April 8, 2014

• G is for Gjoa Haven, Nunavut

  In my work stints as a social worker, I had two opportunities to spend time here in spring 2009 and would like to share some of my photos. The overlap between traditional Inuit culture and the encroaching southern one is indeed interesting. e.g. a young mom with a smile packing shirt and toque

  For more details, just click on Gjoa Haven tags and then blog entries.

  Location:  Gjoa Haven, located about 250 kilometers above the Arctic Circle in the central part of the Nunavut Territory, and the most western region, the Kitikmeot Region. The name meaning is "lots of fat", referring to the abundance of blubbery sea mammals in the nearby waters, or as Uqsuqtuuq, or ‘place of plenty blubber’, because of the once plentiful seal. One of the fastest growing communities in the Kitikmeot Region, in 1961, its population was estimated at 100 and now well over 1000. This arctic hamlet is on the southeast coast of King William Island on the Northwest Passage

  History: Of interest it is the nearest community to where the Franklin Expedition perished and often attracts many history buffs from around the world.

  In 1903, Amundsen was attempting the first traverse of the Northwest Passage; by October the straits through which he was travelling began to ice up, and Amundsen put  his ship the Gjøa into a natural harbour on the southeast coast of King William Island. He was to stay there, in what Amundsen called "the finest little harbour in the world", for nearly two years.

  Weather: When I worked in Nunavut we would have “ snow days”: a blizzard, a white out, snow blowing sideways, basically if one can not see the school or hamlet office across the street or uptown across the gully in Gjoa Haven, a snow day is declared and government offices and school are closed everyone locally “knows” that the snow is drifting but it has to be officially declared by four govt departments before closure. My Inuit friends could tell me how a blizzard is coming, the temperatures rising from minus 30oC to a balmy 10- 15 oC below and in the warmth there is a lull, a calm in which large flakes scatter through the night and almost Christmas like in March.

  Cultural and Other Activities

  • Traditional string and bone games… These circle games often done by the Elders involved a dice and when certain number rolled passing a rope with knots and untying or picking up stones in the center.
  • Anglican Church
  • Drum dancing
  • Sewing and reading were my favorite activities in the winter when I went north, including making wall hangings.

  Dogs: I really have a heart for dogs.

  In many of the northern communities the only shots available are rabies usually given by a by-law officer….no vets. One of the men working at the clinic had 4 husky pups that he would eventually like to begin a dog team

  • 6:42 am
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