A Regional Overview of the Pond Inlet Area - Research Paper Example

 A Regional Overview of the Pond Inlet Area Abstract Pond Inlet is a small hamlet – with a history dating back some 4,000 years - on the northern extremity of Baffin Island. The region is backed by high mountains and faces Bylot Island across Eclipse Sound. There is an abundance of aquatic life including a variety of seals and whales, which provided clothing, means of shelter and trading. Whaling began in the 1800s and a whaling post was set up in 1903. On land again a great variety of fur-bearing animals exist including fox, hares, caribou, wolves and lemmings. The fox is of particular significance to the Hudson Bay Company, which established a trading post in the 1920s. As a result prosperity began to increase, the outlying Inuit tribes came to the hamlet where, housing, schools and stores were built in the 1960. After the formation of the territory of Nunavit in 1999 the population steadily increased, work became more freely available and the territorial government deployed a number of departments to Pond Inlet. Major investment began in the decade leading up to 2010 Pond Inlet 3 A Regional Overview of the Pond Inlet Area The settlement overlook the mountains and glaciers of Sirmilik National Park and acts as the gateway to Eclipse Sound. The beauty of the area has earned Pond Inlet the reputation as one of Canada’s “Jewels of the North”(Qikiqtani Inuit Association, 2007). The island gained its name in 1818 given by the explorer John Ross in recognition of the English astronomer John Pond(Greenwich England, 2000; Sawtell). It is now appropriate to consider the different facets of this fascinating and bewildering land. Physical and Biological Systems Although situated about 73o north, Pond Inlet is not under snow throughout the year, and during the summer months - with an average temperature of about 5o C - a variety of arctic vegetation is to be seen. The winters are cold - with mean temperatures some 30-40o C below zero - and with high winds increasing the chill factor (Qikiqtani Inuit Association, 2007). There is a wide abundance of wildlife in the region; land based species include “caribou, arctic hares, wolves, arctic fox and lemmings” (Qikiqtani Inuit Association, 2007; Miller). Birds are in abundance and include: “geese, gyrfalcons, ptarmigans, ravens and gulls (Pond Inlet), “fulmars, kittiwakes, murres, red-throated loons, sandpipers, jaegers and snow buntings” Qikiqtani Inuit Association, 2007; Miller). Arctic char are also keenly sought after by fishermen. “Marine mammals include ringed, harp, and bearded seals, belugas, narwhals…bowhead and killer whales [the former being much sought after by whalers since 1817; the first trading station for whaling was established in 1903 (Sawtell; Miller)]. The Early History and Archaeology of Pond Inlet Pond Inlet “is situated on a loamy sand terrace surrounded by tundra and sheltered by Pond Inlet 4 high mountains” (Sawtell). Along the coastal strip there is a large number of archaeological sites which have been identified as Thule [the ancestors of the Inuit who came to the eastern parts of the Arctic some 1,000 years ago (Qikiqtani Inuit Association, 2007)] and Dorset, with the indication that the region was occupied by the these tribes for some 4,000 years (Sawtell). In 1984, the discovery at a “Dorset site outside of Pond Inlet” (Pond Inlet) of a length of yarn which contained hair from the same species of hare and goat found in Greenland indicated that the Vikings could have been the first Europeans to land in the north of Baffin Island in about 1,250 AD.. Apart from occasional visits by explorers trading did not really begin until “the first whaling station was established in 1903. In 1912, the Arctic Gold Exploration Syndicate and two other groups arrived in the Pond Inlet area, following rumors of gold” which proved unfounded (Pond Inlet ). However, these entrepreneurs were the first to establish Pond Inlet as an official trading post until the arrival of the Hudson Bay Company in 1921. Also, “during the 1920s…the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and various missionaries established posts within the community” (Sawtell). Involvement with the Fur Trade The inhabitants of the Pond Inlet region have hunted fur-bearing mammals since before records began, and the skins were used for clothing, and sealskins in particular were used for tent coverings in the summer. In winter they lived in “igloos and sod huts roofed with sealskin and moss” (Qikiqtani Inuit Association, 2007). By the 1920s matters became more formal and the Hudson Bay Company set up a trading post in Pond Inlet. Although the skins of seals provided a utilitarian function – as did the skins of foxes for clothing and footwear – these were what the Hudson Bay Company really wanted. In exchange the Company offered essential goods - such as “ammunition, sewing material, soap &c.” which were not available Pond Inlet 5 “on the land” (Ecological Monitoring). After Inuit families began to settle towards the end of the 1960s fur trading remained an important contribution to the region’s economy until the eventual “collapse of the fur trade market in the 1980s” (Ecological Monitoring). Although various types of fox have been found on Bylot Island for many decades it was comparatively recently [1943-1950s] that they crossed the frozen waters of Eclipse Sound to Pond Inlet in search of better food and shelter (Ecological Monitoring). Recent Development of the Pond Inlet Region Until the 1960s the majority of Inuit people tended to live “out on the land” and only came to the hamlet in order to buy supplies and sell furs. This way of life began to change in the later 1960s since the establishment of schools and the opening of government funded hostels for children to live in while at school at first led to the separation of families and later the gradual influx of parents into the settlement (Hamlet of Pond Inlet). In the decade after the people of Pond Inlet assumed control of the hamlet’s affairs in 1975 it became possible to gather statistics on such matters as birth rate, population and employment, and an economic survey of the community was published by Myers & Forrest (2000) covering the years 1987-1997. Communication with the Region and the Emergence of an Infrastructure The extreme isolation of Pond Inlet has contributed to the slowness of development – as seen from the outside – of the region; until 1969 the only way in which the hamlet could be contacted was by radio, although this was by no means reliable due to the strong solar storms (Hamlet of Pond Inlet), now satellite and cable communication systems provide radio, telephone and TV channels and a commercial air service was established in the late 1960s and there are currently plans to lengthen the runway (Hamlet of Pond Inlet; Sawtell). Pond Inlet 6 In April 1999 a new territory was established called Nunavut, and within this area Pond Inlet became a regional center in which a number of Nunavut government departments and agencies were located (Sawtell). Those government departments which have been specifically enlarged or relocated to Pond Inlet include the Department of Justice, Sustainable Development, Public works and a sub-department of Community care and Works (Qikiqtani Inuit Association, 2007). Economic Development In the first decade of the 21st century though there are still only two stores – the Toonoonik Coop and the Northern Store, there are no banks although banking transactions can be carried out by a variety of means – internet, mail, telephone ATMs in the stores and the internet. There are still only two schools Ulaajuk [elementary school] and Nasivik [junior and high school] (Pond Inlet). The population has begun to climb rapidly, with an increasing proportion of young people which is causing problems in housing, schools and, in some areas, employment. Table (1), Figs (1), (2) & (3), (Statistics Canada; LFS, 2010). Table (1) Pond Inlet population _________________ Year Population _________________ 2036* 2017 2011* 1465 2006 1315 2001 1300 1996 1154 1991 974 1986 796 1981 705 Fig. (1) Population breakdown *projected population levels Other relevant statistics concerning Pond Inlet include: “language spoken [100 English; 10 French and 1205other]; labor force [390 employed; 110 unemployed]; occupation [130 are in sales and services; 95 are in social sciences, education, government service and religion; Pond Inlet 7 85 are in business, finance and administration; 85 are in trade, transport and equipment operation; 15 are in art, culture and sports; 10 in natural and applied sciences and; 15 are in unique occupations]” (Statistics Canada, 2010). On the wider front, across Nunavut it was reported that across Nunavut employment rose by 36,000 in the summer (Fig. (2), but that the unemployment level had also risen slightly as greater numbers became available for work (Fig. (3)) in the same catchment area [Nunavut] (LFS, 2010). Fig. (2) Employment levels Fig. (3) Unemployment numbers Whilst the creation of Nunavut could be expected to create opportunities for greater investment in Pond Inlet and, as has since proved to be the case which will be described later, there has been at one example of a missed opportunity due to mismanagement and inexperience (Nunatsiaq News, 2000). The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, well known for its charitable donations throughout the world, and Canada included, seeks to provide funds to enable communities to have access to the internet. By the year 1998 Nunavut was the only territory and province which had not yet received a grant. Two years later, despite contacts with the Foundation’s officials no application for funds had been received! (Nunatsiaq News, 2000). However, later on things began to look up; in 2009 it was announced (Agglukkaq, 2009) that the Federal and Local Governments had provided a grant of $4.564 million towards the Pond Inlet 8 “construction of a new sports arena in Pond Inlet. This initiative will support important economic and social growth in the region” (Agglukkaq, 2009). Not only would this initiative provide vital recreational facilities for the area, but would provide employment and encourage tourism to an area already attracting visitors. References Aglukkaq, L. (2009) Canada-Nunavut invest in new sports arena in Pond Inlet: http://www.leonaaglukkaq.ca/EN/8931/101593 Accessed 10/07/2010 Ecological Monitoring. Ecological Studies and Environmental Monitoring at Bylot Island, Sirmilik National Park: http://www.cen.ulaval.ca/bylot/inuitknowledge-foxes.htm Accessed 10/04/2010 Greenwich England. (2000). John Pond (1767-1836): Sixth Astronomer Royal (1811- 35): http://wwp.greenwich2000.com/info/heritage/people/astronomers/pond.htm Accessed 10/04/2010 Hamlet of Pond Inlet. Brief history about how it came to be: http://www.pondinlet.ca/i18/english/history.html Accessed 10/10/2010 [LFS] Labour Force Survey (2010): http://www.statcan.gc.ca/subjects-sujets/labour-travail/lfs-eap/lfs-epa-eng.htm Accessed 10/07/2010 Miller, R. S. A Survey of the Mammals of Bylot Island, Northwest Territories. Experiment Station, Colorado Agricultural and Mechanical College. Pp. 167-176 Myers, H. & Forrest, S. (2000) Economic Development in Pond Inlet, 1987 to 1997. Arctic. Vol. 53 (2). Pp. 134-148 Nunatsiaq News. (2000). More GN Ineptitude. Nortext Publishing Corporation (Iqalit): http://www.nunatsiaqnews.com/archives/nunavut000630/editorial.html Accessed Pond Inlet 9 0/07/2010 Pond Inlet. Nunavut: http://mailhub.edu.nu.ca/qikiqtani/orientation/PondInlet.html Accessed 10/03/2010 Pond Inlet. Pond Inlet, Nunavit in Encyclopedia: http://www.tutorgig.com/ed/Pond_Inlet%2C_Nunavut Accessed 10/07/2010 Qikiqtani Inuit Association (2007). Pond Inlet: http://www.qia.ca/i18n/english/communities/pond.shtm Accessed 10/03/2010 Sawtell, S. Pond Inlet. In Nuttall, M. (Ed). Encyclopedia of the Arctic. Vol. 3 O-Z. p. 1682 Statistics Canada. (2010). Community Population Projection: http://www.nunavuteconomicforum.ca/public/files/library/STASTI/Nunavut%20Population% 20Project... Accessed 10/10/2010 Read More