Lake Harbour

Known as Lake Harbour until 1996, the Inuit hamlet of Kimmirut, population about 450, is located on Hudson Strait on the southern shores of Baffin Island.The name Kimmirut, which means "the heel," was chosen because of the shape of a huge outcrop of rock in the harbour that is said to resemble the upside down heel of a foot. In this photograph, taken July 16, the shelf of ice at the base of the heel indicates the tide is low.

The view looking out the harbour is breathtaking.

Nunavut Day, celebrated July 9 all over Nunavut, honours two historic events. In 1993 the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, the largest Aboriginal land claims settlement in Canadian history, was passed by the Federal government of Canada returning the land of central and eastern Northwest Territories to the Inuit people. And in 1999 this land, called Nunavut, split from the Northwest Territories to become a Canadian territory on its own.

In Kimmirut this year the Nunavut Day celebrations, including the wearing of traditional clothing, games and hamburgers, took place indoors in the Akavak Centre, which is the school gymnasium. Qaqqalik School, for kindergarten to grade 12, has an enrolment of approximately 135 students most of whom are bilingual speaking Inuktitut and English. Pictured here are some children flying their kite at one end of the school.

 

The amautis on display were gorgeous. The large hood, as shown in this one made of caribou fur, is designed to carry a baby. This young mother used to be the baby in the hood when her mother, who made the amauti, used to wear it.

 

These three ladies were wonderfully obliging models, happy to show off their hand-made garments. Itee, on the left of this picture, wears her pants of baby sealskin which she made for herself when she was young.The front of the amauti made by the middle woman, has a sort of chest plate entirely of tiny beads depicting an ulu, one of the traditional tools used by Inuit women for scraping skins and cutting meat. On the right is a hand-knit baby carrier with Happy Nunavut Day knit into the pattern.

 

Animal skin boots called kamiks last a long time when you take good care of them.

Much to be proud of.

 

Kimmirut was the site of the first Hudson Bay post on Baffin Island. Built in 1911, the building no longer stands.The original St. Paul's Anglican Church, also built in the early 1900's, was the second Anglican mission on Baffin Island. The original church was replaced by this building in 1948.

 

Children attending Sunday school enthusiastically sing a Christian action song.

 

This lovely old cemetery located in the centre of town is due for a little TLC. The new cemetery, about the same size, is just up the hill.

 

Many of the folks who live in Kimmirut were born here and are surrounded by family: mothers, fathers, siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents. And some have moved here from other Baffin Island hamlets. There is much to be said for the quiet life here. By far the majority of residents live in public housing provided with subsidized rent. There are many modern conveniences like power, Internet, and television. But the opportunity to hunt and fish daily still exists. It's amazing to realize that some of these people, and their forefathers, were still living on the land as recently as the 1950's.

See the Welcome to Kimmirut website for more information.

 

 

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