Arviat

Arviat ᐊᕐᕕᐊᑦ
—  Hamlet  —
Two of the churches in Arviat
Arviat
Coordinates: 61°06′29″N 094°03′25″W / 61.10806°N 94.05694°W / 61.10806; -94.05694Coordinates: 61°06′29″N 094°03′25″W / 61.10806°N 94.05694°W / 61.10806; -94.05694
Country	Canada
Territory	Nunavut
Region	Kivalliq Region
Electoral district	Arviat
Government[1][2]
– Type	Hamlet
– Mayor	Robert (Bob) Leonard
– Senior Administrative Officer	Ed Murphy
– MLAs	Daniel Shewchuk
Area[3][4]
– Hamlet	132 km2 (51 sq mi)
– Urban	0.54 km2 (0.2 sq mi)
Elevation[5]	10 m (33 ft)
Population (2006)[3][4]
– Hamlet	2,060
– Density	15.6/km2 (40.4/sq mi)
– Urban	1,785
– Urban density	3,305.6/km2 (8,561.3/sq mi)
Demonym	Arviaqmiut,[6] Arviatmiut[7]
Time zone	CST (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-4)
Postal code	X0C 0E0
Area code(s)	867
Website	www.arviat.ca

Arviat (2006 population 2,060;^[3] UA Population 1,785^[4]) (Inuktitut syllabics: ᐊᕐᕕᐊᑦ; formerly called Eskimo Point until 1 June 1989) is a predominantly Inuit hamlet located on the western shore of Hudson Bay in the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut, Canada. Arviat ("place of the bowhead whale") is derived from the Inuktitut word arviq meaning "Bowhead Whale". Earlier in history, its name was Tikirajualaaq ("a little long point"), and Ittaliurvik, ("a place where the people make tents").^[8]

Inuit community

Arviat is the southernmost community on the Nunavut mainland and is close to the geographical centre of Canada. Arviat is a traditional Inuit community, having the third largest population in Nunavut, behind Rankin Inlet and the capital, Iqaluit. Arviat is currently growing at a faster rate than Rankin Inlet, however. From the 2001 census to the 2006 census there was a population increase of 8.5%.^[3] The mayor of Arviat is Robert Leonard.^[9]

Elder of Arviat

Hunting and fishing are very active in the community; they are the primary source of sustenance. Three local stores - Padlei Co-op, Northern Stores and EPLS - carry a wide range of products.

To the south, the town of Churchill, Manitoba is accessible by boat, snowmobile and Bombardier from Arviat and is often travelled to for supplies.

Arviat is well known around the Arctic for its artistic qualities. It is a thriving community with many talented musicians: Susan Aglukark, a well known musician; Simon "Johnny Cash of the North" Sigyariaq; the band Uniaqtuq, with Arsene, Pelagie and Mary Angalik; the Arviat Band, with John and Billy Kuksuk, Paul Kattau and others; the Irksuk band, played by Paul Irksuk and sons. All have had CDs recorded commercially.

Many types of wildlife are abundant. Within the vicinity of Arviat you have an opportunity to see polar bears, millions of migratory birds, beluga whales, and caribou.

The only access is by air, by snowmobile and by annual sealift, but the Nunavut government and the federal Senate member for Nunavut (Dennis Patterson) are investigating the possibility of a highway from Thompson, Lynn Lake, or Gillam to Rankin Inlet, through Arviat.

Arviat was originally inhabited by the Paallirmiut, a coastal/inland Inuit band. In 1957, dying of starvation, the last remaining Ihalmiut, another Caribou Inuit band, were relocated to Arviat by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Though there are differences between the two bands, they recognize a need to work together in order to benefit the community.^[10]

Recreation

The Hudson Bay Quest sled-dog race was run from Churchill to Arviat for the first time in 2004. The web-based flash game 'Orbox B' is quite popular in Arviat, owing to the city's love of puzzle-solving.^[11]

See also

• Peter Kritaqliluk
• Arviat Airport
• Nancy Karetak-Lindell
• John Pangnark
• Andy Miki
• McConnell River Migratory Bird Sanctuary
• Arvia'juaq and Qikiqtaarjuk National Historic Site

References

1. ^ Hamlets elect new councils
2. ^ Election Results - 2008 General Election
3. ^ ^{a b c d} 2006 census
4. ^ ^{a b c} "Population and dwelling counts for Urban Area (2006 Census)". Statistics Canada. March 2007. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/popdwell/Table.cfm?T=801&SR=1&S=1&O=A&RPP=9999&PR=0&CMA=0. Retrieved 2008-02-17. 
5. ^ Elevation at airport. Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 20 October 2011 to 0901Z 15 December 2011
6. ^ Demonyms—From coast to coast to coast
7. ^ Arctic College News
8. ^ "Arviat, Nunavut". nu.ca. http://mailhub.edu.nu.ca/kivalliq/Arviat.html. Retrieved 2008-01-01. 
9. ^ Inuit approve uranium policy
10. ^ "About Arviat". inuitarteskimoart.com. http://inuitarteskimoart.com/artists/About-Arviat.html. Retrieved 2007-12-26. 
11. ^ "Popularity of Orbox B". Google Trends. http://www.google.com/trends?q=orbox+b. Retrieved 2010-07-21. 

Further reading

• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. An Examination of the Use of Domestic Space by Inuit Families Living in Arviat, Nunavut. [Ottawa]: CMHC, 2004.
• Inuit Gallery of Vancouver. Arviat Artists of the Past, Present, and Future. Vancouver: Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, 1997. ISBN 096821231X
• Kalluak, Mark. Pelts to Stone A History of Arts & Crafts Production in Arviat. [Ottawa]: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 1993. ISBN 0662208471
• Maguire, Mary, and Lynn McAlpine. Attautsikut/Together Understanding Culture, Change and Success in Qitiqliq Secondary School and Arviat. Exemplary schools project technical report, 8. Toronto: Canadian Education Association, 1995. ISBN 0920315860
• Sharp, Jason M. Ground Truthing of Linear Magnetic Anomalies Near Arviat, Nunavut Territory. Yellowknife, NT: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, NWT eology Division, 1999.
• Swinton, George. Arviat Eskimo Point. Vancouver: Marion Scott Gallery, 1989. ISBN 0921634064
• Tyrrell, M. 2006. "Making Sense of Contaminants: A Case Study of Arviat, Nunavut". Arctic. 59, no. 4: 370-380.

External links

• Official site
• Arviat Tourism
• Government of Nunavut - Arviat (PDF)