names ‘Dorset’ and ‘Pre-Dorset’ come from Cape Dorset, Baffin Island. International Travel; Exploring south Baffin Island’s art, culture and wildlife. The Soper River winds through the tundra-covered hills of southern Baffin Island in eastern Canada. Publishing date: Sep 27, 2019 • • 5 minute read. In Nunavut, there are over 100 … Visitors to the Nunavut territory … Those in the far north belong to the Iglulik (Igloolik), who also live on the mainland. In 1958, a southern printmaker, James Houston, helped set up the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative in Cape Dorset. Many Inuit opposed the program, arguing that the testing might harm and disturb local food sources, including seals, whales and walruses. On shore, we pile out of the zodiacs, enjoy bannock and barbecued char and watch men compete in muskox fights (wrestling) and mouth tug of war (you sit side by side and hook your finger in the other guy’s mouth and pull — there is groaning). Natanine wants the caribou to remain in good shape. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. What does this mean? I make a quick trip to the bustling Northern Store and am greeted warmly by every person. After relocation projects in the 1950s that forcibly removed Inuit from their traditional camps, the Baffin Island Inuit now live in homes in Iqaluit (Frobisher Bay), the transportation hub and largest settlement on the island. Throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries, Inuit along the south coast had occasional trade contacts with European exploration and supply vessels that stopped briefly on their way through to Hudson Bay. Ship shoppers also visit a private gallery and the community centre where a dozen or so artists are displaying their work on plastic tables. Baffin Island Inuit live on Baffin Island, the largest island in the Arctic Archipelago and in the territory of Nunavut. Breadcrumb Trail Links. We sit in zodiacs, binoculars (or cameras) glued to our eyes as the bear approaches, sizes up the (much larger) walrus and retreats. He finished this one, about as long as my hand, in about half an hour. (See alsoIndigenous Languages in Canada.). We’re walking down a rocky path in Cape Dorset when we unknowingly bump into one of Canada’s most exciting young Inuit artists. Higgins, G. M. (1967). By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Courtesy, Jennifer Allford, A young polar bear approaches one of several hundred walrus hauled up on Walrus Island in Nunavut. Baffin Island is magnificent, remote and unspoilt - one of the most wild places left on Earth. Read more about cookies here. The Vikings called them ‘Skræling.’ Like the ancient Norse seafaring people of Greenland, the Dorset people became extinct by 1500 AD. Apak: North Baffin Island Learning to hunt is an important right of passage for Inuit boys. “They create from their lived experience,” she says. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Build an igloo, play ice hockey on a frozen pond, kite-ski, dog-sled, bite into steaming hot traditional bannock bread and caribou stew, and then swallow your shyness and give Inuit throat-singing a try. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. The Baffin Island Inuit (like other modern Inuit) share biological and cultural links with their Thule ancestors. “They are narrators of their community.”, Pootoogook, one of the first to include violence and other social issues in her drawings, “really broke the glass ceiling of Inuit art to be accepted in the mainstream of contemporary art, which allowed other artists access to that,” says Campbell. When Frosbisher returned to Baffin Island in July and August, hostilities with the Inuit were renewed, prompting Frobisher to return to England. In, Taylor, J. Garth, "Baffin Island Inuit". Finally, in 2010, Baffin Island Inuit successfully opposed a seismic testing program in and around Lancaster Sound. “It was started as an economic engine for communities,” says Campbell. According to the 2016 census, the total Inuit population in the Baffin region was 14,875; the total non-Inuit population was significantly smaller: 5,440. The tests, which use high-intensity sounds, will help map the seafloor and undersea geology. The Arctic island is believed to have been visited by Norse explorers in the 11th century and sighted by the British explorer Martin (later Sir Martin) Frobisher during his search for a Northwest Passage (1576–78). Ottawa: Department of Northern Affairs and National Resources, Northern Co-Ordination and Research Centre. “Sure,” I say, and start fishing for some twenties while throwing out a few questions. The cemetery, Campbell says, is a “lesson in Canadian art history.”. Contact with Europeans increased during the late 19th century when whalers started to establish permanent shore stations. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. The latter share many cultural traits with the Labrador Inuiton the other side of Hudson Strait, which was frequentl… The Baffin Island Inuit display considerable regional diversity in both language and culture. Early Settlement and Exploration Around 2000 BCE the peoples of the Pre-Dorset Culture began to establish themselves in northern Baffin Island. As part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Baffin Island is home to a number of Inuit  communities, including Iqaluit, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, Clyde River, Arctic Bay, Kimmirut and Nanisivik. Well, literally it means that the brand was born in "The Great White North", Canada; and product that we still manufacture today in Stoney Creek, was first setup for production in the late 1970s. The Goddess of the Sea: The Story of Sedna, Taylor, J., Baffin Island Inuit (2018). At Kenojuak Centre, teenagers act as interpreters as elder Novalinga Kingwatsiak demonstrates games with string and seal bones she played as a girl. Farther north, the Inuit of Davis Strait did not encounter outsiders in any numbers until after 1820, when Scottish and American whalers started making annual visits to Baffin Island through the heavy drift ice of western Baffin Bay. He’s 14 and has been carving since he was 11. “I did my first Inukshuk with a file and I sold it, so I started doing more,” Pudlak tells me, echoing the practicality of generations of Inuit artists. It is administered as part of Baffin region, Nunavut territory, Canada. And seal bones she played as a girl every piece produced by artists! Spoken by many Baffin Island ’ s rocky graveyard overlooking the water instance in Baffin... 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