OUR FORESTED LAND NAPÂTTULIVUT NUNAK

PHOTOGRAPHER ISABEL LEMUS-LAUZON

PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHER ISABEL LEMUS-LAUZON ISABEL LEMUS-LAUZON JACKO MERKURATSUK MAP SOURCE DÉPARTEMENT DE GÉOGRAPHIE UNIVERSITÉ LAVAL 2011

Wood has been of great importance as a subsistence resource across the circumpolar world and was used as a fuel, raw material and otherwise in all manner of daily subsistence and social activities.

Kijuk ikKanaktumagiusimavuk inoggutigigianga ukkiuttatulimânni nunagijaujuni attuktuKattadlunilu kiappalotigigianga, sunaliagijatsauluni Kaut-tamâllu inoggutauluni inoKatigellu sugalaKatigegianginnut.

In the treeless regions that predominate in the Arctic, the main source of wood is driftwood. In more southerly Inuit territories, such as the central Labrador coast, wood grows locally. This is the case in the Nain region of Nunatsiavut, where stands of forest are a dominant feature of the landscape. Wood is a key resource in this region and “going wooding” is a major activity throughout the winter. Inuit wood harvesting and use patterns have undergone major changes over the last century and left their traces on the forest landscape.

napâttuKangituni ukkiuttatuni, Kijugijaulualauktuk titjaluk. SiKKinganeniksaujuni, sollu KiKKangani Labradorip kitâni, Kijuit nunaliujunni piguKattajut. Taimaiktuk Naini Kanitâ. Nunatsiavummi, taikani takutsauluattut nunami. Kijuk atugatsauluaKattavuk avatiani amma Kijuktagiagiak piusiuluaKattavuk ukkiangunningani. Inuit KijuktaKattaningit amma Kanuk atuktauKattamangâta assianguluasimaliktuk sivulliusimajunni jârini hontani takutsauKattatiglugit nani napâtulet. Forests are not only of notable economic importance in Nunatsiavut, they also have a cultural importance and contribute to Labrador Inuit cultural distinctiveness, as shown by the extensive and specific Inuktitut vocabulary related to trees and wood.

This exhibit was carried out as part of an interdisciplinary landscape history study called “Historical ecology of a subarctic forest landscape, Nain, Nunatsiavut” (Université Laval). It presents archive photographs curated at the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum and Arctic Studies Center (Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, USA) that shed light on the interactions between Nainimiut and the forest, and on the role of wood in their everyday life. The photographs are complemented by aspects of Nainimiut ecological knowledge related to forest and wood use that were generously shared with us in 2010-2011.

Napâttutalinni malunnaluakKut kenaujaliugutauluanninginnik Nunatsiavuttimi, ilukKusiKagijautuangulluni Labradorimiunut Inungnut ilukKusiKanninginnut ikajuluatlutik, nalunaigimmata pitjutiKaluaik Inuit uKKâlausigijanganik atanniKajunik napâttunik Kijunnulu.

Tâmna takugatsak piusiulaukKuk ilagijauluni Kanuk atuktauluagiamut nunak Kanuilingagusia sivungani Kaujisattautiglugu taijak “Sivungani ukkiuttatugalammi napâttuKanet, Nain,Nunatsiavummi”( Ilinniaviksuami Laval ). Takutsautitsivuk siagunitanik atjiliuttaumajunik kingulligettatausimatsiatlutik Peary- Macmillan ItsasuaviniKautiani amma Ukkiuttatut Kaujisaktauninginnut Centeringani ( Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, USA-mi ) Kaujititsijunik Nainimiut Napâttulellu, amma Kijuit ilinganilet atuttaugianginnut Kaut-tamât. Atjinguat ikajutsitausiavut Nainimiut nunanik Kaujimatsianinginnut Kijunnilu atuKattaninginnut uvaptinut Kaujitaulualauttut 2010-2011-mi. TITLE INUIT CHILDREN WALKING THROUGH SNOWY WOODS PHOTOGRAPHER EDWARD MORSE LOCATION NAIN

Nain (as other communities of Nunatsiavut), is amongst the few Inuit homelands to be located south of the tree line. When the first Inuit arrived on the Labrador coast after a migration across the treeless Central Arctic, the dense woodlands of Labrador may have been seen as potentially dangerous environments, as they were filled with new animals and trees blocked the horizon and landmarks which Inuit rely upon for orientation in the tundra of higher latitude.

Naini ( asingititut nunagijaunni Nunatsiavuttimi ), akunganevuk ikiluattut Inuit nunagijangini siKKinitliani napâttutaliujunni. Sivullet Inuit tikigamik Labradorip Satjugianganut nokKâtlutik napâttutaKanitunit KikKâni Ukkiuttatuit, napattuluvinet takujausimagunauvut ilimanattoninginnik, nutânik omajuttâtulutik amma napâttuit nunak Kanuilingatsiamangât takujuKagianganut agviamitlutik, amma nunait ilitagijaugutinginnik Inuit tunganigilualauktanginnik Kaujimasonguniagamik nanelimmangâmmik nunatsuami puktuniksaujuni. INUTTITUT LATIN ENGLISH Napâttutuinnak Picea glauca White spruce KinnitaK Picea mariana Black spruce Killagittuk Abies balsamea Balsam fir Kaigulek Betula sp. Birch Pingik Larix laricina Larch (juniper)

This non-exhaustive vocabulary list summarizes the vocabulary concerning wood that is currently in use among elders of Nain. It demonstrates distinctions made in Labrador Inuit knowledge concerning trees and different types of wood.

Pitjutigilugit Kijuit uKKâlausiujut amigalungilat mânnaluatsiak uKKausiuKattajut akungani inutuKait Nainimi. Takutitsivut atjigengininginnik Labrador Inuit KaujimausiKaninginnik Napâttunik ammaatjigengininginnik Kanuittusajaninginnik Kijuit.

INUTTITUT ENGLISH INUTTITUT ENGLISH Napâttuk Tree Kijuk Wood Napâttulik Forest Aunik Rotten wood Amigak Tree bark Kautsik Green wood Sanigavinikuk Bark removed Kautsikittuk Tree which from a tree outer part is wet and inner Kulliak, kutsuk Spruce gum part is dry Akiguk Branch, stump Pannak Dry wood Memninak Stem Sâttujâk Lumber, plank Kisiktotik Needles Killomittuvik Sawmill, Amâk Roots sawhorse TITLE THREE PEOPLE WITH WOOD-LADEN SLEDGE LOCATION LABRADOR

Labrador Inuit archaeological sites frequently contain quantities of wood, showing a consistent reliance upon wood as a fuel and a raw material. For example, at Uivak Point, in the Okak region, many wooden artifacts such as parts of dog sleds, boats and household items were recovered in the remains of sod houses dating from late 18th to early 19th century.

Labrador Inuit nunagiKattasimajanginni pitaKatsainaKut Kijunnik, takutitsijunik atuktauluaKattalauniginnik Kijuit kiappalotaugianginnut sunaliagigatsagillugillu. Sollu, nuvuani Uivaup, OKami, unuktut Kijuksajavinet itsasuanitat pitâgijaumavut sollu Kamutivinet, ummiavinet, sunatuinnailu iglumiutagalait nagvâtausimavut iglusuavininnit uvluliutausimajut 1700 -1800-tigalani. TITLE TWO MORAVIAN WOMEN AND A MAN ON WOODED PATH LOCATION LABRADOR

The establishment of permanent Moravian missions in Labrador had a marked effect on Inuit land use patterns and Inuit society in general. Moravian missionaries redefined community social organisation, religious practices and economic activities and they sought various ways to encourage the adoption of a more European way of life.

Moraviamiut Missiunet Labradoriliammata sakKititsisimavut Kanuk Inuit atunigingitigut amma inoKatigegusiujunik. Moraviamiut Missiunet assiangutitsisimavut nunalet kamajinginnik, ukpigusinginnik amma Kanuk kenaujaliugutiKagiamik amma Kanuk atjigengitutigut atuluakKujillutik juruppimiut inosinginnik. TITLE FAMILY OUTSIDE ITS LOG HOME. KAYAK FRAME LOCATION LABRADOR

Through Moravian influence, the use of traditional sod winter houses was largely abandoned by the late 19th century in favour of above-ground houses made of wood. Furthermore, these poorly-insulated log houses needed to be equipped with wood-stoves which probably increased logging intensity in the region. Wood was also provided by Inuit to the Moravians for their heating needs.

Moraviamiut aulatsiluatillugit iglusuagijaulauttut atuktaugunnailakKut 1800- tini atuktaulaulitlutik nunaup Kângani Kijuksajanik igluliulutik. Ammatauk, taimaiktusajait igluit KiujanalualaukKut kiatsautittâgiaKalutik taimaimmali immaKâ KijuktaliaKivallialilaukKuk nunagijaujut Kanitanginnik. Inuit Moraviamiunik KijuktaujiKattalaugivut kiappalotitsanginnik. TITLE INUIT FAMILY DATE 1937 PHOTOGRAPHER DONALD BAXTER MACMILLAN LOCATION NAIN, LABRADOR

Other kinds of building materials were also obtained from local wood sources. For example, tree bark was used “in the old days” as roof shingles. Archival sources mention that, in the late 1860’s, the Hopedale Inuit caused a massive die-off of local trees by peeling off bark in order to use for shingles.

Assingit amma sanajaugatsait pitâgijauluaKattalaugivut. Sollu, Napâttusajait sanigavinikuit iglop uvinganinganut kutailutagijaungininnut siagualuk. Itsasuavinitalet taisivut, nânigalangani1860-tet, Inuit Hopedale-mejut napâttuigutitsilaukKut, nunalet napâttungita sanigavinikunginnik iglungita uvinganiKasongiamut. TITLE NAIN NATIVE MAN DATE 1937 PHOTOGRAPHER DONALD BAXTER MACMILLAN LOCATION NAIN, LABRADOR

Important as they were for fuel and lumber, trees were also used for various other purposes, including medicine, crafts and dye.

IkKanalaugaluattilugit Kijugigianginnut sâttujâgigiangillu sunaliujaugianginnut, aglâejaliugiamut, sanagaliagigianginnut amma tauttutâgijaugiaginnut. “People in the community provided wood for the mission. That meant the boarding school, the school, the Moravian mission house, the church, they were all provided with wood by the people”. – Lucas Ittulak

“We would go get pingik (Larix laricina, juniper) and make planks to build a boat. People would use pingik for the frame of the boat. We needed pingik that were not completely straight, to make a good frame” – Gilbert Hay

“Back then people would cut wood if they needed to build a home for themselves. They would do it from all around the community, because back then, the building materials we have today, they never had those things. They had to cut down trees if they wanted a home”. – Julius Ikkusik

“Nunalet KijuktâtitsiKattalauktut Missiunimik. Taimaitluni sanajaulauktut suguset paivigilauktanga, Moraviamiut Missiuningata ajukKittuijuanik, katimmavillu Kijuktatausimajut Inungnut” – Lucas Ittulak

“AitsiKattalaukKugut pinginniik tulimâtsanginnik umiap. MatuKattalauktut pinginnik avatitsanganik umiap. PitâgiaKatluta pinginnik sittungatsiangitunik. Piujogianganut umiap avatinga” – Gilbert Hay

“Taitsumani Kijunnik nakatigigiaKalautut iglusaminik. Ilonnatik, taitsumaniulauktuk, iglusajauliktunik pitaKalulaungimat, pitaKalulaungimat. Napâttunik nakatigigiaKalauktut iglutâgumagutik“ – Julius Ikkusik TITLE OLD INUIT MAN WITH WINTER WOOD STACKS BEYOND DATE 1937 PHOTOGRAPHER DONALD BAXTER MACMILLAN LOCATION NAIN, LABRADOR

Dead and dry wood is usually harvested for heating purposes during winter, as the snow facilitates transport of these heavy and bulky resources. Green wood can also be harvested and piled for drying.

Napâttuvinet pannailu kiappalotigigiangit pitâgijauluaKattavut ukkiumi,aputik akKutigijaulualaummat ingiggautjigiamik uKKumaiktunik angijualunillu atuktaugatsaujunik. KautsitajuKasongugivuk paniktitaugatsanik. TITLE SNOWMOBILE HAULING WOOD TO CAMP DATE 1927 - 1934 PHOTOGRAPHER DONALD BAXTER MACMILLAN LOCATION LABRADOR

The introduction of the snowmobile allowed people to travel longer distances and to haul back a greater amount of wood. However, it is said that dog teams made for safer trips, as they could sometimes help to detect thin ice and dogs knew their way back home even in stormy conditions.

AtuktauliaKimmat skidot Kaninginiksanut aullajuKasongulilaukKuk utisongujuKaluni unungnisanik Kijutajunik. Tamannaugaluattilugu, Kimukset KanuijuKangigiamut piuluanigâttaulaukKut, Kangaulimmata Kingmet Kaujitiksisongulaummata nangiannatumejuKalinninganik ama Kingmik angiggaujisongutlutik akKunatsuatigut. “It was more difficult by dog team, we couldn’t climb the hills like we do today in order to get wood” – Lucas Ittulak

“When I was young, I used to go get wood with my father. We would go mostly during winter time. We would go by dogteam, anywhere we would find wood, we would go. We got green wood for building. We cut it with big saws, the ones that require two people to hold it. We would make planks with the tall, long and straight trees.” – Anonymous

“Pingik (Larix laricina, juniper) is used to make snowshoes. My husband makes snowshoes out of that tree. He makes the small ones (craft snowshoes) out of willows” – Katie Winters

“Kimuksikut ajunnalualauktuk, majuagunnalaunginatta KakKâgunik uvlumi piusigisogiliktavuttitut Kijuktagialigatta“ – Lucas Ittulak

“Inosuktotillunga, atâtaganikKijuktagiaKatiKaKattalaukKunga. Ukkiumiuluak. Kimuksikut, namutuinnak Kijuktavigisottinut aiKattatlunuk. KautsitaKattatlunuk sanajaugatsaik. killotialummikangijumikatuKattatlunuk, killomittujonnut atuktauKattalauktunik. SâttujâliuKattatlluta takijunik, sittungatsiajunik napâttunik” – Kaujimajaungituk kinaummangât

“pingit taluliujauKattalauktut. Angutiga napâttusajanik taimaiktunik taluliuKattalauktuk. Mikijunik sananguaKattaliktuk ukpiganik“ – Katie Winters TITLE NAIN DATE 1946 PHOTOGRAPHER STEPHEN CHANDLER LOCATION NAIN, LABRADOR

Around the late 1950s, there were two sawmills in the Nain region: one located in the community and the other in Anaktalak Bay. These provided sawn lumber for building houses and cabins.

Nânigalangani1950, maggonik killomittuviKalaukKuk Kanitâni Nainiup: Atausik nunalujunni aippanga Anaktalâk kangitluani. SâttujâKatitsilauktonik igluliugatsanik aullâsimavinnilu. TITLE INUIT MAN WITH BOW SAW LOCATION LABRADOR

In the second half of the 20th century, the local sawmills were closed and lumber used locally in Nain was imported. Today, Nainimiut still go “wooding” in order to retrieve dry wood for their heating needs. However, population increase and demand for fuel in recent years has left dead and dry trees very scarce in the community vicinity.

1900 nânigalangani, nunalet killomittuvegik atuktaulaugunnaiKok sâttujâtsajaillu Nainimiut akungani aullautauKattanialitlutik. Uvlumi, Naimiut suli KijuktagiaKattavut pannatagiamut kiappalotitsanik. Tamannaugaluattilugu, inuKalualimmat kiappalotiKajuKagiamullu mânnâgulanillu napâttuvinet pannailu nunalet Kanitâni amigalualikKut. “I’m always running out of wood, most of all now that I don’t have a ski-doo” – Lukas Ittulak

“Lots of people sell wood in Nain now, but it’s very expensive, it can be 60$, 70$ a load of wood, a Kamutik (sled) load. The gas is expensive and they got to go further than before because there are no more trees handy [nearby]” – Katie Winters

“The population grew here, in the last 20-30 years or something like that, and the amount of consumption of firewood has increase. Because one person might go out and get 12 sticks of wood on a sled and come back, and you got 30 or 40 people doing this consistently, everyday almost, then you lose your trees. And so we have to go further and further and further” – Gilbert Hay

“Kijuigutinginnavunga, skidooKalugunnaigamauluak“ – Lucas Ittulak.

“Kijunnik kikkutuinnanit Nainimi aullaijuJaKattavuk mânauluak, akitujualunnik, $60, $70 ussigalluat Kamutennut. Utsualuk skido atugatsanga akitujualuk ammalu Kaninginiksamut KijuktagiagiaKaKattaliktut Kaniktunik napâttuKalugunnaimat“ – Katie Winters

“Nunalet tamâni ununnisâloliktut 20, 30-galanini jârini, Kanitâni, KijuktomaluajuKalikKulu ununnisanik. Kina 12-inik Kijuktagiagajammat Kamutikkut utiniammiluni. 30-galait 40-galait Kijuktagiatsainaliktut, Kaut-tamkasâ, Kijunnik aiiujiniallutit. Taimaitluta Kaningitugiallanut KijuktagiagiaKaTaatluta” – Gilbert Hay 1920 2011

TITLE KAMMÂSUK TITLE KAMMÂSUK DATE CIRCA 1920 DATE 2011 PHOTOGRAPHER UNKNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER ISABEL LEMUS-LAUZON COURTESY KATIE WINTERS

Even though Nainimiut mention the scarcity of good heating wood (dead and dry standing wood) around Nain, they also report a recent increase of tree growth. This comparison of a photograph dated to about 1920 and another taken from nearly the same angle in 2011 is revealing: young trees and bushes are colonizing what used to be open and barren land. Kammâsuk was occupied by the Voisey and the Winters families until the 1960’s, when they moved to Nain. At first glance, most trees in present-day stands around Kammâsuk appear to be between 50 to 60 years old. Could this observed growth increase be related to the decrease in wood cutting after Kammâsuk’s inhabitants left?

IssumaKagusik assiangusongunnik, Nainimiut taisilaugaluatlutik Kijuksianik napâttuvinet napajuillu pannait kanitâni Nainiup, Kaujititsigivuttauk nâpâttutâvallianinganik. Una atjiliuttaumajuk 1920-galani amma assia atjinguak 1911-nniminitak tamatsumingatsainak sakKeluavuk: piguliktut napâtuagait ukpigaillu piguviKavalliavut nunatuinauKattalauktuni piguviugunnasimangitunilu. Kammâsuk nunagijaulaukKuk ilagenut Voisey-kkunut amma Winters-sikkunut 1960-munut, nogamik Nainimut. Takutainnalugit, ilonnagalatik uvlumi napâttoliktut napajut Kammâsummi napasimakKoKut jârini 50-ni 60nut. Napâttutâvallianinga KijuktajuKangilualimmat Kammâsummiut aullalaummatanit. “There are too many trees “bushing up”. They’re in the way. Twenty years ago you could walk anywhere without bushes or trees. Now the same places are overgrown. (…) Trees are growing where they shouldn’t be growing. They are taking over the land, in front of berries and bakeapples” – Lukas John Terriak

“There are too many trees! We used to go berry picking in that spot, but it’s all full of trees now” – Katie Winters

“Trees are growing out. It might be because of climate change, that’s what they all say, but we need to be careful about what we say. Research might help to determine what is really happening” – Julius and K.Naeme MerKuratsuk

“NapâttutâvalliatuinnaKuk. Agvialittut. Jâriulauttuni 20-ni namutuinnak pisusongulaukkutit ukpiganut napâttunu agviataunnak. SunaKalaungitut piguvviuvalliatuinnatut {…} Napâttutâvalliavuk napâttuKajuksauKongituni. Nunamik saujivalliajut, paungaKavinni akpiKavvinillu” – Lukas John Terriak

“NapâttuKaluatlalikKuk ! NunivagiaKattalaukKugut ikani, tâvatuak napâtuKalautlaliktuk.“ – Katie Winters

“Napâttuit piguvalliajut. Immakâ silak assiangulinninganut, taimâk uKKattuKatsainaKuk. KanukuKKâlammangâtta kamatsiagiaKavugut. KaujisautiKannikikajutsitlagajatuk sujuKagalualimmangâ“ – Julius amma K. Naeme MerKuratsuk. TITLE SCHOOL CHILDREN ABOVE NAIN VILLAGE PHOTOGRAPHER EDWARD MORSE LOCATION NAIN, LABRADOR CREDITS

This project is an initiative of Isabel Lemus-Lauzon, Ph.D student in geography, Université Laval. [email protected]

Archive research: Isabel Lemus-Lauzon, with the assistance of Anne Witty, assistant curator, Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum

Loans of archival materials: Photographs are part of the collections of the Peary-Macmillan Arctic Museum (Bowdoin college, Brunswick, Maine, USA) and reproduced with their permission.

Translation: K. Naeme MerKuratsuk Museum consultant: Ève Préfontaine Design and infography: Metamorfic.ca Printing: Contact Image

Interviewers: Isabel Lemus-Lauzon, K. Naeme MerKuratsuk Interview participants: Gilbert Hay, Harry Haye, Julius Ikkusik, Lucas Ittulak, the late Sarah Ittulak, Julius MerKuratsuk, K. Naeme MerKuratsuk, Kleofas Saksagiak, Johanna Terriak, Lukas John Terriak, Katie Winters, anonymous

Acknowledgments: Najat Bhiry, James Woollett, interview participants, community of Nain, Nunatsiavut government, K. Naeme Merkuratsuk, Webb family, Susan Kaplan, Genevieve Lemoine, Anne Witty, Heather Angnatok, Elias Obed, Andy Davidson.

References: Kaplan S. (2012). Labrador Inuit Ingenuity and Resourcefulness: Adapting to a Complex Environmental, Social and Spiritual Environment, in David Natcher, Lawrence Felt and Andrea Procter (eds), Settlement, subsistence and change among the Labrador Inuit, University of Manitoba press, 15-42.

Kleivan, H.(1966). The eskimos of northeast Labrador, Norsk Polarinstitutt, Oslo.

For complete references see: Lemus-Lauzon I, Bhiry N, Woollett J (2012). Napâttuit: Wood use by Labrador Inuit and its impact on the forest landscape. Études/Inuit/Studies vol. 36(1).