Igloolik Island
{{Short description|Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = Igloolik Island
| image_name = Sod House.jpg
| image_caption = Remnants of older Inuit sod houses in Igloolik Point
| image_size =
| pushpin_map = Canada Nunavut#Canada
| native_name =
| native_name_link = Inuktitut
| nickname =
| location = Foxe Basin
| coordinates = {{coord|69|23|N|81|40|W|type:isle_region:CA-NU|notes={{Cite cgndb|OAHOZ|Igloolik Island}}|display=inline,title|name=Igloolik Island}}
| archipelago = Arctic Archipelago
| total_islands =
| major_islands =
| area_km2 =
| coastline_km =
| highest_mount =
| elevation_m=
| country = Canada
| country_admin_divisions_title = Nunavut
| country_admin_divisions = Nunavut
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Region
| country_admin_divisions_1 = Qikiqtaaluk
| country_largest_city = Igloolik
| population = 1,538
| population_as_of =
| density_km2 =
| ethnic_groups = Inuit
| footnotes =
}}
Igloolik Island is a small island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is located in the Foxe Basin, very close to the Melville Peninsula (and to a lesser degree, Baffin Island), and it is often thought to be a part of the peninsula. It forms part of the Arctic Archipelago.
The word Igloolik (Inuktitut: "there is an igloo here") comes from iglu (meaning: "house"/"building") and refers to the sod houses (qarmaq){{cite AV media |title=Joe Kremmidjuar Testimony |first=Peter |last=Irniq |date=February 2009 |publisher=Isuma |url=http://www.isuma.tv/hi/en/testimony-isuma/joe-kremmidjuar-testimony |access-date=2009-12-23 |archive-date=2012-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301205128/http://www.isuma.tv/hi/en/testimony-isuma/joe-kremmidjuar-testimony |url-status=dead }} that were originally in the area.{{Cite web |url=http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/sitefrancais/english/learningresources/facts/nunavut_communities/iglool.html |title=Igloolik, Nunavut |access-date=2009-03-28 |archive-date=2012-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113074636/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/sitefrancais/english/learningresources/facts/nunavut_communities/iglool.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.qia.ca/i18n/english/communities/igoolik.shtm |title=Igloolik |publisher=Qikiqtani Inuit Association |date=2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706082603/http://www.qia.ca/i18n/english/communities/igoolik.shtm |archive-date=2010-07-06}} Inuit and their ancestors have inhabited the island since 2000 BC. The archaeological sites on the island, which show a sequence up to 1000 AD, were designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1978.{{CRHP|16921|Igloolik Island Archaeological Sites National Historic Site of Canada|29 October 2013}}{{DFHD|329|Igloolik Island Archaeological Sites National Historic Site of Canada}}
There is only one community on the island, also named Igloolik.
Qikiqtaarjuk
On the north of Igloolik Island at {{coord|69|24|45|N|081|30|07|W|region:CA-NU_type:landmark_scale:50000_source:http://www4.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/OAUAW|name=Qikiqtaarjuk}} is a peninsula called Qikiqtaarjuk (Inuktitut syllabics: ᕿᑭᖅᑖᕐᔪᒃ,{{cite cgndb |id=OAUAW |name=Qikiqtaarjuk}} 'little island').{{cite book|last=Eber|first=Dorothy Harley|authorlink=Dorothy Harley Eber|title=Encounters on the Passage: Inuit Meet the Explorers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zG50985kCSUC&pg=PT45|year=2008|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-0-8020-9275-5}}{{cite journal |title=New Ways of Mapping: Using GPS Mapping Software to Plot Place Names and Trails in Igloolik (Nunavut) |first=Claudio |last=Aporta |journal=Arctic |volume=56 |issue=4 |pages=321–327 |date=December 2003 |doi=10.14430/arctic629 |url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic56-4-321.pdf}} About 400 – 500 years ago Qikiqtaarjuk was a separate island but due to isostatic rebound it became part of the main island. Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (traditional knowledge) says that prior to that there was an even smaller island called Puqtuniq from which the waters receded forming Qikiqtaarjuk.{{cite web |url=http://www.nac.nu.ca/OnlineBookSite/vol1/stories.html |title=Interviewing Inuit Elders |first=Alexina |last=Kublu |author-link=Alexina Kublu |date=1999 |publisher=Nunavut Arctic College |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208131800/http://nac.nu.ca/OnlineBookSite/vol1/stories.html |archive-date=2012-02-08}} Qikiqtaarjuk is associated with several Inuit legends and stories and was the place from where Atanarjuat starts his run.
Climate
Igloolik has a polar climate (ET) with nine months averaging below {{convert|0|C}}. Winters are long and cold, with October being the snowiest month. Summers range from chilly to sometimes mild, with cold nights.
{{Igloolik weatherbox}}
See also
- Arvia'juaq and Qikiqtaarjuk National Historic Site, near Arviat in Nunavut formerly, an island but Qikiqtaarjuk is now part of the mainland
- Qikiqtaarjuk
References
{{Islands of the Qikiqtaaluk Region}}
{{NHSC}}
Category:National Historic Sites in Nunavut