Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut, Canada

Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut, Canada

Visited September 2, 2018 , on day 7 of Quark's Northwest Passage Voyage.

Qikiqtarjuaq (population 598) means “the big island” in Inuktitut. Called “Qik” for short by the people of Nunavut, the region is predominately inhabited by Inuit.

The community is located just north of the Arctic Circle on Broughton Island, adjacent to the eastern coast of Baffin Island at the Davis Strait and enjoys long days of sunlight and seemingly endless sunsets during the summer months.

The mountains in the vicinity, Baffin Mountains, which are part of the Arctic Cordillera mountain range, are the highest in North America east of the Rocky Mountains.

The hamlet is renowned for icebergs (it’s often called the iceberg capital of Nunavut), as well as glaciers. Many species of marine mammals thrive here, including bowhead whales, narwhals and orca whales. Polar bears are present during the summer months.

The community provides access to the northern end of Auyuittuq National Park, one of the most remote parks in Canada.

Qikiqtarjuaq has a tundra climate, with the warmest month averaging below 6 °C (43 °F).

History
Qikiqtarjuaq is a relatively new community, but the coastal region surrounding Broughton Island has been known for its excellent whaling since ancient times.

A whaling station called Kivitoo was established just 64km north of modern Qikiqtarjuaq. In the 1950s, during the Cold War, a NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) military station was constructed on Broughton Island that formed part of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. This attracted industry and trade. The runway built by the joint Canada-US military organization allowed for air travellers to finally reach this previously isolated region.

In 1962, there was a horrible tragedy near Kivitoo. A mass drowning occurred that devastated the community. Survivors and their families felt it was best to move to the area surrounding the military base, so Kivitoo was abandoned and the young community originally known as Broughton Island developed to become the hamlet that we fondly know today as ‘Qik.’

The military pulled out of the region in 1992. In November 1998, the current community name with Inuktitut spelling was adopted.