Kugaaruk

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title: "Kugaaruk" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["hamlets-in-the-kitikmeot-region", "populated-places-in-arctic-canada", "road-inaccessible-communities-of-nunavut"] topic_path: "geography/canada" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kugaaruk" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
official_nameKugaaruk
native_name
settlement_typeHamlet
image_skylineView of Kugaaruk.jpg
image_captionOverlooking the community
pushpin_mapCanada Nunavut#Canada
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameCanada
subdivision_type1Territory
subdivision_type2Region
subdivision_type3Electoral district
subdivision_name1Nunavut
subdivision_name2Kitikmeot
subdivision_name3Netsilik
established_titleCatholic mission
established_date1937
government_footnotes
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameTeddy Apsaktaun
leader_title1MLA
leader_name1Cecile Nelvana Lyall
area_footnotes(2021)
area_total_km25.06
elevation_footnotes
elevation_m17
population_total1,033
population_as_of2021
population_footnotes
population_density_km2204.2
postal_code_typeCanadian Postal code
postal_codeX0B 1K0
area_code867
timezoneMST
utc_offset−07:00
timezone_DSTMDT
utc_offset_DST−06:00
::

|official_name = Kugaaruk |native_name = |settlement_type = Hamlet |image_skyline = View of Kugaaruk.jpg |image_caption = Overlooking the community |pushpin_map = Canada Nunavut#Canada |coordinates = |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = Canada |subdivision_type1 = Territory |subdivision_type2 = Region |subdivision_type3 = Electoral district |subdivision_name1 = Nunavut |subdivision_name2 = Kitikmeot |subdivision_name3 = Netsilik |established_title = Catholic mission |established_date = 1937 |government_footnotes = |leader_title = Mayor |leader_name = Teddy Apsaktaun |leader_title1 = MLA |leader_name1 = Cecile Nelvana Lyall |area_footnotes = (2021) |area_total_km2 = 5.06 |elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = 17 |population_total = 1,033 |population_as_of = 2021 |population_footnotes = |population_density_km2 = 204.2 |postal_code_type = Canadian Postal code |postal_code = X0B 1K0 |area_code = 867 |website = |footnotes = |timezone = MST |utc_offset = −07:00 |timezone_DST = MDT |utc_offset_DST = −06:00

Kugaaruk (Inuktitut syllabics: ᑰᒑᕐᔪᒃ Kuugaarjuk or ᑰᒑᕐᕈᒃ Kuugaarruk; English: "little stream") (also called Arviligjuaqy, meaning "the great bowhead whale habitat" is located on the shore of Pelly Bay, just off the Gulf of Boothia, Simpson Peninsula, Kitikmeot, in Canada's Nunavut territory. Access is by air at the Kugaaruk Airport, by annual supply sealift, and by sea ice. Kugaaruk means "little stream", the traditional name of the brook that flows through the hamlet.

Near the hamlet is CAM-4, a North Warning System site that was once part of the Distant Early Warning Line.

Demographics

| title = Federal census population history of Kugaaruk | type = Canada | align = left | width = | state = | shading = | percentages = |1971|210 |1976|246 |1981|257 |1986|297 |1991|409 |1996|496 |2001|605 |2006|688 |2011|771 |2016|933 |2021|1033 | footnote = | source = Statistics Canada

In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Kugaaruk had a population of 1,033 living in 214 of its 225 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 933. With a land area of 5.06 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Culture

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Kugaaruk_stone_church_01.jpg" caption="Stone church in Kugaaruk"] ::

The historical inhabitants were Arviligjuarmiut. Kugaaruk is a traditional Central Inuit community. Until 1968, the people followed a nomadic lifestyle. The population is approximately 97% Inuit and most people self-identify as Netsilik. The residents blend a land based lifestyle with modern technology and interests. Most families supplement their diet with ringed seal, caribou, and Arctic char. Other wildlife includes narwhal, beluga, bowhead whale, polar bears, wolverine and peregrine falcons. Despite the isolation of the community, the traditional language, Inuktitut, is declining. Most people 30 and over speak Inuktitut as their first language, but the language is not being passed on to their children. In most households, a mixture of English and Inuktitut is spoken. Children understand their parents and grandparents, but respond to them in English. One goal of the Nunavut educational system is to encourage and spread the use of Inuktitut.

There are a few Inuit artists in Kugaaruk, including the world-renowned Emily Illuitok, (1943-2012), who worked mostly in walrus ivory and bone; and Nick Sikkuark, whose works are mainly in whale bone, caribou antler, and walrus ivory, and are characterized by "droll, macabre wit".

Most women sew traditional parkas, amautiit (baby carrying parkas), and kamik (seal or caribou skin boots).

Kugaardjuq School

Kugaardjuq School includes kindergarten to grade 12. It is very modern and includes a large south facing library, computer lab, gymnasium and science lab. Currently there are two language specialists who teach Natsilingmiutut, while the rest of the staff are southern teachers. In 2010 many of the Nunavut Teacher Education Program (NTEP) graduates, who are locals, were to become teachers in levels from kindergarten to grade 7. As the only outsiders in the community are government workers, the student population is almost entirely Inuit.

All high schools in Nunavut use the Alberta educational curriculum. However, one challenge faced by educators in this community is that most students read at about 3 or 4 grade levels lower than their Albertan counterparts (as of 2007). As with most schools in Nunavut, the school is under the partial authority of the locally elected District Education Authority (DEA), who design policy as well as make decisions regarding discipline, spending, and cultural activities.

Kugaaruk was involved in the Mississauga YMCA exchange in 2007. Fifteen children from Kugaaruk made their way to Mississauga with three teachers for seven days. Then 15 people from Mississauga travelled to Kugaaruk for 11 days to experience the land and culture. Sites visited in Ontario included the CN Tower, the Hockey Hall of Fame, Queen's Park, Square One Shopping Centre, MuchMusic, Niagara Falls, Great Wolf Lodge, and the two exchange schools: Clarkson Secondary, and Hillside Senior Public School.

On 28 February 2017, the school caught on fire, described as "suspicious". Most of the school burned down, the gym, reception area and high school portion were all completely destroyed, and the elementary portion was damaged. The replacement cost was provisionally estimated between $25 and $30 million.

Broadband communications

The community has been served by the Qiniq network since 2005. This is a fixed wireless service to homes and businesses, connecting to the outside world via a satellite backbone. The Qiniq network is designed and operated by SSi Canada. In 2017, the network was upgraded to 4G LTE technology, and 2G-GSM for mobile voice.

Climate

Kugaaruk is the location of the lowest wind chill ever recorded in Canada, of −79.

On 16 February 2018, the Human Weather Observation System (HWOS), a type of semi-automated weather observing system, reported an unreviewed new minimum temperature for the month of February at -51.9 C at 06:00 MST. It beat the previous record of -51.5 C that was set 28 January 1989.

Kugaaruk has a tundra climate (Köppen: ETf) with short but cool summers and long cold winters.

History

First contact between Europeans and the local Inuit occurred in 1829.

During colonization, Kugaaruk was named Pelly Bay after the bay on which it sits. Pelly Bay is named after Sir John Pelly, governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, company operating the British North American territory of Rupert's Land in which it was located when it was so named.

In 1854, Scottish explorer John Rae interviewed Inuit at Pelly Bay, to document some details of a camp of the lost expedition of John Franklin that they had discovered.

In 1935 Father Pierre Henry established a Roman Catholic mission at Pelly Bay. The mission changed status to being a permanent mission in 1937, with the arrival of Father Franz van de Velde. A stone church was built in 1941.

In 1955, the Pelly Bay DEW Line Station was built near the hamlet, making the traditional campsite of nomadic Inuit into a permanent settlement.

In 1968, the local airport was built, and the Canadian government imported prefab housing to build out the town site.

In 1972 the hamlet was incorporated as "Pelly Bay".

In 1999 the hamlet's official name was changed to Kugaaruk.

Economy and services

References

Sources

References

  1. {{Cite cgndb. OAUPF. Kugaaruk
  2. "Municipal Election Results 2019-2020". [[Elections Nunavut]].
  3. "2021 General Election". [[Elections Nunavut]].
  4. Elevation at airport. {{CFS
  5. John Ningark MLA for Kugaaruk, [http://www.assembly.nu.ca/node/181 syllabics] {{Webarchive. link. (15 January 2013 , [http://www.assembly.nu.ca/john-ningark English] {{webarchive). link. (25 May 2012)
  6. "Kugaaruk at Nunavut Tourism".
  7. ""Kugaaruk" in ''The Canadian Encyclopedia''".
  8. (June 1977). "1976 Census of Canada: Population - Geographic Distributions". Statistics Canada.
  9. (May 1992). "1981 Census of Canada: Census subdivisions in decreasing population order". Statistics Canada.
  10. (September 1987). "1986 Census: Population - Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions". Statistics Canada.
  11. (April 1992). "91 Census: Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions - Population and Dwelling Counts". Statistics Canada.
  12. (April 1997). "96 Census: A National Overview - Population and Dwelling Counts". Statistics Canada.
  13. (15 August 2012). "Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Subdivisions (Municipalities), 2001 and 1996 Censuses - 100% Data (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada.
  14. (20 August 2021). "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada.
  15. (25 July 2021). "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada.
  16. (8 February 2017). "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Nunavut)". Statistics Canada.
  17. (9 February 2022). "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Nunavut". [[Statistics Canada]].
  18. Bennett, 2004, chapter 26, pg. 360
  19. "Welcome to Kugaaruk".
  20. Nunavut News North: 22 January 2007
  21. Hessel, Ingo. (2002). "Inuit Art: an Introduction". Douglas and McIntyre.
  22. [http://kitikmeot.edu.nu.ca/pdf/kugaaruk.pdf Kugaardjuq School] {{Webarchive. link. (7 January 2009 at the Kitikmeot Schools Operations)
  23. [http://www.polarnet.ca/~pellybay/ Kugaardjuq School] (outdated)
  24. "Fire in Kugaaruk, Nunavut hamlet's only school, leaves massive damage". CBC News.
  25. "Hourly Data Report for January 13, 1975".
  26. [http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/hourly_data_e.html?hlyRange=2015-02-12%7C2018-02-18&dlyRange=%7C&mlyRange=%7C&StationID=53518&Prov=NU&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2018&selRowPerPage=25&Line=1&searchMethod=contains&Month=2&Day=16&txtStationName=Kugaaruk&timeframe=1&Year=2018 Hourly Data Report for February 16, 2018]
  27. (28 June 2019). "Kugaaruk".
  28. Leann Shapton. (18 March 2016). "Artifacts of a Doomed Expedition". New York Times.
  29. Lorraine E. Brandson. (December 2002). "Franz Van De Velde, O.M.I. (1909–2002)". Arctic.
  30. "Member Co-ops Koomiut".

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hamlets-in-the-kitikmeot-regionpopulated-places-in-arctic-canadaroad-inaccessible-communities-of-nunavut