About us

OUR PEOPLE

The Inuit here are Netsilikmiut – people of the ringed seal, and have a long-established connection to the land and waters. People in Taloyoak have minimal job opportunities although we have great capabilities and skills. We are all hunters and fishers; we know the land and we know how to survive on the animals and resources provided by mother nature. We have always abided by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) for generations. IQ is our guide, our knowledge system that embeds our values, beliefs and life principles. It teaches us how to relate to people and to the land.

OUR LAND

Our relationship with the land is undeniable; one cannot live without the other. This interconnectedness, built upon generations of stewardship and respect, is something we cannot afford to lose. It is part of who we are; it is what makes us Inuit. From our land originated our language, our culture and our traditions.

OUR WILDLIFE

Animals rely on the land and we rely on the animals. Aqviqtuuq has been a source of food and water by our people since time immemorial. Large and small game, fish, and marine mammals are nutritious and essential to our physical, mental, and spiritual health. Our children, our Elders, everybody needs our country foods. Their virtues are irreplaceable. Aqviqtuuq is home to our wildlife:

• Aqviqtuuq is a calving ground for the Ahiak caribou herd; a migratory corridor for Peary caribou; year-round habitat for muskox; and a denning habitat for polar bear.
• Aqviqtuuq provides critical feeding and calving habitats for marine species, including narwhal, beluga and bowhead whales.
• Aqviqtuuq’s lakes, rivers and coastal habitats are full of healthy, bountiful sea-run Arctic char and other fish species.
• Aqviqtuuq is a breeding habitat for migratory birds during the summer including, several species at-risk.