Kangiqsujuaq

Not to be confused with Kangiqsualujjuaq or Kangerlussuaq.
For the Inuit reserved land of the same name, see Kangiqsujuaq (Inuit reserved land).
This article contains Canadian Aboriginal syllabic characters. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of syllabics.
Kangiqsujuaq
ᑲᖏᕐᓱᔪᐊᖅ
Northern village municipality
Kangiqsujuaq is located in Quebec
Kangiqsujuaq
Kangiqsujuaq
Coordinates (901, chemin Sinaitia[1]): 61°36′N 71°58′W / 61.600°N 71.967°W / 61.600; -71.967[2]
Country Canada
Province Quebec
RegionNord-du-Québec
TEKativik
ConstitutedSeptember 20, 1980
Government
[1]
 • MayorCharlie Arngak
 • Federal ridingAbitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou
 • Prov. ridingUngava
Area
[1][3]
 • Total12.60 km2 (4.86 sq mi)
 • Land12.31 km2 (4.75 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[4]
 • Total837
 • Density67.5/km2 (175/sq mi)
 • Pop 2006-2011
Increase11.6%
 • Dwellings
321
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
J0M 1K0
Area code819
HighwaysNo major highways
Websitewww.nvkangiqsujuaq.ca

Kangiqsujuaq (Inuktitut: ᑲᖏᕐᓱᔪᐊᖅ) is a northern village (Inuit community) in Nunavik, Nord-du-Québec, Quebec, Canada. It had a population of 837 in the Canada 2021 Census. The community has also been known as Wakeham Bay. The name "Kangiqsujuaq" means "the large bay" in Inuktitut.[5]

It is located on the Ungava Peninsula, on the Cap du Prince-de-Galles on the Hudson Strait. It is served by the small Kangiqsujuaq Airport.

During winter, when the tides are extremely low, local Inuit sometimes climb beneath the shifting sea ice to gather blue mussels. They break holes in the ice and then can walk for a short time on the exposed sea bed and collect this food. This risky way of gathering the mussels goes back for generations.[6]

As the other villages of the Kativik region, the Kativik Regional Police Force provides police services in Kangiqsujuaq.[7]

Kangiqsujuaq is the closest community to the Qajartalik archaeological site, a site featuring petroglyphs created by the Dorset culture.[8] In 2017, it was announced that the Qajartalik would be added to Canada's tentative list for nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.[9]

Revillon Frères post servants at Kangiqsujuaq in 1909.
Revillon Frères post servants at Kangiqsujuaq in 1909.
  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference mamrot was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference toponymie was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference cp2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Census Profile, 2021 Census - Kangiqsujuaq, Village nordique [Census subdivision], Quebec and Nord-du-Québec, Census division [Census division], Quebec". 9 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Kangiqsujuaq - Community in Nunavik, Northern Arctic Quebec". www.nunavik-tourism.com. Archived from the original on 2017-07-06. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  6. ^ "Inuit's risky mussel harvest under sea ice". BBC News. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  7. ^ KRPF. "General Information". Home. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  8. ^ "Protection and development of the Qajartalik petroglyph site (JhEv-1)". Avataq Cultural Institute. Avataq Cultural Institute. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  9. ^ "Canada puts forward 8 UNESCO recommendations". CBC News. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.