Gjoa Haven, Nunavut

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Gjoa Haven or (Inuktitut: Uqsuqtuuq, Syllabics: ᐅᖅᓱᖅᑑᖅ, meaning "lots of fat", referring to the abundance of blubbery sea mammals in the nearby waters) is a hamlet in Nunavut, above the Arctic Circle, located in the Kitikmeot Region at 68°38’N, 95°52’ W. It is 1,056 km NE of Yellowknife. It is the principle settlement on King William Island. The name Gjøa Haven is Norwegian for "Gjøa's Harbour", and was named by polar explorer Roald Amundsen after his ship Gjøa.

In 1903 Amundsen was attempting the first traverse of the Northwest Passage; by October the straights through which she was travelling began to ice up, and Amundsen put Gjøa into a natural harbour on the southeast coast of King William Island. She was to stay there, in what Amundsen called "the finest little harbor in the world", for nearly two years. He spent that time with the local Netsilik people, learning to live off the land and travel efficiently. He explored the Boothia Peninsula, searching for the exact location of the magnetic north pole.

The growth of a permanent settlement at Gjoa Haven mirrors the movement of the traditionally nomadic Inuit people toward a more settled lifestyle. In 1961 the town's population was 110; population was 960 according to the 2001 Census, having grown due to people moving from other settlements to be close to the healthcare and educational facilities available at Gjoa Haven. The community is served by the Gjoa Haven Airport and by annual supply sea-lift.

References

The Last Place on Earth, Huntford, Roland, ISBN 0-349-11395-5

External links

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