Aklavik, Northwest Territories
Encyclopedia
Aklavik is a hamlet
located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories
, Canada
. Until 1961, the community served as the regional administrative centre for the territorial government. Building conditions at the time considered to be unsuitable resulted in the development of Inuvik
to the east, meant to entirely replace Aklavik. However, many residents have persevered and kept Aklavik as a community. The mayor of Aklavik is Billy Storr, whose term ends in 2012.
opening a trading post
in 1912 and the Roman Catholic Church
establishing a mission
in 1926. Located on the Peel Channel, in a good trapping area, the community became a transportation hub in the Mackenzie.
In 1931, Albert Johnson
, also known as the "Mad Trapper of Rat River" moved into the area. A complaint was made to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
post in Aklavik and the two members attempted, unsuccessfully, to talk with him concerning trapline tampering. A second attempt was made a few days later, after a search warrant
had been obtained, and Johnson shot one of the RCMP. This sparked a 42-day manhunt
and ended with the death of Johnson. This incident is famous for introducing the airplane and communications radio as tools to help track a person. Museums dedicated to Albert Johnson can be found in Aklavik and in Fort Smith.
By the 1950s the community had developed and grown to over 1,600 people. However, the Peel Channel was subject to flooding, and the river bank
s were being washed away. Due to the flooding, the Federal Government
built a new community at what is now Inuvik, with the intention of closing Aklavik.
In the 1960s, the principal of Aklavik's school, A. J. (Moose) Kerr, started a committee to help save the community. The efforts were successful and the community survived. The local school is named for him.
to Grade 12
and Aurora College
provides adult education
at the Community Learning Centre.
There are two general store
s, the Aklavik General Store and the Northern Store operated by The North West Company
. The community has a two person RCMP detachment, a health centre
with four nurses, a Canada Post
outlet, the Aklavik Lodge and the Aklavik Inn (Bessie's Boarding House) for visitor accommodation and two taxi companies.
Like most northern communities, Aklavik has a community hall, a gymnasium that is attached to the school and, uncommonly, a swimming pool.
The community is served only by air, via the Aklavik/Freddie Carmichael Airport, and by winter ice road
directly from Inuvik across the streams of the Mackenzie Delta
. When the river is open, usually June to September, the Aklavik Water Aerodrome
is available for float planes
.
and the Gwich'in Settlement Region.
The Inuvialuit
, whose claim, the Inuvialuit Final Agreement was settled in 1984, are represented by the Aklavik Community Corporation which in turn forms part of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.
The Gwich’in
of Aklavik are covered under the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, signed in 1992, and are represented by the Ehdiitat Gwich'in Council. The Ehdiitat Gwich'in Council in turn forms part of the Gwich'in Tribal Council.
and are descendants of the Nunatamiut
, Inupiat people who migrated from Alaska
in the early 20th century. Although at first antagonistic they later intermarried with the local Siglit, whose numbers had dwindled due to disease. They speak Uummarmiutun
, which is almost identical to Inupiaq language
but is grouped with Inuvialuktun.
The Gwich’in are an Arctic
dwelling Dene
peoples who inhabit Alaska, Yukon
and the NWT. They speak the Gwich’in language
which is part of the Athabaskan
language family
.
Both Inuvialuktun and Gwich’in are official languages of the NWT and as of 2004, 19.3% of the Aboriginal population spoke at least one Native language.
, had a population of 594 down 6.0% from 2001. Like most other NWT communities the majority of the population, 93.2%, is Aboriginal
. However, unlike other communities Aklavik has a large number of both North American Indian
, 31.6%, and Inuit
, 59.8%, along with a small number of Métis
, 1.7%, and non-Aboriginal, 6.8%.
In 2009 the Government of the Northwest Territories reported that the population was 645 with an average yearly growth rate of -1.2 from 1996. From 1998 to 2007 there were 93 births and 16 deaths in the community. As of the 2009 figures, 15.5% of residents were 9 or under, 7.6% were from 10 to 14 years old, 20.3% were from 15 to 24, 27.6% were from 25 to 44, 19.1% were from 45 to 59, and 9.9% were 60 or older. As of the 2006 Census the median age in Aklavik was 29.0 compared to 31.2 for the NWT and 39.5 for Canada as a whole.
The crime rate
for 2008 was 101.2 (per 1,000 persons) for violent crime
s, and 68.5 (per 1,000 persons) for property crimes, both numbers above the average for the NWT of 64.8 and 68.5. In 2006 the average income
in the hamlet was C$27,372, compared to $48,396 for the NWT, and the average income for a family was $55,813, compared to $101,622 for the NWT, with 37.5% of all families earning less than $30,000.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Until 1961, the community served as the regional administrative centre for the territorial government. Building conditions at the time considered to be unsuitable resulted in the development of Inuvik
Inuvik, Northwest Territories
Inuvik is a town in the Northwest Territories of Canada and is the administrative centre for the Inuvik Region.The population as of the 2006 Census was 3,484, but the two previous census counts show wide fluctuations due to economic conditions: 2,894 in 2001 and 3,296 in 1996...
to the east, meant to entirely replace Aklavik. However, many residents have persevered and kept Aklavik as a community. The mayor of Aklavik is Billy Storr, whose term ends in 2012.
History
Aklavik began in the early 1900s with the Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
opening a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
in 1912 and the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
establishing a mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
in 1926. Located on the Peel Channel, in a good trapping area, the community became a transportation hub in the Mackenzie.
In 1931, Albert Johnson
Albert Johnson (criminal)
Albert Johnson, known as the Mad Trapper of Rat River, was a fugitive whose actions eventually sparked off a huge manhunt in the Northwest Territories and Yukon in Northern Canada...
, also known as the "Mad Trapper of Rat River" moved into the area. A complaint was made to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
post in Aklavik and the two members attempted, unsuccessfully, to talk with him concerning trapline tampering. A second attempt was made a few days later, after a search warrant
Search warrant
A search warrant is a court order issued by a Magistrate, judge or Supreme Court Official that authorizes law enforcement officers to conduct a search of a person or location for evidence of a crime and to confiscate evidence if it is found....
had been obtained, and Johnson shot one of the RCMP. This sparked a 42-day manhunt
Manhunt (law enforcement)
In law enforcement, a manhunt is a search for a dangerous fugitive involving the use of all available police units and technology and sometimes help from the public....
and ended with the death of Johnson. This incident is famous for introducing the airplane and communications radio as tools to help track a person. Museums dedicated to Albert Johnson can be found in Aklavik and in Fort Smith.
By the 1950s the community had developed and grown to over 1,600 people. However, the Peel Channel was subject to flooding, and the river bank
Stream bed
A stream bed is the channel bottom of a stream, river or creek; the physical confine of the normal water flow. The lateral confines or channel margins, during all but flood stage, are known as the stream banks or river banks. In fact, a flood occurs when a stream overflows its banks and flows onto...
s were being washed away. Due to the flooding, the Federal Government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
built a new community at what is now Inuvik, with the intention of closing Aklavik.
In the 1960s, the principal of Aklavik's school, A. J. (Moose) Kerr, started a committee to help save the community. The efforts were successful and the community survived. The local school is named for him.
Today
The community has a school with approximately 150 students from KindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
to Grade 12
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
and Aurora College
Aurora College
Aurora College, formerly Arctic College, is a college in the Northwest Territories, Canada with campuses in Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. They have learning centres in 23 communities in the NWT. The head office for Aurora College is located in Fort Smith.-Mission:*Aurora College is dedicated...
provides adult education
Adult education
Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers...
at the Community Learning Centre.
There are two general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
s, the Aklavik General Store and the Northern Store operated by The North West Company
The North West Company
The North West Company is a grocery and merchandise store in remote communities across northern Canada and Alaska. Through its subsidiary, Cost-U-Less stores it also operates in the US territories of Guam, The CNMI, and American Samoa and in the Caribbean....
. The community has a two person RCMP detachment, a health centre
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
with four nurses, a Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
outlet, the Aklavik Lodge and the Aklavik Inn (Bessie's Boarding House) for visitor accommodation and two taxi companies.
Like most northern communities, Aklavik has a community hall, a gymnasium that is attached to the school and, uncommonly, a swimming pool.
The community is served only by air, via the Aklavik/Freddie Carmichael Airport, and by winter ice road
Ice road
Ice roads are frozen, human-made structures on the surface of bays, rivers, lakes, or seas in the far north. They link dry land, frozen waterways, portages and winter roads, and are usually remade each winter. Ice roads allow temporary transport to areas with no permanent road access...
directly from Inuvik across the streams of the Mackenzie Delta
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
. When the river is open, usually June to September, the Aklavik Water Aerodrome
Aklavik Water Aerodrome
Aklavik Water Aerodrome is located adjacent to Aklavik, Northwest Territories, Canada on the Peel Channel of the Mackenzie River delta. Aklavik was the regional centre but was prone to flooding, in 1959, Inuvik was purpose built to house a larger airport, highway connections, new health...
is available for float planes
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
.
Land claims
Aklavik is one of the few places in the NWT to be included within two different land claims areas, being part of the Inuvialuit Settlement RegionInuvialuit Settlement Region
The Inuvialuit Settlement Region , located in Canada’s western Arctic, was designated in 1984 in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement by the Government of Canada for the Inuvialuit people...
and the Gwich'in Settlement Region.
The Inuvialuit
Inuvialuit
The Inuvialuit or Western Canadian Inuit are Inuit people who live in the western Canadian Arctic region. They, like all other Inuit, are descendants of the Thule who migrated eastward from Alaska...
, whose claim, the Inuvialuit Final Agreement was settled in 1984, are represented by the Aklavik Community Corporation which in turn forms part of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.
The Gwich’in
Gwich’in
The Gwich’in , literally "one who dwells" or "resident of [a region]", are a First Nations/Alaska Native people who live in the northwestern part of North America mostly above the Arctic Circle...
of Aklavik are covered under the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, signed in 1992, and are represented by the Ehdiitat Gwich'in Council. The Ehdiitat Gwich'in Council in turn forms part of the Gwich'in Tribal Council.
Aboriginal peoples
The Inuvialuit of Aklavik are primarily UummarmiutUummarmiut
The Uummarmiut is the name given to the Inuvialuit who live predominantly in the Mackenzie Delta communities of Aklavik and Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada...
and are descendants of the Nunatamiut
Nunatamiut
The Nunatamiut are an Alaskan Inuit nomadic group who lived in the Alaskan interior and were known as great caribou hunters. When caribou numbers dwindled in the 19th century, some Nunatamiut migrated towards the Mackenzie River delta...
, Inupiat people who migrated from Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
in the early 20th century. Although at first antagonistic they later intermarried with the local Siglit, whose numbers had dwindled due to disease. They speak Uummarmiutun
Uummarmiutun
Uummarmiutun or Canadian Iñupiaq is the variant of Iñupiaq spoken by the Uummarmiut, part of the Inuvialuit, who live mainly in the communities of Inuvik and Aklavik in the Northwest Territories of Canada....
, which is almost identical to Inupiaq language
Inupiaq language
The Inupiat language, also known as Inupiatun, Inupiaq, Iñupiaq, Inyupiaq, Inyupiat, Inyupeat, Inyupik, and Inupik, is a group of dialects of the Inuit language, spoken in northern and northwestern Alaska. The Iñupiaq language is a member of the Eskimo languages group. There are roughly 2,100...
but is grouped with Inuvialuktun.
The Gwich’in are an Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
dwelling Dene
Dene
The Dene are an aboriginal group of First Nations who live in the northern boreal and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dené speak Northern Athabaskan languages. Dene is the common Athabaskan word for "people" . The term "Dene" has two usages...
peoples who inhabit Alaska, Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
and the NWT. They speak the Gwich’in language
Gwich’in language
The Gwich’in language is the Athabaskan language of the Gwich’in indigenous people. It is also known in older or dialect-specific publications as Kutchin, Takudh, Tukudh, or Loucheux. In the Northwest Territories and Yukon of Canada, it is used principally in the towns of Inuvik, Aklavik, Fort...
which is part of the Athabaskan
Athabaskan languages
Athabaskan or Athabascan is a large group of indigenous peoples of North America, located in two main Southern and Northern groups in western North America, and of their language family...
language family
Language family
A language family is a group of languages related through descent from a common ancestor, called the proto-language of that family. The term 'family' comes from the tree model of language origination in historical linguistics, which makes use of a metaphor comparing languages to people in a...
.
Both Inuvialuktun and Gwich’in are official languages of the NWT and as of 2004, 19.3% of the Aboriginal population spoke at least one Native language.
Demographics
Aklavik, as of the 2006 censusCanada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
, had a population of 594 down 6.0% from 2001. Like most other NWT communities the majority of the population, 93.2%, is Aboriginal
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
. However, unlike other communities Aklavik has a large number of both North American Indian
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
, 31.6%, and Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
, 59.8%, along with a small number of Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
, 1.7%, and non-Aboriginal, 6.8%.
In 2009 the Government of the Northwest Territories reported that the population was 645 with an average yearly growth rate of -1.2 from 1996. From 1998 to 2007 there were 93 births and 16 deaths in the community. As of the 2009 figures, 15.5% of residents were 9 or under, 7.6% were from 10 to 14 years old, 20.3% were from 15 to 24, 27.6% were from 25 to 44, 19.1% were from 45 to 59, and 9.9% were 60 or older. As of the 2006 Census the median age in Aklavik was 29.0 compared to 31.2 for the NWT and 39.5 for Canada as a whole.
The crime rate
Crime statistics
Crime statistics attempt to provide statistical measures of the crime in societies. Given that crime is usually secretive by nature, measurements of it are likely to be inaccurate....
for 2008 was 101.2 (per 1,000 persons) for violent crime
Violent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
s, and 68.5 (per 1,000 persons) for property crimes, both numbers above the average for the NWT of 64.8 and 68.5. In 2006 the average income
Income
Income is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
in the hamlet was C$27,372, compared to $48,396 for the NWT, and the average income for a family was $55,813, compared to $101,622 for the NWT, with 37.5% of all families earning less than $30,000.
Notable people
- Frank CarmichaelFrank CarmichaelFrank Carmichael was a trapper and a territorial level politician in Northwest Territories, Canada.-Early life:Carmichael moved to Aklavik, Northwest Territories in 1927 and began working as a trapper.-Political career:...
, trapper and former MLA for Mackenzie WestMackenzie WestMackenzie west is a territorial electoral district, that elected Members to the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly in Canada.The electoral district historically covered the communities of, Fort Liard, Fort Simpson, Fort Wrigley, Fort Norman, Fort Franklin, Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope,...
and Mackenzie DeltaMackenzie Delta (electoral district)Mackenzie Delta is a territorial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The district consists of Aklavik, Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic.-History:... - Nellie CournoyeaNellie CournoyeaNellie Cournoyea, OC is a former Canadian politician, who served as the sixth Premier of the Northwest Territories from 1991 to 1995...
, former Premier of the Northwest TerritoriesPremier of the Northwest TerritoriesThe Premier of the Northwest Territories is the first minister for the Northwest Territories,Canada. He or she is the territory's head of government and de facto chief executive, although the powers of the office are considerably less than those of a provincial premier.Unlike provincial premiers,... - Glenna HansenGlenna HansenGlenna F. Hansen is an Inuvialuit Canadian politician. She served as Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from March 31, 2000 to April 29, 2005.-Early life:...
, former Commissioner of the Northwest TerritoriesCommissioners of Northwest TerritoriesThe Commissioner of the Northwest Territories is the Canadian federal government’s representative in Northwest Territories and the territory's Chief Executive Officer... - Robert C. McLeodRobert C. McLeodRobert C. McLeod is carpenter and private contractor as well as a current territorial level politician and current member of the Northwest Territories Legislature....
, MLA for Inuvik Twin LakesInuvik Twin LakesInuvik Twin Lakes is a territorial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, Canada.It is one of two districts that represent Inuvik and the current Member of the Legislative Assembly is Robert C. McLeod... - Abe OkpikAbe OkpikAbe "Abraham" Okpik, CM was an Inuit community leader in Canada. He instrumental in helping Inuit obtain surnames rather than disc numbers...
, first InukInuitThe Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
on the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories and spearheaded Project Surname to replace disc numberDisc numberDisc numbers or ujamiit in the Inuit language were used by the Government of Canada in lieu of surnames for the Inuit and were similar to dog-tags. The discs were small, made of leather, had a string attached and were supposed to be worn around the neck....
s - Vince SteenVince SteenVince Steen was a politician. He served as a municipal councilor of Tuktoyaktuk and later became mayor. Afterwards he was also a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories...
, former MLA for NunakputNunakputNunakput is a territorial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The district consists of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk and Ulukhaktok.The current Member of the Legislative Assembly is Jackie Jacobson....