Departures from Nunavik

Traditional hunting and fishing are an integral part of the cultural identity of the Inuit. Long before the arrival of the first Europeans, the Inuit maintained a semi-nomadic way of life; they thus lived by hunting, fishing and gathering while moving through their territory. The caribou have always been the land mammal considered the most essential to the well-being of the Inuit and used for several purposes: building shelters with skin and bones, making clothing from fur, a source of meat, etc.

Inuktitut, this native language spoken in the Canadian Arctic, fits into a variety of Inuit dialects spoken from Alaska to Greenland. According to Statistics Canada, Inuktitut is the second most widely spoken Aboriginal language in Canada, with the Cree language in first place. Before first contact with Europeans, Inuktitut did not have a writing system. In fact, in the 1840s, the syllabic script was created for the Cree by James Evans, a Manitoba missionary. This system, whose symbols represent a combination of consonants and vowels, was later adapted to Inuktitut, both in Nunavut and Nunavik, by missionaries and the Inuit themselves. Inuktitut also has a spelling based on the Roman alphabet: qaluijarpait (The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2020).

The maintenance of the Inuktitut language was threatened when many children began to attend residential schools which strictly prohibited speaking the language (Pauktuutit, 2006). However, structures have been established to ensure that the Inuktitut language is kept alive and strong and that Inuit culture is maintained and strengthened. In fact, Inuktitut is one of the very few Indigenous languages ​​in the world that is not in danger of being lost (Pauktuutit, 2006). In Nunavik, Inuktitut is the most widely used language in communities and is taught in school at the elementary and secondary levels. The majority of Inuit are also able to communicate in English or French. During the first two years of elementary school, the language of instruction is Inuktitut. During the following years, instruction is given in French or English, depending on the choice of the children and parents. For the 2014-2015 school year, approximately 2,770 students were enrolled in elementary and secondary schools (Kativik Ilisarniliriniq, 2018).

At the time of first contact with Europeans, the Inuit lived in small family groups, autonomous and nomadic, traveling each season in search of food. Survival and the satisfaction of material needs depended on hunting, fishing and gathering. They searched for caribou, fish, marine mammals, and occasionally collected bird eggs and berries to survive.

The Inuit have developed unique and remarkable skills associated with living off nature. Moreover, to survive in their environment, they had to invent unique technologies such as the igloo, the kayak, the ulu (knife used by women), the qulliq (soapstone lamp), fur clothing and harpoons with detachable head. Completely self-sufficient, the Inuit migrated from place to place based on environmental variations and annual cycles of availability of land and marine mammals.

The life of the Inuit in the Ungava region was most of the time extremely difficult. Finding enough to eat, whether it was searching for caribou inland or catching seals at the edge of the ice floes, was a daily struggle. In times of scarcity, the Inuit hunted ptarmigan or caught fish, when these resources were available. Their long-term survival, however, depended on the abundance of caribou and seals, two species that allowed them not only to feed themselves, but also to build shelters, clothing and a source of fuel.

With the arrival of European fur traders, Inuit life began to adapt and move away from purely subsistence harvesting to focus more on trapping fur for commercial purposes. Quickly, the Inuit became dependent on trapping furs to meet new basic needs: guns, tea, tobacco and flour. As this dependence grew, more time was spent at the trading posts which gradually included a mission and a police station. This is how the process of settling the Inuit into communities began.

The arrival of Europeans in Nunavik has profoundly transformed the way of life of the Inuit, Cree and Naskapi.

It was not until the beginning of the 17th century that the presence of Europeans became relatively continuous. Following the commercial success of the establishment of a first trading post on the Rupert River in 1668, the Husdon's Bay Company (HBC) was founded in 1670. Subsequently, ships from Europe plied the waters of Hudson Strait almost every summer to resupply HBC posts in James Bay and Hudson Bay.

The Inuit, whose travel was previously used primarily for subsistence, changed their habits to meet the demands of the fur trade by placing an important place in trapping in their annual cycle. After World War II, the value of arctic fox fur fell drastically, causing considerable loss of income for the Inuit. This period also coincided with a drastic decline in caribou in the Arctic regions of eastern Canada, placing the Inuit in crisis. The Canadian government then put measures in place to administer the Arctic and its inhabitants with the objective of integrating the Inuit into Canadian society: financing the construction of houses, families are encouraged to send their children to school. by receiving family allowances, etc. The Inuit are thus encouraged to settle in communities. One effect of this sedentarization was to provoke a loss of cultural references among the Inuit (Lévesque, 2010).

Despite this sedentarization, the Inuit have not given up on moving and hunting. In addition, one of the consequences of this new community life is the concentration of many dogs within it. These dogs are rarely tethered since the Inuit consider that this promotes their socialization. For the Canadian government, there is therefore a “dog problem” in Nunavik. Dog control in Nunavik was introduced in the 1950s and 1960s to ensure the safety of local populations and prevent the transmission of disease. First, the Canadian government demands, as in the Northwest Territories, that owners tie up their dogs and allow the RCMP to kill those who stray. When the Quebec government began to administer Nunavik, it made changes to the legislation that allowed it to kill stray dogs year round. The Inuit suffered from these measures. It was difficult for them to continue their hunting and trapping activities with a reduced number of dogs, and thus to travel in the territory. Moreover, in Inuit culture, the dog is an integral part of society; their elimination was thus harshly perceived (Lévesque, 2010).

Also, with the sedentarization measures imposed during the 20th century, the maintenance of the Inuktitut language was threatened when many children began to attend residential schools which strictly prohibited speaking the language. These residential schools caused a wide range of harm and hardship for Inuit as they disrupted the transmission of traditional culture and values, weakened the bond between generations, and caused immense grief and frustration for many families. In addition, at this time, responsibilities for many aspects of Inuit life were no longer assumed within the family, but were taken on by anonymous government agencies and employees often living in remote towns. These factors caused considerable stress and strain in Inuit society and created a legacy of social ills that continue to resonate today (Pauktuutit, 2006).

As contact with foreigners intensified in the 20th century, the culture of the Inuit, Cree and Naskapi began to change and adapt to the modern world.

Settlement of Inuit in communities

From the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, the Canadian Arctic, including the
Ungava, has been the subject of an unprecedented government presence. A series of social programs was set up to provide health, housing, education and development services economic in the North. Encouraging the Inuit to move away from their nomadic way of life and settle in permanent communities has been a central element of this strategy (MacDonald, 2010).

Such a relocation policy has had serious consequences for the Inuit population, shaping almost every aspect of its recent social history. A major shift has thus been initiated: the Inuit, relatively autonomous in the context of their nomadic life, have become, at least initially, almost totally dependent on government programs and services offered in the communities.

Adjusting to the sedentary life which was totally foreign to them proved to be very difficult. Previously living nomadically within large family groups, Inuit suddenly found themselves gathered in communities, their traditional forms of leadership and decision-making largely replaced by those of civil servants recruited from the south. Under such conditions, Inuit culture, language, traditional values ​​and practical knowledge crumbled and endemic social unrest took hold (MacDonald, 2010).

The signing of the JBNQA in 1975 and that of the NEQA in 1978 marked an important stage in life. Inuit, Cree and Naskapi, finally giving them greater political autonomy.

Reliable equipment is essential for a comfortable and safe stay in Nunavik parks. Recommendations may vary according to the season and the kind of activities you will be doing during your stay. If you were to book a trip with Parks, the local teams will send you a detailed list with all the required equipment. Here are two examples of summer and winter gear lists for a typical 9-day trips to the parks.

Those The abovementioned lists are not recommended for autonomous visitors who plan an expedition in the parks. Therefore, autonomous visitors should contact our local team for a more detailsed list suited to their type of trip.

The arctic climate features cold temperatures and strong winds. In addition, the open tundra offers little natural protection from the elements. Clothing and equipment should therefore be selected accordingly, especially to prevent the risk of hypothermia or frostbite. In winter, visibility and orientation may be reduced during blizzards while near the coasts, episodes of fog are to be expected.

Kuujjuaq sector:
Average daily temperature in February -23.6 ° C and March -18.3 ° C
Average daily temperature in July 11.5 ° C

Sector of Kuururjuaq National Park:
Average daily temperature in January -28.7 ° C
Average daily temperature in July between 12.7 ° C and 16.3 ° C

Pingualuit National Park sector:
Average daily temperature in January -28 ° C
Average daily temperature in July 5.6 ° C

Tursujuq National Park sector:
Average daily temperature in January and February: -24 ° C
Average daily temperature in July: 10 ° C

Ulittaniujalik National Park sector:
Average daily temperature in January: -24 ° C
Average daily temperature in July: 9.3 ° C

Recommended period of travel:
July to mid-September: This is the best time to plan a summer visit to the parks, ideal for various activities including hiking, canoeing, fishing and bird watching.

Mid-September to mid-February: This period is not recommended for travel as it is characterized by cold temperatures, short daylight and risk of blizzards.

From late February to mid-April: Ideal period for planning a winter visit to the parks. It is Nunavummiut’s favorite season because the territory is accessible everywhere by snowmobile. The temperatures are still relatively cold.

Mid-April to June: This period is more or less recommended because the ground is thawing, thus very humid with high water levels.

Park wardens and local guides come from the community adjacent to the park or from nearby communities. They will share with you their experience of the territory, traditional activities and their modern way of life. Over 90% of Nunavik Inuit speak Inuktitut. English is the second most frequently spoken language, followed by French.

Depending on the community, guides may speak English, French or both. Do not hesitate to ask them the language they feel most comfortable using. During your stays, you will be accompanied by local guides who work seasonally for the parks or by our park wardens who are part of the permanent team both of whom have up to 14 years of experience. They will ensure your safety and comfort during your stay to the best of their ability.

Do not hesitate to ask questions to start a conversation. If you witness a camp malfunction or anything that could be the source of discomfort, report it to your guides so that we can remedy the situation.