Arviat, Nunavut
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Arviat (, syllabics: ᐊᕐᕕᐊᑦ; formerly called Eskimo Point until 1 June 1989) is a predominantly
Inuit Inuit (singular: Inuk) are a group of culturally and historically similar Indigenous peoples traditionally inhabiting the Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America and Russia, including Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwe ...
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
located on the western shore of
Hudson Bay Hudson Bay, sometimes called Hudson's Bay (usually historically), is a large body of Saline water, saltwater in northeastern Canada with a surface area of . It is located north of Ontario, west of Quebec, northeast of Manitoba, and southeast o ...
in the
Kivalliq Region The Kivalliq Region (; Inuktitut syllabics: ᑭᕙᓪᓕᖅ) is an Region, administrative List of regions of Nunavut, region of Nunavut, Canada. It consists of the portion of the mainland to the west of Hudson Bay together with Southampton Island ...
of
Nunavut Nunavut is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' and the Nunavut Land Claims Agr ...
, Canada. Arviat ("place of the bowhead whale") is derived from the
Inuktitut Inuktitut ( ; , Inuktitut syllabics, syllabics ), also known as Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, is one of the principal Inuit languages of Canada. It is spoken in all areas north of the North American tree line, including parts of the provinces of ...
word ''arviq'' meaning "
Bowhead whale The bowhead whale (''Balaena mysticetus''), sometimes called the Greenland right whale, Arctic whale, and polar whale, is a species of baleen whale belonging to the family Balaenidae and is the only living representative of the genus '' Balaena' ...
". Earlier in history, its name was ''Tikirajualaaq'' ("a little long point"), and ''Ittaliurvik'' ("a place where the people make tents").


Demographics

In the
2021 Canadian census The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canada, Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, whic ...
conducted by
Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...
, Arviat had a population of 2,864 living in 632 of its 694 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 2,657. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.


Community

Arviat is the southernmost community on the Nunavut mainland and is close to the geographical centre of Canada. In Arviat, Inuktitut and English are primarily spoken, having the third largest population in Nunavut, behind
Rankin Inlet Rankin Inlet, which fronts to Hudson Bay, is an Inuit hamlet on the Kudlulik Peninsula in Nunavut, Canada. It is the largest hamlet and second-largest settlement in Nunavut after the territorial capital, Iqaluit. Rankin Inlet is the regional c ...
and
Iqaluit Iqaluit is the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. It is the territory's largest community and its only city, and the northernmost city in Canada. It was known as Frobisher Bay from 1942 to 1987, after the large bay on the coast on ...
. From the
2011 Canadian census The 2011 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population on May 10, 2011. Statistics Canada, an agency of the Canadian government, conducts a nationwide census every five years. In 2011, it consisted of a mandatory short form ...
to the
2016 Canadian census The 2016 Canadian census was an enumeration of Canadian residents, which counted a population of 35,151,728, a change from its 2011 population of 33,476,688. The census, conducted by Statistics Canada, was Canada's seventh quinquennial census. ...
there was a population increase of 14.6%. The mayor of Arviat is Joe Savikataaq (Jr.). The community became a hamlet under the name Eskimo Point (name first appeared on maps in 1738) in 1977. Cargo and passenger air service is provided by
Calm Air Calm Air International LP. is a full service airline, offering passenger, charter and freight services in northern Manitoba and the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut. It is owned by Exchange Income Corporation with its main base in Winnipeg, Manitoba. ...
,
Canadian North Bradley Air Services, operating as Canadian North, is a wholly Inuit-owned airline headquartered in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. It operates scheduled passenger services to communities in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Nunavik region ...
and
Nolinor Aviation Les Investissements Nolinor Inc., trading as Nolinor Aviation, is a charter airline based in Mirabel, a suburb of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It operates passenger charter and cargo services within Canada and to the United States. Its main base ...
(charter only) out of
Arviat Airport Arviat Airport is located at Arviat, Nunavut Nunavut is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ...
. Destinations include other settlements in Nunavut and
Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
, including
Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
. Hunting and fishing are very active in the community; they are the primary source of sustenance. Four locally operated stores - Padlei Co-op, Northern Stores, Arctic Connection and Eskimo Point Lumber Supply - carry a wide range of products. To the south, the town of Churchill,
Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
is accessible by boat during the summer and fall. Churchill is accessible by snowmobile and Bombardier from Arviat. Churchill is often travelled to for supplies. Arviat is well known around the Arctic for its artistic qualities. It is a thriving community with many talented musicians:
Susan Aglukark Susan Aglukark, ( Inuktitut syllabics: ᓲᓴᓐ ᐊᒡᓘᒃᑲᖅ ''suusan agluukkaq''; born 27 January 1967) is a Canadian singer whose blend of Inuit folk music traditions with country and pop songwriting has made her a major recording st ...
, a well known musician; Simon "Johnny Cash of the North" Sigyariaq; the band Uniaqtuq, with Arsene, Pelagie and Mary Angalik; the Arviat Band, with John and Billy Kuksuk, Paul Kattau and others; the Irksuk band, played by Paul Irksuk and sons. All have had CDs recorded commercially. Many types of wildlife are abundant. Within the vicinity of Arviat,
polar bear The polar bear (''Ursus maritimus'') is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can Hybrid (biology), interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear ...
s, millions of migratory birds, beluga whales, and
caribou The reindeer or caribou (''Rangifer tarandus'') is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. It is the only represe ...
are often spotted. The only access is by air and snowmobile, but the Nunavut government and the federal
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
member for Nunavut,
Dennis Patterson Dennis Glen Patterson (born December 30, 1948) is a Canadian politician and lawyer who was Senate of Canada, senator from Nunavut from 2009 until his retirement in 2023. He was the fifth premier of the Northwest Territories from 1987 to 1991. ...
, are investigating the possibility of a highway from
Thompson, Manitoba Thompson is a List of cities in Manitoba, city in north-central Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada, the largest city and most populated municipality in Northern Manitoba. Situated along the Burntwood River, Thompson is located north of Lake Winnipeg a ...
,
Lynn Lake Lynn Lake is a town in the northwest region of Manitoba, Canada, approximately from Winnipeg. The town is the fourth-largest town in Manitoba in terms of land area. It is centred on the original urban community of Lynn Lake. The town was named ...
, or
Gillam, Manitoba Gillam is a town on the Nelson River in northern Manitoba, Canada. It is situated between Thompson and Churchill on the Hudson Bay Railway line. Many residents of Gillam are employed by Manitoba Hydro at one of their many facilities or suppo ...
, or an extension of the Hudson Bay Railway from
Churchill, Manitoba Churchill is a subarctic port town in northern Manitoba, Canada, on the west shore of Hudson Bay, roughly from the Manitoba–Nunavut border. It is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward the shore from inland in the autumn, leadi ...
to
Rankin Inlet Rankin Inlet, which fronts to Hudson Bay, is an Inuit hamlet on the Kudlulik Peninsula in Nunavut, Canada. It is the largest hamlet and second-largest settlement in Nunavut after the territorial capital, Iqaluit. Rankin Inlet is the regional c ...
via Arviat. Similar to other Arctic coast communities there is an annual
sealift Sealift is a term used predominantly in military logistics and refers to the use of cargo ships for the deployment of military assets, such as weaponry, vehicles, military personnel, and supplies. It complements other means of transport, such as ...
but it is not available to passengers. Arviat was originally inhabited by the Paallirmiut, a coastal/inland Inuit band. In 1957, dying of starvation, the last remaining
Ihalmiut The Ahiarmiut ᐃᓴᓪᒥᐅᑦ or Ihalmiut ("People from Beyond") or ("the Out-of-the-Way Dwellers") are a group of inland Inuit who lived along the banks of the Kazan River, Ennadai Lake, and Little Dubawnt Lake (renamed ''Kamilikuak''), ...
, another
Caribou Inuit Kivallirmiut, also called the Caribou Inuit (/ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥᐅᑦ), barren-ground caribou hunters, are Inuit who live west of Hudson Bay in Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, between 61° and 65° N and 90° and 102° W in Northern Canada. The Denm ...
band, were relocated to Arviat by the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; , GRC) is the Law enforcement in Canada, national police service of Canada. The RCMP is an agency of the Government of Canada; it also provides police services under contract to 11 Provinces and terri ...
. Though there are differences between the two bands, they recognize a need to work together in order to benefit the community. In 1993,
Mark Kalluak Mark may refer to: In the Bible * Mark the Evangelist (5–68), traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel of Mark * Gospel of Mark, one of the four canonical gospels and one of the three synoptic gospels Currencies * Mark (currency), a currenc ...
published a historical essay on soapstone carving in Arviat, entitled ''Pelts to Stone. A History of Arts and Crafts Production in Arviat''. Arviat was featured in ''Dancing Towards the Light,'' a 2017
CBC News CBC News is the division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC ...
short film and article telling the story of the hamlet's annual dance competition. The community is home to Arviaqpaluk Radio, a
community radio Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial broadcasting, commercial and public broadcasting. Community broadcasting, Community stations serve geographic communities and communities o ...
station which operates under an exemption from
CRTC The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; ) is a public organization in Canada tasked with the mandate as a regulatory agency tribunal for various electronic communications, covering broadcasting and telecommunic ...
licensing for low-power broadcasters.


Politics

The community is represented in the
Legislative Assembly of Nunavut The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut is the legislative assembly for the Canadian territory of Nunavut. The seat of the Assembly is the Legislative Building of Nunavut in Iqaluit. Prior to the creation of Nunavut as a Canadian territory on ...
by
John Main John Douglas Main OSB (21 January 1926 – 30 December 1982) was a Roman Catholic priest and Benedictine monk who presented a way of Christian meditation which used a prayer-phrase or mantra. In 1975, Main began Christian meditation groups wh ...
in the electoral district of
Arviat North-Whale Cove Arviat North-Whale Cove (, , Inuinnaqtun: Arviat Tununga-Tikiraryuaq) is a territorial electoral district ( riding) for the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada. The riding consists of part of the community of Arviat and Whale Cove. The dis ...
, and
Joe Savikataaq Joe Savikataaq (born ) is a Canadian politician who served as the fifth premier of Nunavut from 2018 to 2021. He was elected premier on June 14, 2018 by the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, after his predecessor Paul Quassa lost a no-confiden ...
in
Arviat South Arviat South (, , Inuinnaqtun: Arviat Hivuraa) is an electoral district ( riding) for the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, Canada. The riding consists of part of the community of Arviat. The district was created prior to the 28 October 2013 ge ...
. Savikataaq was
Premier of Nunavut The premier of Nunavut (; Inuinnaqtun: ''Hivuliqti Nunavunmi''; ) is the first minister for the Canadian territory of Nunavut. The premier is the territory's head of government, although their powers are somewhat more limited than those of a pr ...
from 2018 to 2021. Savikataaq's son, Joe Savikataaq Jr., became mayor of the community in March 2020, following the death in office of Bob Leonard.


Recreation

The Hudson Bay Quest sled-dog race was run from Churchill to Arviat for the first time in 2004.


Internet

The community has been served by the
Qiniq Qiniq may refer to: * Qiniq (tribe), a historical Oghuz Turkic tribe * Qiniq (company), a Canadian communications company {{DAB ...
network since 2005. Qiniq is a fixed wireless service to homes and businesses, connecting to the outside world via a satellite backbone. The Qiniq network is designed and operated by
SSI Micro SSi Canada (formerly known as SSi Micro Ltd.) is a Canadian wireless broadband internet service provider primarily serving remote areas that lack terrestrial service options. SSi was established in 1990 by Jeffrey Philipp and is headquartered in Y ...
. In 2017, the network was upgraded to
4G LTE In telecommunications, long-term evolution (LTE) is a standard for wireless broadband communication for cellular mobile devices and data terminals. It is considered to be a "transitional" 4G technology, and is therefore also referred to as 3 ...
technology, and 2G-GSM for mobile voice.


Climate

According to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, Arviat has a
subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...
(Köppen ''Dfc''). However, using Nordenskjöld's alternate formula for distinguishing Arctic from subarctic climates, it has a
polar climate The polar climate regions are characterized by a lack of warm summers but with varying winters. Every month a polar climate has an average temperature of less than . Regions with a polar climate cover more than 20% of the Earth's area. Most of ...
(Köppen ''ET''); as expected from this, it is north of the Arctic
tree line The tree line is the edge of a habitat at which trees are capable of growing and beyond which they are not. It is found at high elevations and high latitudes. Beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the environmental conditions (usually low ...
. Spring is slow to warm up, with June being cooler than September and May cooler than October. With a yearly mean of it is the third-warmest in Nunavut and the maximum of recorded on 22 July 1973 is second only to that of
Kugluktuk Kugluktuk (, ; Inuktitut syllabics: ; ), known as Coppermine until 1 January 1996, is a hamlet at the mouth of the Coppermine River in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut, Canada, on Coronation Gulf, southwest of Victoria Island. It is Nunavut's ...
. Arviat has a yearly rainfall of , the fourth-wettest in Nunavut, but only of snow, the third-least. Temperatures above freezing have never been recorded between 18 November and 17 March, inclusive; conversely, accumulating snow has never been recorded in July or August.


See also

*
List of municipalities in Nunavut Nunavut is the Population of Canada by province and territory, least populous of Canada's Provinces and territories of Canada, three territories with 36,858 residents as of 2021 Canadian census, but the largest territory in land area, at . Nu ...
* Peter Kritaqliluk *
Arviat Airport Arviat Airport is located at Arviat, Nunavut Nunavut is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ...
* Nancy Karetak-Lindell *
John Pangnark John Pangnark (1920 in Windy Lake, Nunavut – 1980) was an Inuk sculptor and native of Arviat, Northwest Territories (now Nunavut). His work is notable for its frequent use of geometric abstraction and its nearly exclusive focus on the human figure ...
* Andy Miki *
McConnell River Migratory Bird Sanctuary The McConnell River Migratory Bird Sanctuary is located in the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut, Canada. The 32,800 hectare sanctuary is on Hudson Bay's west coast, 27 km south of Arviat, and 50 km north of the Manitoba border. Its namesake is ...
*
Arvia'juaq and Qikiqtaarjuk National Historic Site The Arvia'juaq and Qikiqtaarjuk National Historic Site contains two areas: ''Arvia'Juaq'' and ''Qikiqtaaruk''. Arvia'juaq (Sentry Island ), an island in Hudson Bay, is located close to Arviat, Nunavut. It is a National Historic Site of Canada ...


Notes


References


Further reading

* * * Inuit Gallery of Vancouver. ''Arviat Artists of the Past, Present, and Future''. Vancouver: Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, 1997. * Kalluak, Mark. ''Pelts to Stone A History of Arts & Crafts Production in Arviat''. ttawa Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 1993. * Maguire, Mary, and Lynn McAlpine. ''Attautsikut/Together Understanding Culture, Change and Success in Qitiqliq Secondary School and Arviat''. Exemplary schools project technical report, 8. Toronto: Canadian Education Association, 1995. * Sharp, Jason M. ''Ground Truthing of Linear Magnetic Anomalies Near Arviat, Nunavut Territory''. Yellowknife, NT: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, NWT eology Division, 1999. * Swinton, George. Arviat Eskimo Point. Vancouver: Marion Scott Gallery, 1989. * Tyrrell, M. 2006. "Making Sense of Contaminants: A Case Study of Arviat, Nunavut". ''Arctic''. 59, no. 4: 370-380.


External links


Official website
{{Authority control Hudson's Bay Company trading posts in Nunavut Populated places on Hudson Bay Hamlets in the Kivalliq Region Road-inaccessible communities of Nunavut