Kugluktuk
Population: 1,450
Kugluktuk (Place of rapids), formerly known as Coppermine, is situated along the banks of the Coppermine River and on the shores of the Coronation Gulf. Located north and slightly west of Yellowknife, Kugluktuk is the most westerly community in Nunavut. In summer, canoeists and rafters take the popular route up the Coppermine River to the scenic “Bloody Falls Territorial Historic Park”. Other stimulating outdoor activities include hiking, fishing, hunting, kayaking and photography.
Because the tundra is close to the treeline, a variety of wildlife can be viewed in the area, including grizzly bears, wolverines and moose, as well as tundra wildlife, such as muskoxen, caribou, foxes and wolves. The people of Kugluktuk rely heavily on their traditional economy of hunting and fishing to feed and clothe their families for cultural and nutritional well-being.
Community residents are also optimistic that the growth sectors of tourism, government and especially mining will increase Kugluktuk’s economic development, alongside the established traditional pursuits.
For more information about Kugluktuk, visit www.nunavuttourism.com/kugluktuk.aspx.
Cambridge Bay
Population: 1,666
The regional centre for the Kitikmeot, Cambridge Bay is a centre for business in western Nunavut. The people in the community are active in business and government, catering to tourists visiting the area for fishing and outdoor experiences, and exploration companies working on Victoria Island.
The Inuktitut name for Cambridge Bay is Iqaluktuuttiaq, which translates to “a good place with lots of fish”; and indeed outstanding fishing can be experienced in the lakes and rivers of the area.
For more information about Cambridge Bay, visit their website at: www.cambridgebay.ca.
Gjoa Haven
Population: 1,161
The Inuktitut name for Gjoa Haven is Usqsuqtuuq, which means “a place of plenty of fat”. The name refers to the fattened fish and seal that were abundant in the area. The explorer Roald Amundsen first travelled to the area in 1903 to gain information about the Magnetic North Pole. The community is named after Amundsen’s ship, the Gjoa (pronounced “Joe”).
Today, the community of Gjoa Haven is growing quickly. The community is looking to expand its tourism business as an economic development pursuit. Gjoa Haven has a lot to offer its visitors, from the Northwest Passage Territorial Historic Park, where visitors can relive the quests of explorers such as Frobisher, Ross and Franklin, to the 9-hole golf course, famed as Canada’s most northerly course. In 2003, Gjoa Haven celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Admundsen expedition; events commemorated the famous voyage. Although Gjoa Haven is becoming more modern, traditional activities are still enjoyed by many, including throat-singing, drum dancing and hunting.
For more information about Gjoa Haven, visit their website at: www.gjoahaven.net.
Taloyoak
Population: 878
The Inuit name Taloyoak describes a large stone blind that was formerly used by hunters to herd caribou for the kill. Taloyoak is west of the Boothia Peninsula, at the heart of the Northwest Passage. Formerly known as Spence Bay, the area has a long history of exploration, including the famed John Ross expeditions in the 1830s that resulted in the pinpointing of the Magnetic North Pole. Later that century, between the years of 1848 and 1860, American and British ships came to the area in search of the legendary Franklin Expedition. Taloyoak’s present attractions are primarily its landscape, history, and fish and wildlife resources. The landscape is good for hiking. ATV or foot trails take locals and visitors to popular fishing and camping spots at nearby lakes. Artists, carvers and artisans are prolific in the area. The community based manufacturing of Spence Bay ‘packing dolls’ — arctic animals dressed in duffel amauti carrying their young — contribute to the community’s economy.
For more information about Taloyoak, visit www.nunavuttourism.com/taloyoak.aspx.
Kugaaruk
Population: 713
The name Kugaaruk means “a river flowing through the community that is used for fishing and to supply water”. Kugaaruk — formerly known as Pelly Bay — is located on the Simpson Peninsula, south of the Gulf of Boothia. As the name suggests, the area is known for its excellent fishing.
Kugaaruk is nestled within coastal mountains, which lie between the bay and the wide expanse of the tundra. As a result, the area is very picturesque with a diverse landscape. A stone church built by missionary priests in the 1930s and 1940s is a historic site that has been maintained by the Hamlet of Kugaaruk. The Netsilingmiut, or the people of the seal, are traditional people who have occupied this isolated area for centuries and have only recently (since the construction of the DEW line site in the 1950s) had regular contact with the outside world.
For more information about Kugaaruk, visit www.nunavuttourism.com/kugaaruk.aspx.