Department of Geography, McGill University Montreal, Quebec Inuit Place Narnes and Land-use History on the Hawaqtuuq [Kazan River], Nunavut Territory A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirement for the depof Master of Arts in Geopphy by Darren Keith Janury, 2000 Acquisitions and Acquisiions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 WeüinB(on Street 395. NS W~~ OciawaON KlAW OltavvaON KtAûN4 canada Canada The author bas granted a non- L'auteur a accord4 une licence non exclusive licence dowing the exclusive permettant a la National Li- of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, Ioan, distribute or se1 reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. fa forme de microfichelfilm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse, thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced withouî the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRALT inuit Place Names and Land-use History on the Hmaqtuuq [Kazan River], Nunavut Territory Darren Keith This thesis classifies Inuit place names and analyses their meanings to reveal Harvuqruurmiu~land-use history on the Hmaqtuuq [Kazan River], Nunavut Territory. The author collected previously unrecordeci toponyms hmthe territory of this Caribou inuit society, the Harvaqruuq [Kazan River], and corroborated the data of earlier cesearchers The Harvaqruuq landscape was organized hmfoci of subsistence activities by application of Inuktitut geographical terminology and concepts. These foci moved over time and betray changing land-use patterns. The Hmaqruuq was a hntier for Inuit. due to the need to depend on caribou and due to the conflict engendered by overiapping Dene occupation. The presence of anthroponyms, and the paucity of pan- inuit myths in the landscape allow for the speculative interpretation that the names support curent theories of a recent arriva1 of huit to the Hmaqmq. RESUMÉ Les Noms d'Endroits huit et 1'Histoire d'utilisation sur la Harvaqtuuq wvière Kazan], Temtoire du Nuuavut Darren Keith Cette thèse classifie les noms d'endroits Inuit et analyse leurs significations pour révelIer l'histoire d'utilisation de Ia terre Hmaqtuurmiut sur la Harvaqmq [Rivière Kazan], Temtoire du Nunavut. L'auteur a coilectiomé des toponyrnes auparavant non reconnus des territoires de la societé des huits du Caribou, la Harvaqfuuq pvière Kazan], et a corroboré ces domées aux recherches antécédentes. Le paysage Hmya(tuuq était organizé en foci d'activitiés de subsistence par l'application de termes et concepts géographiques inuktitut. Ces foci ont migré avec le temps et démontrent les changements d'utilisation de la terre. La Harvaqtuuq était une frontière pour tes lnuits était dépendant du caribou et complique par ll'occupation Dene. La présence d'anthroponyrnes, et la rareté des mythes pan-huit dans ce territoire permettent l'interprétation spéculative des noms d'endroits supportant la théorie courante que I'anivée des inuits est récente dans la Hurvuqtutq. .. Abstract ................... ... .................................... u ... Resume' ......................................................... 111 Table of Contents .................................................. iv List of Figures ..................................................... " List of Tables ...................................................... "i ... Ac knowledgments ................................................. wn Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................ 1 1.1 Sources and Methodology ................................... 4 1.1 .1 Field Methodology ................................. 4 1.1.2 Translations ...................................... 6 1.1.3 Analytical Methods ................................ 6 1.2 Contribution to [nuit Place Namc Studies ...................... 7 1.2.1 Early Contributors ................................. 8 1.2.2 Recent Scholarly Contributors ........................ 9 1 2.3 Contribution to Toponyrnic Research .................. 10 Chapter 2: Harvaqtuurmiut History. Culture and Seasonal Round ........ 11 2.1 Origîns and History ........................................ il 2.2 Seasonal Round ........................................... 14 2.3 SociaI Organization ........................................ 23 2.4 Spiritual Beliefs ........................................... 24 Chapter 3: A Typology of Place Name Meaning .........................27 3.1 GeographicaULiteral-Descriptive Place Names ..................-28 3.2 Mythological Place Names ................................... 31 3.3 Historical Place Names ...................................... 32 3.4 Spiritual Place Narnes ....................................... 34 3.5 Resource Place Names ...................................... 35 3.6 Metaphorical Place Names ................................... 36 3.7 Human Occupational Place Nmes ............................. 37 3.8 Discussion ............................................... -37 Chapter 4: Anatysis ................................................. 39 4.1 Application of Typolog ..................................... 40 4.2 Analysis of Meanings ....................................... 44 4.2.1 Type A .GeographicaULitd Descriptive Place Names .... 44 4.2.2 Type B .Mythological PIace Names .................... 56 4.2.3 Type C .Historical Place Names ....................... 57 4.2.4 Type D .Spiritual Place Names ........................ 60 42.5 Type E .Resource Locative Place Names ................ 64 4.2.6 Type F .Metaphorical Pface Names ..................... 71 4.2.7 Type G .Human Occupationd Place Names .............. 72 Chapter 5: Discussion and Conclusion ................................. -78 Appendix: Spread Sheets of PIace Name Classification ..................... 90 Figure 2: inuit Societies in the 2@ Century ......................... 12 Figure 3: Study Area With Selected Toponyms ...................... 42 Figure 4: Orientation of Qikiqtaiugiuoq Area ........................ 51 Figure 5: Inuktitut Hydrological Feam ........................... 52 Figure 6: Generic Lake with Bay Terminology ....................... 54 Figure 7: Cross-sectionai view of river and adjacent shores showing the feamof a Naiiuq .......................... 66 Figure 8: Addition of Resource Place Names at QiRiqtalugiuaq .......... 67 Figure 9: Addition of Human Activity P\ace Names at Qikiqtaiugjuaq .... 74 . Table 1: Hurvaqtuunnirtr SeasonaI Round ............................... 15 Table 2: Definitions of Place Name Types ............................... 41 Table 3: Results of Typology ......................................... 43 vii My supe~sorProfessor Ludger Müiler-Wie, and Professor George Wenzei were very helpfd to me in my time as a graduate student, providing invaIuabIe advice in matters of academic and procedumi importance. 1am indebted to my Eiiend and research partner Joan Scottie of Baker Lake, Nunawt who has been patient in her tutelage over the past five years, answering my many inquiries about inuktitut terminology, and huit cdture in general. Any accuracy 1 have achieved in representing huit culture in the pages herein is due mainiy to our collaboration. 1 am pteful to the Harvaqtuurmiut Elders: David Tiktdaaq, Peter and Marion Aasivaquk. Luke Tunguaq. and Elizabeth Tunnuq with whom 1 have worked over the years. I recognize the investment they have made in my understanding their culture and history, and 1 can only hope that my field reports and this thesis due justice to their efforts. Field collection of the toponyms used in this study was conducted during 1994 and 1997 for Parks Canada as background research for the establishment of Fa11 Caribou Crossing National Historic Site. A Merresearch season was planneci for the mmmer of 1998 and supported by the Northern Students Training Ptogram and the Department of Gmgraphy. McGill University. This field trip was shortened due to a sudden death in the family which necessitated my earIy departure hmQman 'tuaq [Baker Lake]. i want to thank my friend and colieague Dr. Andrew Stewart for his constant support and encouragement during the witing of this thesis, and his assessments of the ideas and writing contained herein. He has my respect and admiration both as an academic and as an arçtic field researcher. viii 1 also want to thank rny fiiend and coiieague Luke Suluk of Arviat, Nunavut for his encouragement in my endeavors, and his counciI on issues concemhg Inuit culture. I wouid like to acknowledge the assistance given me by rny feiiow graduate students and &ends Susan Woodey of Mcgifl University and Nancy Wachowich of the University of British Columbia. Thanks also to Professor Juiie Cruikshank for giving so fieely of her time to discuss issues surroundhg place names. Many thanks go to Marie-Claude Lebeau my wife and partner in adventure, who disrupted her iife during two winters to join me in Montreal and give me her support and company. Thanks also to my beau-parents Pierre and Hugette Lebeau whose home was a refuge dusing my studies- Chapter 1: Introduction Place narnes are part of the symbolic system used by societies to cornmunicate spatial knowledge, Through intimate expenence of their environment and the act of naming, people