Bathurst Inlet, Nunavut
Encyclopedia
Bathhurst Inlet, is a small Inuit
community located in Bathurst Inlet
in the Kitikmeot Region
of Canada
's Nunavut Territory. As of the 2006 census
the population was 0 as opposed to 5 people in the 2001 census
.
The Inuit name for the community is Kingaun (old orthography) or Qingaut (new orthography), meaning nose mountain, which refers to a hill close to the community. Thus, the people of the area are referred to as "Kingaunmiut" (miut - people of).
The traditional language of the area was Inuinnaqtun and is written using the Latin alphabet
rather than the syllabics
of the Inuktitut writing system. Like Kugluktuk
, Cambridge Bay
and Umingmaktok
syllabics are rarely seen and used mainly by the Government of Nunavut.
The first Europe
ans known to have visited the area was during the first expedition of John Franklin
in 1821. There was little outside contact until 1936 when both the Roman Catholic church
and the Hudson's Bay Company
(HBC) arrived. Although, the Hudson's Bay Company abandoned the site in 1964 (for Umingmaktok
) the Inuit decided to remain in the area and continue the traditional lifestyle.
During the early 1960s, the area was visited by Glen Warner, a Sergeant
with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
. Warner, along with his wife Trish, purchased both the mission house and the HBC post which they turned into the "Bathurst Inlet Lodge". It is operated today as a joint venture between the Warner's and the local Inuit and is open during the short Arctic summer.
The lodge is a popular destination for tourists who wish to see a more traditional type Inuit lifestyle and wildlife such as fox
es, seals
, Barren-ground caribou
, arctic char
and muskox. Also in the area is the Wilberforce Falls
, the highest waterfall above the Arctic Circle
.
Like other communities in Nunavut, the only access is by aircraft. Although most tourists arrive from Yellowknife
, Northwest Territories
, it is possible to charter an aircraft from Cambridge Bay
. The community has no local phone service and contact with the outside world is maintained by satellite phone
.
Like its sister community Umingmaktok
, schooling is provided by flying the students to Cambridge Bay and returning them for Christmas and the summer.
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
community located in Bathurst Inlet
Bathurst Inlet
Bathurst Inlet is a deep inlet located along the northern coast of the Canadian mainland, into which the Burnside and Western Rivers empty. The name, or its native equivalent Kingoak , is also used to identify the community of Bathurst Inlet located on the shore.-Plans for a deep-water port:A...
in the Kitikmeot Region
Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut
Kitikmeot Region is an administrative region of Nunavut, Canada. It consists of the southern and eastern parts of Victoria Island with the adjacent part of the mainland as far as the Boothia Peninsula, together with King William Island and the southern portion of Prince of Wales Island...
of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's Nunavut Territory. As of the 2006 census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
the population was 0 as opposed to 5 people in the 2001 census
Canada 2001 Census
The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 15, 2001. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over 1996 Census of 28,846,761. In...
.
The Inuit name for the community is Kingaun (old orthography) or Qingaut (new orthography), meaning nose mountain, which refers to a hill close to the community. Thus, the people of the area are referred to as "Kingaunmiut" (miut - people of).
The traditional language of the area was Inuinnaqtun and is written using the Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
rather than the syllabics
Inuktitut syllabics
Inuktitut syllabics is a writing system used by the Inuit in Nunavut and in Nunavik, Quebec...
of the Inuktitut writing system. Like Kugluktuk
Kugluktuk, Nunavut
Kugluktuk is a hamlet located at the mouth of the Coppermine River in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut, Canada, on Coronation Gulf, southwest of Victoria Island...
, Cambridge Bay
Cambridge Bay, Nunavut
Cambridge Bay, named for Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, is a hamlet located in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut, Canada...
and Umingmaktok
Umingmaktok, Nunavut
The community of Umingmaktok is located in Bathurst Inlet in the Kitikmeot Region of Canada's Nunavut Territory...
syllabics are rarely seen and used mainly by the Government of Nunavut.
The first Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans known to have visited the area was during the first expedition of John Franklin
John Franklin
Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin KCH FRGS RN was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. Franklin also served as governor of Tasmania for several years. In his last expedition, he disappeared while attempting to chart and navigate a section of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic...
in 1821. There was little outside contact until 1936 when both the Roman Catholic church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
(HBC) arrived. Although, the Hudson's Bay Company abandoned the site in 1964 (for Umingmaktok
Umingmaktok, Nunavut
The community of Umingmaktok is located in Bathurst Inlet in the Kitikmeot Region of Canada's Nunavut Territory...
) the Inuit decided to remain in the area and continue the traditional lifestyle.
During the early 1960s, the area was visited by Glen Warner, a Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. Warner, along with his wife Trish, purchased both the mission house and the HBC post which they turned into the "Bathurst Inlet Lodge". It is operated today as a joint venture between the Warner's and the local Inuit and is open during the short Arctic summer.
The lodge is a popular destination for tourists who wish to see a more traditional type Inuit lifestyle and wildlife such as fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, seals
Fur seal
Fur seals are any of nine species of pinnipeds in the Otariidae family. One species, the northern fur seal inhabits the North Pacific, while seven species in the Arctocephalus genus are found primarily in the Southern hemisphere...
, Barren-ground caribou
Barren-ground Caribou
Barren-ground Caribou is a subspecies of the caribou that is found mainly in the Canadian territories Nunavut and the Northwest Territories and western Greenland. It sometimes includes the similar porcupine caribou, in which case the barren-ground caribou also is found in Alaska...
, arctic char
Arctic char
Arctic char or Arctic charr is both a freshwater and saltwater fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters. No other freshwater fish is found as far north. It is the only species of fish in Lake Hazen, on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic...
and muskox. Also in the area is the Wilberforce Falls
Wilberforce Falls
Wilberforce Falls is an almost 60 meter tall waterfall located in the Wilberforce Gorge of the Hood River in Nunavut, Canada. The falls are one of the few major waterfalls in the world north of the Arctic Circle...
, the highest waterfall above the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
.
Like other communities in Nunavut, the only access is by aircraft. Although most tourists arrive from Yellowknife
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Yellowknife is the capital and largest city of the Northwest Territories , Canada. It is located on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, approximately south of the Arctic Circle, on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the outlet of the Yellowknife River...
, Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, it is possible to charter an aircraft from Cambridge Bay
Cambridge Bay, Nunavut
Cambridge Bay, named for Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, is a hamlet located in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut, Canada...
. The community has no local phone service and contact with the outside world is maintained by satellite phone
Satellite phone
A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites...
.
Like its sister community Umingmaktok
Umingmaktok, Nunavut
The community of Umingmaktok is located in Bathurst Inlet in the Kitikmeot Region of Canada's Nunavut Territory...
, schooling is provided by flying the students to Cambridge Bay and returning them for Christmas and the summer.
See also
- UmingmuktogmiutUmingmuktogmiutThe Umingmuktogmiut are a geographically defined Copper Inuit band in the northern Canadian territory of Nunavut, Kitikmeot Region. They were located on the western coast of Kent Peninsula, and also further south in eastern Bathurst Inlet around Everitt Point by the Barry Islands. Umingmuktogmiut...
, a geographically defined Copper InuitCopper InuitCopper Inuit are a Canadian Inuit group who live north of the tree line, in Nunavut's Kitikmeot Region and the Northwest Territories's Inuvik Region. Most historically lived in the area around Coronation Gulf, on Victoria Island, and southern Banks Island.Their western boundary was Wise Point,...
band in the northern CanadianNorthern CanadaNorthern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
territory of NunavutNunavutNunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, Kitikmeot RegionKitikmeot RegionKitikmeot Region can refer to:* Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut, a region of Nunavut.* Kitikmeot Region, Northwest Territories, a region of the Northwest Territories until 1999, with similar but non-coterminal boundaries to the above....
.