I thought it would be interesting to give you some ideas of the lifestyle and terrain of the area that Jordin grew up in . Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. It's a lifestyle and scenery that many of us have never, and will never experience. A lot of research went into this, so I hope you enjoy.!
Ask someone from Nunavut for their first impression of Rankin Inlet, and they may tell you about the wind.
Today, Rankin Inlet, or Kangiq&iniq as it is known in Inuktitut (meaning "deep bay/inlet"), is a bustling community that serves as both a government town and a transportation hub for the Kivalliq Region. It is Nunavut's second-largest community and the self-described "business capital" of the territory. For the past 20 years, Rankin has been a regional centre for the government of the Northwest Territories, traditionally the largest employer here. Recent cutbacks and layoffs, however, have caused many people to rely less on government as a source of income. Instead, many Inuit have become entrepreneurs, and their stores, freight expediter services, electrical, plumbing and real estate companies are flourishing. Rankin Inlet has become a community of which its residents are immensely proud.
Originally, Rankin Inlet's roots were in mining, and the 1990s suggest the return of mining companies here. Rich mineral deposits in the region, including gold, have led to a bit of a boom in exploration. The existence of several major exploration camps nearby hints that an operating mine may someday return.
In 1993, with the signing of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, Rankin became a major political centre for budding land claims organizations. The head office of the Kivalliq Inuit Association, as well as regional offices for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, are located here.
The history of Rankin Inlet is a story of a people who have triumphed over adversity. The vibrant nature of the community today attests to the determination of Inuit to overcome their hardships.
Although Inuit seldom used the actual town site of Rankin Inlet, they hunted and fished in the surrounding area for many years. Artifacts that reveal this use can be found throughout the region. In nearby Ijiraliq (Meliadine) River Territorial Historic Park, for example, generations of Inuit fished for arctic char during the spring and fall.
The Rankin Inlet area has also been an important meeting place for Inuit and outsiders. The mid-1800s saw the arrival of fleets of American and European whalers in Hudson Bay. To maximize their profits after long journeys to the whaling grounds, the whalers often spent a winter or two frozen into the ice. One of these overwintering locations was at Marble Island, about 70 kilometres from Rankin.
Archeological remains that may still be found on Marble Island paint a stark picture of the whalers' life here. Despite their best efforts, those men from warmer latitudes weren't fully able to deal with the arctic climate. Signs of their efforts to adapt — their cabins, storage shacks and even an amphitheatre where they performed plays for each other — are scattered across the island. If you're touring around Marble Island at low tide, you'll spot a ship underwater. On nearby Deadman's Island, whalers' graves are a silent reminder of those who could not adapt.
For Inuit, Marble Island also has legendary significance; even today, when they visit it, they crawl up to the tide level, out of respect for an old woman whose spirit is said to reside there. Legend has it that those who don't crawl will encounter bad luck on the anniversary of their visit.
The relationship between Inuit and whalers continued until the early years of the 20th century. By 1910, when whale stocks had severely declined, the whalers stopped coming to the Rankin Inlet area. During the first half of this century, Inuit contact with outsiders was limited to missionaries and Hudson's Bay Co. traders.
The 1940s and 1950s were grim times for the Inuit of the entire Kivalliq Region. A shift in the migration patterns of caribou led to widespread starvation among inland Caribou Inuit. To provide food and supplies to starving Inuit, the Canadian government established communities along the west coast of Hudson Bay. The communities of Arviat, Whale Cove and Baker Lake were created to serve the needs of the local people.
Rankin Inlet, however, was formed with a different goal in mind. The Canadian government of the 1950s believed that the subsistence economy was no longer viable and that modern technology would provide comfort to all. The Inuit must be brought into a wage-based economy. The discovery of large amounts of nickel at Rankin Inlet, and the high price of the mineral during the Korean War, convinced the government to do just that.
In 1955, North Rankin Nickel Mines began production. Many Inuit hunters and trappers moved with their families to Rankin Inlet and became miners, working for a wage underground and in the mill. Inuit were brought in from Repulse Bay, Coral Harbour, Chesterfield Inlet,and Arviat to take part in what was viewed as a bold new experiment. This experiment was to introduce Inuit to the necessary skills for hard-rock mining and to a lifestyle of shift work and paycheques.
North Rankin Nickel Mines produced high-quality ore and plenty of work for seven years. The Inuit employees were very hard-working and much appreciated by the mine owners. In fact, many Inuit who worked here went on to other mines in Southern Canada. Many residents of Rankin Inlet still have mementoes from friends and relatives who worked in towns such as Lynn Lake, Manitoba, and Sudbury, Ontario.
In 1962, the mine closed, bringing about another period of hardship that almost closed the hamlet. Families were now pressured to return to their home communities. Only after a period of negotiations with residents determined to keep their new home on the map did the government allow Rankin Inlet to stay open. By now, however, the several hundred people who remained were used to the wage economy; they needed to find a means to support their families. As a result, the mid-1960s were marked by a series of enterprising, sometimes bizarre, economic development schemes, not all as successful as the nickel mine.
In one venture, Rankin Inlet was briefly the site of one of the most northerly farms in Canada, producing chicken and pork for local use. After accounting for the costs of their accommodations, the chickens and eggs from this "farm" proved very expensive. Furthermore, the only affordable food available for the pigs was fish, leading, as you can imagine, to some pretty fishy-flavored pork.
In another case, a cannery was opened to preserve local foods. Apparently, though, the market for tinned seal meat and maktaaq in Southern Canada was limited, because this project didn't last very long
A successful, albeit short-lived, experiment was the creation of a ceramics studio in 1964. The fine pieces produced by the hunters, trappers, miners and artists were collected by individuals and galleries around the world. Despite the project's artistic and commercial success, the newly formed GNWT never fully backed it; in the early 1970s, it died a slow death. Happily for art-lovers everywhere, this unique studio has been revived recently through the efforts of a local artist. Now a new generation of artists works here alongside their elders to produce exotic, eerily beautiful work.
By the early 1970s, the headquarters for the Kivalliq Region moved from Churchill, Manitoba, to Rankin Inlet. So Rankin was now a government town. The arrival of civil servants and their families revitalized the community. Elders who were born on the land and who became miners, farmers, and artists, could not make the transition into government jobs. Their children, however, did find work in the new bureaucracy. They, like their parents, had experienced enormous change. Today they hold positions of power in Rankin Inlet.
Many believe that the resilience of Inuit, born out of the intense necessity to adapt to enormous change over the past 50 years, will help the people of Rankin Inlet as they face even greater changes with the creation of Nunavut.
All this beauty is easily accessible. The relative flatness of the land and the many all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and walking trails nearby make it fairly easy to get out of town and enjoy the glories of the tundra. A five-minute hike from the edge of the hamlet will have you in a land that appears untouched by humans. You'll likely discover siksiit. In fact, summer and fall belong to these ground squirrels, which are everywhere, chattering incessantly from their perches on top of sandy bumps in the land. Overhead, majestic birds of prey, such as the peregrine and gyrfalcon, keep a watchful eye on the happenings below. Loons, geese, swans and sandhill cranes are other sights to keep your shutter-finger busy.
Farther out on the land, you may see small herds of caribou jaunting across the tundra in their endless search for lichen and other food. Curious foxes and an occasional wolf may also appear, usually in the distance. Sun-tanning seals dot the sea ice nearby, or you may see their small heads bobbing in waters close to shore. A complete description of all the animals in the area would take up an entire afternoon of sitting and drinking tea with local elders.
You may bump into some animals, however, that are best seen from afar. In the fall, it's not uncommon for polar bears to wander close to town; and in summer, wolverines and even grizzly bears sometimes appear. Unless you're willing to go down in local lore as the tourist who left town with fewer limbs than when you arrived, be sure that on your outings you're accompanied by someone who's familiar with local conditions.
The weather in Rankin? It can be damn cold here. Winter, which lasts from the end of October until mid to late March, has temperatures averaging in the -30° C to -35° C range, with some pretty ferocious Kivalliq winds of 15 to 25 kilometres an hour. The many blizzards wreak havoc with flight schedules. It gets warmer during blizzards and a lot colder on clear days. To stay warm, you'll have to wear clothing that's at least as sophisticated as that worn by lunar astronauts!
Thankfully, though, the climate isn't always this harsh. Many days in spring and summer are calm and sunny. The trick is to be prepared for a wide range of weather conditions.
Spring is one of the best times to visit Rankin. Temperatures warm up to the -10° C to -20° C range. As days grow longer, visitors may enjoy brilliant sunshine, but will still experience frequent spring storms. Half of the annual snowfall occurs in March and April.
Summer in Rankin lasts roughly from mid-June to the end of August. During this period, weather conditions vary the most. Every few years, Rankin experiences a snowstorm in mid-June. Generally, however, temperatures are in the 10° C to 15° C range. There are stories, though, of tourists who complain because of midsummer heat, with temperatures climbing up past the 30° C mark. In weather like this, expect to find almost everyone swimming in one of the many small lakes nearby.
Autumn is brief, usually lasting from the beginning of September to the end of October. You may actually feel colder at this time of year because of the chilly high winds mixed with wet conditions. Expect weather similar to winter in northeastern United States or southern Ontario or Quebec.
Located at the airport, the Keewatin Regional Visitors Centre interprets the history of the region and its communities, as well as the cultural heritage and natural resources.
The Inuit Cultural Institute (ICI), established in 1974 to protect the cultural heritage of Inuit, has an extensive 1,700-item collection that includes photographs, film and taped interviews with elders — but it's housed in Yellowknife at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre until work to convert Rankin Inlet's old air terminal for ICI's use is completed.
While in Rankin, take a stroll over to the relics of North Rankin Nickel Mines. The rusty old machinery on a promontory overlooking the inlet and the tidal flats are all that remain of the mine. (The old headframe burned down in a huge fire in 1975.)
From the road behind the Matchbox Gallery, an easy hike will take you to the south shore of the inlet and a view of the rocky Barrier Islands. Here you'll find a collection of small buildings, the remains of the old settlement of Itivia. In the 1950s, the federal government built a settlement at Itivia to aid inland Caribou Inuit who were suffering from starvation.
The road at Itivia ends at the barge dock. In summer, heavy equipment and supplies arrive here by barge. If a barge is in, walk down to the dock and watch the unloading.
Ten kilometres to the north of Rankin lies the Ijiraliq (Meliadine) River Territorial Historic Park. You can take a guided tour to this fascinating Thule site, where you'll find stone tent rings, meat caches, fox traps and the remains of semi-subterranean houses.
Another site worth visiting is an immense inuksuk on the rocks above Williamson Lake overlooking Rankin. This towering stone figure was built in 1991 by Joe Nattar.
You may also want to take an excursion to Marble Island, where Captain James Knight and his crew were marooned in 1721 while searching for minerals and the Northwest Passage. About 32 kilometres from Rankin is the site where Knight's two ships were wrecked and where the explorer and his crew of 60 disappeared.
Rankin is the jumping-off spot for a major ecotourist facility in the Kivalliq Region, Sila Lodge. Located on Wager Bay, the lodge attracts many naturalists who come to view polar bears, caribou and other wildlife, and to tour the tundra and archeological sites.
As the ease of travelling on the tundra may cause you to become complacent, it's always advisable to go out with an experienced, licensed guide. The weather can be very unpredictable and you can soon learn that during a storm, it's far better to be bored in a hotel room than to be panic-stricken on the land. Preparedness is essential.
Several licensed firms offer tours of the community and surrounding area, including Kivalliq Tours (ask for Caroline Anawak) and Tumi Tours, which has the best dogsled teams in town. For further information on licensed outfitters and tours, contact Nunavut Tourism, the Keewatin Regional Visitors Centre, the Rankin Inlet office of the Department of Sustainable Development (or until April 1999, Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development), or the Aqiggiak Hunters and Trappers Organization.
Rankin Inlet has a thriving arts and crafts community. In recent years, ceramics has made a comeback here. This stunning pottery, as well as more traditional carvings and wall hangings, provide a wide variety of treasures to choose from. You'll find several places where you can view or purchase the work of local artists.
The Matchbox Gallery, owned by local artists Jim and Sue Shirley, carries drawings, paintings, watercolors and prints of Kivalliq images and impressions. The gallery also provides local artists with a place to produce spectacular pottery, and it exhibits their work.
Ivalu is Rankin's fashion centre. Local seamstresses have sewn beautiful inner and outerwear in contemporary Inuit designs. The store has a great selection of hats, jackets, vests, and the like.
The Siniktarvik Hotel has a modest assortment of carvings and other local handiwork in its gift shop. Treasures sells a wide variety of local art and southern gifts. It's also a great place to buy jewelry.
Ask around. Many local artists sell their work privately. Inquire at your hotel or at the Keewatin Regional Visitors Centre for information on how to contact them.
Like residents of other Nunavut communities, the people of Rankin love square dancing. Holidays and community celebrations are basically an excuse to hold a square dance. The Kivalliq style of dancing slightly resembles the Scottish variety, with movements that are very fast and tricky. From the vantage point of a spectator seated along the walls of a community hall, the dances appear impossible to learn. Have courage, though. Newcomers will find that Rankin residents are always willing to indoctrinate a first-timer. Just remember to bounce up and down a lot and keep your elbows out; the other dancers will hurl you in the right direction!
All Christian holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, as well as Canada Day, are celebrated in grand style. For several days, everyone joins in square dances, games for adults and children, dogteam and snowmobile races, Inuit games and hockey games. If you haven't seen a snowmobile race where drivers tow someone sitting on a plastic jerry can, you haven't lived a full life!
Each May, the community celebrates Pakallak Time. This festival offers many of the same activities as other holidays, but with something extra. After a long winter, it's a joyous celebration of the warmth and sunlight of spring. Pakallak Time is a great way to meet people from Rankin, as well as those who come from other communities to join in the fun.
Rankin Inlet is also home to a healthy and competitive population of dogsled mushers. For a real Nunavut experience, take a trip from Rankin by dogteam in winter or spring. Some enterprising mushers have organized tours ranging from half an hour to a day or longer. Ask the staff at your hotel or contact the Aqiggiak Hunters and Trappers Organization for more information. Remember to ask as well about the many exciting dogteam races held in and around Rankin.
At the community hall, located in the Singiittuq Complex, flea markets, craft sales and games are occasionally held. For details, ask local residents, call the hamlet recreation co-ordinator, or watch the community announcement channel on Cable 15. Actually, watching this station is entertainment in itself, as the Kissarvik Co-op, which operates the channel, is always on the lookout for new and improved ways to misspell the English language.
The Nanuq Inn offers less luxurious, though comfortable, lodging. It has nine rooms, each with a private washroom and TV. Rooms are $125 per person per day for single occupancy and $95 per person for double. The restaurant has an extensive à la carte menu and a partitioned non-smoking area. It is licensed for hotel guests. The inn has conference and banquet facilities and holds community dances occasionally.
Visitors to Rankin Inlet can also snack at two other spots in town. The Quick Stop, located in the Northern store, sells Kentucky Fried Chicken, Subway, and Pizza Hut fast foods. Coffee Delights, a smoke-free venue, offers desserts plus a wide variety of gourmet coffees.
And on the subject of snacks: how about caribou processed into sausage or pastrami, or smoked char or char jerky? These and other delicacies, processed at the local Keewatin Meat and Fish plant, are available at the Northern store and the Kissarvik Co-op.
The John Ayaruaq Library, open to the public, has a fairly good selection of books on the history of the region and of the North in general. Call for library hours.
Located next to the Nanuq Inn, the Youth and Elders Centre is a popular meeting place for the young and old in Rankin. Although the Centre's hours are sporadic, it's well worthwhile to check out the activities offered here.
If you need a regular fix of time on the Internet, the Rankin Inlet Community Access Centre is for you. Located in the Leo Ussak Elementary School, the facility provides free access to the Internet. As the Centre has limited hours, call ahead for information.
Rankin Inlet has a fairly good transportation system. The four taxi companies — Airut Taxi, Ernie's Taxi, Jay's Taxi, and M & M Taxi — charge $4 for trips in town and $5 for trips to or from the airport. Taxis usually take less than two minutes to appear at your door; sometimes before southbound flights, however, the wait is a little longer. Be ready to hop in the van once you hang up the phone. But if you're headed for the airport, don't be surprised if it takes up to 10 minutes for the cab to arrive.
If you'd enjoy the freedom of your own vehicle while in town, you can rent a truck from Y&C Enterprises, or ask Nunavut Tourism about where to rent an ATV, snowmobile or sea-doo.
The Bombardier is another interesting form of transportation available in Rankin Inlet. This is an overgrown, enclosed snowmobile that runs on tracks and skis. In winter and spring, there are regularly scheduled trips from Rankin Inlet to Arviat and other communities. To experience this new form of travel, call Kowmuk's.
RANKIN INLET (July 14/99) - One woman is dead and two more people severely injured as the result of a vicious bear attack at a family's on-land camp this past Friday afternoon at Corbett Inlet, a remote salt water bay about 48 km south of Rankin Inlet.
Hattie Amitnak, 66, of Baker Lake was mauled to death by the bear when she tried to come to the aid of Moses Aliyak, 66, of Rankin Inlet and his 10-year-old nephew Eddie Amitnak of Baker Lake.
Moses and his grandson, 12-year-old Cyrus (Kook) Aliyak of Rankin Inlet, were at the water's edge where their small aluminum boat was located when the bear tried to attack the grandson.
Moses tried to fend the bear off by throwing rocks at it and hitting it with a light aluminum pipe, while his grandson ran back to their tent. The bear was attacking Moses, causing severe lacerations to his head and face, when his nephew, Eddie, tried to come to his aid. The boy was struck by the bear, sustaining severe trauma to the head.
Cyrus showed tremendous courage by managing to stay calm enough to use the party's radio located in the tent. He managed to raise Rosie Oolooyuk at a nearby cabin who notified RCMP of the disaster and helped keep the young boy calm over the radio.
RCMP Const. Steve Halliday said Margaret Amarook, 56, was getting water when the bear attacked and managed to escape unharmed.
"She walked the almost three kilometres to Oolooyuk's cabin to seek help. Despite his injuries,
Moses also managed to walk to Oolooyuk's cabin. This is a tragic story, but it's also a courageous one too, when you look at the actions of these people which prevented any further loss of life," said Halliday.
Three helicopters were used to fly a pair of RCMP officers and two trauma nurses from Rankin Inlet to the scene.
Moses and Eddie were airlifted to a Winnipeg hospital where a hospital spokesperson described their condition as stable Sunday afternoon. Hattie's remains were returned to Baker Lake for burial during the weekend.
The polar bear was later found and destroyed by Baker Lake Renewable Resource officer Gerald Filitre and Rankin Inlet's Dustin Fredlund. The bear was young, estimated at about four to five feet and less than two years of age.
The tragedy marked the third time Moses experienced a hostile encounter with a polar bear and the second time young Eddie was involved in a similar situation.
Emergency measures officer Shaun Maley of Rankin Inlet said young bears like the one involved in this tragedy are when polar bears are at their most dangerous.
"A young bear like this hasn't had the time to learn to be afraid of humans and what makes them even more dangerous is that they are extremely opportunistic," said Maley.
Rankin Inlet Renewable Resource officer Joe Niego said young bears such as this also haven't had time to fully develop their hunting skills, making them more susceptible to attacking humans due to hunger.
"You never know what exactly the bear was thinking," said Niego. "He could have been driven by hunger or maybe he came in contact with these people suddenly and felt threatened, so he attacked.
Polar bears at this age are extremely unpredictable