Sanikiluaq

Coordinates: 56°32′N 079°14′W / 56.533°N 79.233°W / 56.533; -79.233[1]
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Sanikiluaq
ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᖅ
Sanikiluaq in December
Sanikiluaq in December
Sanikiluaq is located in Nunavut
Sanikiluaq
Sanikiluaq
Sanikiluaq is located in Canada
Sanikiluaq
Sanikiluaq
Coordinates: 56°32′N 079°14′W / 56.533°N 79.233°W / 56.533; -79.233[1]
CountryCanada
TerritoryNunavut
RegionQikiqtaaluk
Electoral districtHudson Bay
Government
[2][3]
 • TypeHamlet Council
 • MayorJohnnie Cookie
 • MLADaniel Qavvik
Area
 (2021)[4]
 • Total109.68 km2 (42.35 sq mi)
Elevation
[5]
32 m (105 ft)
Population
 (2021)[4]
 • Total1,010
 • Density9.2/km2 (24/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Canadian Postal code
X0A 0W0
Area code867
Websitewww.sanikiluaq.ca

Sanikiluaq (Inuktitut: ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᖅ [sanikiluaq]) is a municipality and Inuit community located on the north coast of Flaherty Island in Hudson Bay, on the Belcher Islands. Despite being geographically much closer to the shores of Ontario and Quebec, the community and the Belcher Islands lie within the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada.

History[edit]

The community was developed in the early 1970s to replace "South Camp", located further south in the island group. To the north of the town is Kinngaaluk Territorial Park, a 3,300 acres (1,300 ha) space designed for camping, cultural expression, and seasonal hunting. The park contains archaeological remains deposited by the Dorset and Thule cultures. The park was expected to be formally designated as such by the Nunavut legislature in 2019.[6] Although the master plan for the park, drawn up by NVision Insight Group, won an award from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects in 2019, the current state of the park is unknown.[7][8]

Demographics[edit]

Federal census population history of Sanikiluaq
YearPop.±%
1971235—    
1976300+27.7%
1981383+27.7%
1986422+10.2%
1991526+24.6%
1996631+20.0%
2001684+8.4%
2006744+8.8%
2011812+9.1%
2016882+8.6%
20211,010+14.5%
Source: Statistics Canada
[4][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Sanikiluaq had a population of 1,010 living in 228 of its 252 total private dwellings, a change of 14.5% from its 2016 population of 882. With a land area of 109.68 km2 (42.35 sq mi), it had a population density of 9.2/km2 (23.9/sq mi) in 2021.[4]

Economic development[edit]

Sanikiluaq had an eider down factory for 20 years. It closed down in 2005 due to government funding running out and the population of eider ducks decreasing at a rapid rate.[18] The factory reopened in June 2015.[19]

Transportation[edit]

It is the southernmost community in the territory, and is served by the Sanikiluaq Airport. Air service is provided by Air Inuit, Calm Air and Panorama Aviation.

Education[edit]

There are two schools in the community, Nuiyak School, with 11 teaching staff, teaches grades K-6, with 125 students enrolled.[20] Paatsaali School has 177 students and teaches grades 7-12.[21] In 2007, former principal Lisi Kavik was named one of Canada's Outstanding Principals.[22]

Broadband communications[edit]

The community has been served by the Qiniq network since 2005. Qiniq is a fixed wireless service to homes and businesses, connecting to the outside world via a satellite backbone. The Qiniq network is designed and operated by SSi Canada. In 2017, the network was upgraded to 4G LTE technology, and 2G-GSM for mobile voice.

Government[edit]

The community is in the Hudson Bay electoral district and Daniel Qavvik is the member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. He replaced long time incumbent, Allan Rumbolt, in the 2021 Nunavut general election.[3]

Landsat satellite photo of Belcher Islands

In the territorial election held October 25, 2021, the candidates were Mick Appaqaq, Ronald Ladd, and Daniel Qavvik. Allan Rumbolt who had represented the riding since the 2008 Nunavut general election did not run. Qavvik won with 227 votes (70.1%) over Appaqaq with 86 (26.5%) and Ladd with 8 (2.5%).[3]

The local municipality has a Hamlet Council of eight elected councillors and a mayor. At the last hamlet election, held October 28, 2019, Johnnie Cookie was re-elected mayor with 191 (67.5%) over Jonasie Emikotailuk with 21 (7.4%), votes, and Elijassie Kavik with 69 (24.4%) votes.[2]

Sanikiluaq federal election results[23]
Year Liberal Conservative New Democratic Green
2021 30% 77 30% 75 40% 101 0% 0
2019 27% 62 19% 44 52% 118 1% 2

Revival of basket making[edit]

This lidded grass basket was made in 2009 by Annie Novalinga from the community of Sanikiluaq in the Belcher Islands, Nunavut, located in the southeast of Hudson Bay, Canada. The basket is mainly the natural colour of dried grass, and features diamond motifs of blue and red dyed grass on the lid and main basket. The handle is a soapstone carving of an owl.
Lyme grass basket made in Sanikiluaq in 2009

In 1996, Nunavut Arctic College began a project in Sanikiluaq, to revive the art of sewing baskets, qisiq, from ivigag or lyme grass (Leymus mollis), which is common along the shorelines of Hudson Bay.[24] Traditional grass baskets made by the Sanikiluaqmiut, residents of Sanikiluaq, are finely crafted, and are unique: they have lids and handles often carved from soapstone, and it "can take weeks to make just one grapefruit-sized basket".[25]

The baskets are of great significance to the community, because of the complexity of the sewing and coiling techniques used, but there were no remaining experienced basket-makers practising the art.[26] Therefore, community members came together to revive the art of traditional Sanikiluaq basketry, consulting Elders for their advice and knowledge, as well as using photographs and descriptions from the Canadian Museum of History (then the Museum of Civilization) in Ottawa, and relying on their collective cultural memory and extant skills.[25]

Film[edit]

Written and directed by Joel Heath, with support from the community of Sanikiluaq, People of a Feather is a documentary film about the relationship between climate change, hydroelectric dams, eider ducks and the people of the Belcher Islands.[27]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Sanikiluaq". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  2. ^ a b "Municipal Election Results 2019-2020" (PDF). Elections Nunavut. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "2021 General Election" (PDF). Elections Nunavut. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Nunavut". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  5. ^ Elevation at airport. Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 16 July 2020 to 0901Z 10 September 2020.
  6. ^ Barth, Brian "In the Hunt: A New Park in Nunavut, Canada is Made to Protect Indigenous Hunting Grounds" Landscape Architecture Magazine. Pages 62-83 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Call for Nominations – Kinngaaluk Territorial Park". February 26, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  8. ^ "Call for Nominations – Joint Planning and Management Committees, Territorial Parks". June 12, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  9. ^ "1976 Census of Canada: Population - Geographic Distributions" (PDF). Statistics Canada. June 1977. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  10. ^ "1981 Census of Canada: Census subdivisions in decreasing population order" (PDF). Statistics Canada. May 1992. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  11. ^ "1986 Census: Population - Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions" (PDF). Statistics Canada. September 1987. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  12. ^ "91 Census: Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions - Population and Dwelling Counts" (PDF). Statistics Canada. April 1992. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  13. ^ "96 Census: A National Overview - Population and Dwelling Counts" (PDF). Statistics Canada. April 1997. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  14. ^ "Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Subdivisions (Municipalities), 2001 and 1996 Censuses - 100% Data (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada. August 15, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  15. ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada. August 20, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  16. ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada. July 25, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  17. ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  18. ^ "Sanikiluaq eiderdown factory could be running by March". CBC News. November 18, 2014.
  19. ^ Weber, Bob (June 21, 2015). "Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, opens eiderdown factory to feather its nest". CBC News. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  20. ^ Nuiyak Elementary School
  21. ^ Paatsaali High School
  22. ^ "Canada's Outstanding Principals". The Learning Partnership. Archived from the original on November 13, 2007. Retrieved November 23, 2007.
  23. ^ "Official Voting Results Raw Data (poll by poll results in Poll 25)". Elections Canada. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  24. ^ Lawrence, Margaret (2018). Our Hands Remember: Recovering Sanikiluaq Basket Sewing. Iqaluit, Nunavut: Inhabit Media. ISBN 978-1-77227-164-5.
  25. ^ a b Cowan, C., 2004. Recovering the Traditional Art of Sanikiluaq Basket-Making: A Case Study of the Development of a Community-based College Curriculum, with Inuit Women of the Belcher Islands. In Proceedings of the Conference of Indigenous Knowledges.
  26. ^ Cowan, Cindy (2005). "Re-learning the traditional art of Inuit grass basket-making". Convergence. 38 (4): 51–67 – via ProQuest.
  27. ^ "Documentary about ducks in Hudson Bay investigates our role in the cycle of life". Prince George Citizen, March 2, 2012.

Further reading[edit]

  • Arctic College. Stories from Sanikiluaq. Iqaluit, N.W.T.: Arctic College, Nunatta Campus, 1989. ISBN 1-55036-099-X
  • Canadian Arctic Producers Co-operative Ltd. Sanikiluaq, Belcher Islands Recent Sculpture. Ottawa: Canadian Arctic Producers, 1979.
  • Driscoll, Bernadette. Belcher Islands/Sanikiluaq The Winnipeg Art Gallery, June 27 – August 30, 1981. Winnipeg: Winnipeg Art Gallery, 1981. ISBN 0-88915-095-8
  • Kavik, Lisi, and Miriam Fleming. Qikiqtamiut Cookbook. [Sanikiluaq, Nunavut]: Municipality of Sanikiluaq, 2002. ISBN 1-896445-22-5
  • Language of Sanikiluarmiut Snikiluarmiut Uquasingit. --. Sanikiluaq, N.W.T.?: s.n.], 1980s.
  • Report on Business Development and Resource Management Strategies for Eider Down Industry in Sanikiluaq, N.W.T. Sanikiluaq, N.W.T.?: s.n, 1990.
  • Wein, Eleanor E. Sanikiluaq Traditional Food Study Report. Edmonton: Canadian Circumpolar Institute, University of Alberta, 1995.
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