Igloolik Island
Encyclopedia
Igloolik Island is a small island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut
, Canada
. It is located in the Foxe Basin
, very close to the Melville Peninsula
(and to a lesser degree, Baffin Island
), and it is often thought to be a part of the peninsula. It forms part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
.
The word Igloolik (Inuktitut
: "there is an igloo
here") comes from iglu (meaning: "house"/"building") and refers to the sod houses (qarmaq
) that were originally in the area. Inuit
and their ancestors have inhabited the island since 2000 BC. The archaeological sites on the island, which show a sequence up to 1000 AD, are one of Canada's national historic sites.
There is only one community on the island, also named Igloolik.
: ᕿᑭᖅᑖᕐᔪᒃ, English: little island). About 400 – 500 years ago Qikiqtaarjuk was a separate island but due to isostatic rebound
it became part of the main island. Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
(traditional knowledge) says that prior to that there was an even smaller island called Puqtuniq from which the waters receded forming Qikiqtaarjuk. Qikiqtaarjuk is associated with several Inuit legends and stories and was the place from where Atanarjuat
starts his run.
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, 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...
. It is located in the Foxe Basin
Foxe Basin
Not to be confused with Fox Bay, Falkland IslandsFoxe Basin is a shallow oceanic basin north of Hudson Bay, in Nunavut, Canada, located between Baffin Island and the Melville Peninsula...
, very close to the Melville Peninsula
Melville Peninsula
Melville Peninsula is a large peninsula in the Canadian Arctic. Since 1999, it has been part of Nunavut. Before that, it was part of the District of Franklin. It's separated from Southampton Island by Frozen Strait. The narrow isthmus connecting the peninsula to the mainland is styled the “Rae...
(and to a lesser degree, Baffin Island
Baffin Island
Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is and its population is about 11,000...
), and it is often thought to be a part of the peninsula. It forms part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
Canadian Arctic Archipelago
The Canadian Arctic Archipelago, also known as the Arctic Archipelago, is a Canadian archipelago north of the Canadian mainland in the Arctic...
.
The word Igloolik (Inuktitut
Inuktitut
Inuktitut or Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian Inuit language is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada...
: "there is an igloo
Igloo
An igloo or snowhouse is a type of shelter built of snow, originally built by the Inuit....
here") comes from iglu (meaning: "house"/"building") and refers to the sod houses (qarmaq
Qarmaq
Qarmaq is an Inuktitut term for a type of inter-seasonal, single-room family dwelling used by Inuit. To the Central Inuit of Northern Canada, it refers to a hybrid of a tent and igloo, or tent and sod house. Depending on the season, the lower portion was constructed of snow blocks or stone, while...
) that were originally in the area. 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...
and their ancestors have inhabited the island since 2000 BC. The archaeological sites on the island, which show a sequence up to 1000 AD, are one of Canada's national historic sites.
There is only one community on the island, also named Igloolik.
Qikiqtaarjuk
On the north of Igloolik Island at 69°24′37"N 081°30′06"W is a peninsula called Qikiqtaarjuk (Inuktitut syllabicsInuktitut syllabics
Inuktitut syllabics is a writing system used by the Inuit in Nunavut and in Nunavik, Quebec...
: ᕿᑭᖅᑖᕐᔪᒃ, English: little island). About 400 – 500 years ago Qikiqtaarjuk was a separate island but due to isostatic rebound
Post-glacial rebound
Post-glacial rebound is the rise of land masses that were depressed by the huge weight of ice sheets during the last glacial period, through a process known as isostasy...
it became part of the main island. Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is an Inuktitut phrase that is often translated as Inuit traditional knowledge, Inuit traditional institutions or even Inuit traditional technology...
(traditional knowledge) says that prior to that there was an even smaller island called Puqtuniq from which the waters receded forming Qikiqtaarjuk. Qikiqtaarjuk is associated with several Inuit legends and stories and was the place from where Atanarjuat
Atanarjuat
Atanarjuat is a 2001 Canadian film directed by Zacharias Kunuk. It was the first feature film ever to be written, directed and acted entirely in Inuktitut...
starts his run.