NTI IIBA for Phase I: Cultural Heritage Resources Conservation Areas Report Cultural Heritage Area: McConnell River and Interpretative Migratory Bird Sanctuary Materials Study Prepared for Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. 1 May 2011 This Cultural Heritage Report: McConnell River Migratory Bird Sanctuary (Arviat) is part of a set of studies and a database produced for Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. as part of the project: NTI IIBA for Conservation Areas, Cultural Resources Inventory and Interpretative Materials Study Inquiries concerning this project and the report should be addressed to: David Kunuk Director of Implementation Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. 3rd Floor, Igluvut Bldg. P.O. Box 638 Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0 E: [email protected] T: (867) 975‐4900 Project Manager, Consulting Team: Julie Harris Contentworks Inc. 137 Second Avenue, Suite 1 Ottawa, ON K1S 2H4 Tel: (613) 730‐4059 Email: [email protected] Cultural Heritage Report: McConnell River Migratory Bird Sanctuary (Arviat) Authors: Philip Goldring, Consultant: Historian and Heritage/Place Names Specialist (primary author) Julie Harris, Contentworks Inc.: Heritage Specialist and Historian Nicole Brandon, Consultant: Archaeologist Luke Suluk, Consultant: Inuit Cultural Specialist/Archaeologist Frances Okatsiak, Consultant: Collections Researcher Note on Place Names: The current official names of places are used here except in direct quotations from historical documents. Throughout the document Arviat refers to the settlement established in the 1950s and previously known as Eskimo Point. Names of places that do not have official names will appear as they are found in the source documents. Contents Section 1: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4 Geographical Scope ......................................................................................................................5 Methodologies .............................................................................................................................5 Non‐Local Research .................................................................................................................5 Local Knowledge ......................................................................................................................5 Products .......................................................................................................................................6 Cultural Heritage Resources Report ........................................................................................6 Cultural Heritage Inventory (MS Access Electronic Database) ................................................6 Section 2: Community Context ........................................................................................................ 7 Community History ......................................................................................................................7 Section 3: Description of the Conservation Area .......................................................................... 14 Physical Description and Boundaries ........................................................................................ 14 McConnell River Bird Sanctuary ........................................................................................... 14 Inuit Land Use ........................................................................................................................... 15 Pre‐1950................................................................................................................................ 16 Modern Era ........................................................................................................................... 16 Section 4: Cultural Heritage Resources Survey ............................................................................. 21 Category: Archaeology .............................................................................................................. 21 Locally known archaeological sites ....................................................................................... 21 Registered archaeological sites ............................................................................................ 21 Registered archaeological sites within the broader region .................................................. 22 Category: Historic Events .......................................................................................................... 22 Category: Places ........................................................................................................................ 23 Category: Place Names ............................................................................................................. 24 Government‐approved place names within the conservation area ..................................... 24 Other named places .............................................................................................................. 24 Recorded traditional names in the area covered by NTS 55D .............................................. 25 Recorded Inuit names in adjoining areas ............................................................................. 25 Other sources of information about place names ................................................................ 26 Possible names for the Conservation Area ........................................................................... 26 Category: Cultural Collections and Projects .............................................................................. 27 NTI IIBA McConnell River Cultural Heritage Page 1 Arviat ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Nunavut ................................................................................................................................ 28 Northwest Territories ........................................................................................................... 30 Federal Agencies ................................................................................................................... 30 Other Institutions .................................................................................................................. 32 Individual Researchers and Grant Recipients ....................................................................... 35 Section 5: Sources ......................................................................................................................... 37 Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 40 Maps and Photographs Figure 1: Portions of NTS 1:250,000 sheet 55D merged at top with 55E. Arviat is located in the northeast corner of the map. ...........................................................................................................4 Figure 2: Map of Arviat showing the alignment of dwellings along the beachfront in 1962. Source: LAC: Available online through the Library and Archives Canada. Credit: Canada. Health and Welfare/Library and Archives Canada/PA‐182443. ............................................................... 12 Figure 3: Traditional territories of Caribou Inuit, circa 1850 to 1900. Source: Arima, ‘Caribou Eskimo’ p. 448. The dotted line forming an arch inland from Arviat [Eskimo Point] is the approximate northern limit of tree growth. Caribou Inuit obtained wood along the tree line but usually lived and hunted north of it .............................................................................................. 13 Figure 4: Sample map (Eskimo Point) from the Nunavut Atlas, showing the general extent of intensive Arviat community use area. ........................................................................................... 19 Figure 5: Nancy Tassiuk teaching at the Margaret Aniksak Visitors Centre, January 2011. Source: J. Harris, Contentworks Inc. ........................................................................................................... 27 Figure 6: Exhibition inside the Margaret Aniksak Visitors Centre, January 2011. Source: J. Harris, Contentworks Inc. ......................................................................................................................... 27 Information Tables Table 1: Published information on land use to 1976. Source: Milton Freeman Research Limited, Inuit Land Use and Occupancy Report (Ottawa: Dept. of Supply and Services, 1976). ................ 17 Table 2: Publishing information on Inuit land use. Source: Rick Riewe, ed., Nunavut Atlas, 1992 Edmonton: Canadian Circumpolar Institute and Tungavik Federation of Nunavut. ..................... 18 Table 3: Official and traditional place names in the McConnell River MBS (provided by Luke Suluk, 2011). .................................................................................................................................. 24 Table 4: List of Nuna‐top Inuit Experts of Arviat who participated in the Kivalliq Nuna‐Top Project during 1989‐1990 (Source: Ludger Müller‐Wille. 15.02.2011.) ..................................................... 26 Appendices Cultural Heritage Resources Listing NTI IIBA McConnell River Cultural Heritage Page 2 Named Places Listing Inventory Sources Listing Collections Listing NTI IIBA McConnell River Cultural Heritage Page 3 Section 1: Introduction