Kitigaaryuit
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Kitigaaryuit (also spelled Kittigazuit) is a historic
Inuvialuit The Inuvialuit (sing. Inuvialuk; ''the real people'') or Western Canadian Inuit are Inuit who live in the western Canadian Arctic region. They, like all other Inuit, are descendants of the Thule who migrated eastward from Alaska. Their homelan ...
settlement in Canada's
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is a federal Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of Provinces and territorie ...
. It was the traditional territory of the Kitigaaryungmiut band of Inuvialuit. The site, which is situated near the junction of the
Mackenzie River The Mackenzie River (French: ; Slavey language, Slavey: ' èh tʃʰò literally ''big river''; Inuvialuktun: ' uËkpÉ‘k literally ''great river'') is a river in the Canadian Canadian boreal forest, boreal forest and tundra. It forms, ...
's East Channel and Kugmallit Bay, encompasses the villages of Kitigaaryuk and Tchenerark, which are located on a small island, and the adjacent village of Kuugaatchiaq, located on the mainland to the west of the island.


History

Kitigaaryuit bears evidence of human settlement dating back to at least 1400 AD. During the summer, it was an important site for beluga whale hunting, and the largest known gatherings of Inuvialuit (up to 1000 people) are said to have occurred there. The very shallow waters in the area made it a sort of trap for belugas, which were hunted by groups of men in
kayaks ] A kayak is a small, narrow human-powered watercraft typically propelled by means of a long, double-bladed paddle. The word ''kayak'' originates from the Inuktitut word '' qajaq'' (). In British English, the kayak is also considered to be ...
using harpoons. Kitigaaryuit's population varied by season; many Kitigaaryungmiut left the area around the start of autumn because better hunting prospects could be found elsewhere. In December, people would return for seasonal celebrations, but soon depart, only to return for the next beluga hunt. Inhabitants lived in
caribou The reindeer or caribou (''Rangifer tarandus'') is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. It is the only represe ...
skin tents in the summer season and in multi-family wooden houses during the winter. Large buildings called ''qadjgit'' or ''kajigi'' were used as gathering places for men and for ceremonial purposes. While the Inuvialuit of the Mackenzie Delta had some prior contact with foreign traders, exposure to Western society increased after 1889, when large groups of American whalers began travelling to the area. Beginning in 1892, Christian missionaries, including
Isaac Stringer Isaac O Stringer (April 19, 1866 – October 30, 1934) was a Canadian Anglican bishop. Biography Stringer was born in Kingarf, Ontario. He attended University College and Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto and received a BA degree ...
, made visits to Kitigaaryuit; Stringer compiled detailed observations of Kitigaaryungmiut culture and drew maps of the area. In 1893, Stringer recorded the population of Kitigaaryuit as 197, a stark decrease from previous estimates. Epidemic disease resulting from increased contact with outsiders was likely responsible for much of this population decline. A major epidemic of
measles Measles (probably from Middle Dutch or Middle High German ''masel(e)'', meaning "blemish, blood blister") is a highly contagious, Vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine-preventable infectious disease caused by Measles morbillivirus, measles v ...
occurred in 1902, leading the remaining inhabitants to flee from Kitigaryuk. It would remain deserted for several years. An Inuvialuk elder recounted in an oral history interview: People slowly returned, but by 1909, the population of Kitigaaryuit had declined to 103, many of whom were Alaskan Inupiat rather than Inuvialuit. The
Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), originally the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading Into Hudson’s Bay, is a Canadian holding company of department stores, and the oldest corporation in North America. It was the owner of the ...
opened a trading post at Kitigaaryuk in 1912; it closed in 1933, and the area was abandoned thereafter, but is still occupied seasonally by hunters.


Archaeology

The ruins of Inuvialuit winter dwellings can be found at Kitigaaryuk, along with hundreds of traditional grave sites. A 1969 expedition noted remains of the Hudson's Bay trading post and an associated log cabin and ice house. Excavations have revealed a great number of beluga whale bones. The Kittigazuit Archaeological Sites National Historic Site of Canada was established on the island in 1978.


References


External links


Images and media related to Kitigaaryuit at the Inuvialuit Digital Library
{{NHSC Protected areas in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region National Historic Sites in the Northwest Territories