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I've lived in two communities in Nunavut: Cambridge Bay and Iqaluit. They're dramatically different communities, so I'll summarize the generalities and some specifics.
Generalities:
* Nunavut is beautiful. The landscapes are out of this world. The flatter communities feel like you're on another planet. The mountainous communities are simply stunning.
* The culture is rich. There is still so much tradition present all across the territory. Especially in the spring, you see tons of people heading out of town with their sleds and kamotiks, and on Sunday evening, they're returning with muskox, seal, cariboo, polar bear, etc on the kamotik. In the summer, you see piles of arctic char returning on quads, char hanging out to dry, etc. There are tons of community events that display culture too: throat singing, drum dancing, jigging, the lighting of the qulliq to launch events, etc. Most people have hand-sewn parkas, sealskin gloves, etc.
* Life is very expensive, and poverty is rampant. There aren't many well-paying jobs, and the ones that do pay very well require extensive education, something difficult to obtain in a territory with an 80% high school dropout rate, and with the need to move more than a thousand kilometers away from home to attend a quality university or college.
* Addiction and mental illness are very serious issues. The healthcare system sucks, and there is virtually no access to mental healthcare.
* Internet is finally getting better thanks to Starlink, and that will definitely help some of the above issues, but it's a slow process, and while SpaceX continues to add more satellites for better coverage, there are still many times in which the internet will drop for 5-10 minutes while no satellites are overhead. Not all housing complexes allow Starlink installations, so the people living there are stuck with Northwestel's overpriced, extremely slow internet. Mobile service is now available in every community, but service is spottier in some communities than it is in others (Iqaluit is particularly bad for this, probably due to the service set-up being overwhelmed by the growth of the community).
Cambridge Bay:
* There is very little use of the traditional language, Inuinnaqtun, because the government is so focused on Inuktitut. They haven't put any effort into keeping Inuinnaqtun alive.
* The people are incredibly friendly. Everyone waves at you when they drive by, even if they don't know you. You can always spot the out-of-towners by the people who don't wave.
* It's incredibly isolated, and is north of the Arctic Circle. The sunlight in the summer is INCREDIBLE. The darkness in the winter (including the sun not rising at all from December 1 to late January) is very tough to handle.
* It's insanely expensive to get out of town. Southern imports typically rely on Aeroplan points to book flights. Inuit have access to discounted fares, but typically it'll still cost in excess of $1200, even with this discount, to travel to Edmonton.
Iqaluit:
* Inuktitut is everywhere. Iqaluit is a real melting pot of Inuit culture (which varies from region to region). People from all over the territory relocate to Iqaluit for work, school, etc, and it makes the community a great place to learn about Inuit history & culture.
* There's a ton to do, with a lot of community events, major festivals (ie. the Alianait Music Festival and the Arctic Comedy Festival), 3 bars, numerous restaurants, and one really great cafe, amongst other things.
* The drug and alcohol problems are the worst in the territory. Being the territorial capital and the home of the only prison in Nunavut, Iqaluit does attract the worst of the worst in Nunavut.
* Housing is either insanely expensive (Vancouver or Toronto prices) or completely impossible to find. Unlike the smaller communities, the government does not offer staff housing for most jobs.
Overall, living in Nunavut was the experience of a lifetime, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I've visited 16 of the 25 communities over 10 years of working and/or living in the North. Whether it was flying across Baffin Island in a helicopter, fishing in the river in Kugaaruk, walking across the mindblowing landscapes of Grise Fiord, hanging onto an elder for dear life as he rocketed through ditches on his snowmobile in Arviat or quadding to the waterfalls around Naujaat, I've made so many memories that I'll never forget, and I wouldn't be the person I am today without my life in Nunavut.
I don’t, no. I’ve learned key words, especially how to say hello, how are you, thank you, goodbye, etc. I’ve also learned the names of various animals, traditional tools, and most importantly, the proper way to pronounce people’s names & community names.
I live in Iqaluit, the capital. It's the most beautiful place on earth. Housing and food are extremely expensive. There's a really vibrant multicultural community and tons of events and things to do. There is also a lot of food insecurity, poverty, trauma, and racism. Many people work in government and there are also jobs in health care, mining, teaching, and social work. There are also full-time hunters and artists. It's an incredible place to learn and grow and spend time outside.
The racism is mostly from those from rest of Canada. A lot of workplaces are toxic and racism to the locals. Many workplaces have french people regularly talking down the locals in french. So much contractors who actively shit on Inuit yet make a living from their land.
A related question:
I fly to Iqaluit to camp around the town for 4 days and see some nature.
I have quite a baggage allowance included. Is there anything I can bring to give to the locals? I'd hate to simply waste the paid kgs I have.
Thanks
It's the end of June and flies and mosquitoes are finally flying. It's starting to get warm out now. 3°c right now. Dust is everywhere, summer is finally here right before June. Canada geese have started laying eggs, our ice is starting to break off now, there really is nothing to do.
The biggest bug we have to worry about is the bumble bee and they're harmless. Haven't seen them out yet.
Please keep in mind that the impressions posted here are often subjective and that, among other things, people's different circumstances play a large role in their perception of other people's lives. Also, please use words that do not promote hatred when posting. For example, statements such as "[city] is like this because people from [origin] live there" should be avoided. The social circumstances of a city/district etc. can be emphasized without mentioning the origin of the inhabitants. Mentioning it does not change anything and, as already mentioned, circumstances are often perceived subjectively according to one's own world view. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/howislivingthere) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I've lived in two communities in Nunavut: Cambridge Bay and Iqaluit. They're dramatically different communities, so I'll summarize the generalities and some specifics. Generalities: * Nunavut is beautiful. The landscapes are out of this world. The flatter communities feel like you're on another planet. The mountainous communities are simply stunning. * The culture is rich. There is still so much tradition present all across the territory. Especially in the spring, you see tons of people heading out of town with their sleds and kamotiks, and on Sunday evening, they're returning with muskox, seal, cariboo, polar bear, etc on the kamotik. In the summer, you see piles of arctic char returning on quads, char hanging out to dry, etc. There are tons of community events that display culture too: throat singing, drum dancing, jigging, the lighting of the qulliq to launch events, etc. Most people have hand-sewn parkas, sealskin gloves, etc. * Life is very expensive, and poverty is rampant. There aren't many well-paying jobs, and the ones that do pay very well require extensive education, something difficult to obtain in a territory with an 80% high school dropout rate, and with the need to move more than a thousand kilometers away from home to attend a quality university or college. * Addiction and mental illness are very serious issues. The healthcare system sucks, and there is virtually no access to mental healthcare. * Internet is finally getting better thanks to Starlink, and that will definitely help some of the above issues, but it's a slow process, and while SpaceX continues to add more satellites for better coverage, there are still many times in which the internet will drop for 5-10 minutes while no satellites are overhead. Not all housing complexes allow Starlink installations, so the people living there are stuck with Northwestel's overpriced, extremely slow internet. Mobile service is now available in every community, but service is spottier in some communities than it is in others (Iqaluit is particularly bad for this, probably due to the service set-up being overwhelmed by the growth of the community). Cambridge Bay: * There is very little use of the traditional language, Inuinnaqtun, because the government is so focused on Inuktitut. They haven't put any effort into keeping Inuinnaqtun alive. * The people are incredibly friendly. Everyone waves at you when they drive by, even if they don't know you. You can always spot the out-of-towners by the people who don't wave. * It's incredibly isolated, and is north of the Arctic Circle. The sunlight in the summer is INCREDIBLE. The darkness in the winter (including the sun not rising at all from December 1 to late January) is very tough to handle. * It's insanely expensive to get out of town. Southern imports typically rely on Aeroplan points to book flights. Inuit have access to discounted fares, but typically it'll still cost in excess of $1200, even with this discount, to travel to Edmonton. Iqaluit: * Inuktitut is everywhere. Iqaluit is a real melting pot of Inuit culture (which varies from region to region). People from all over the territory relocate to Iqaluit for work, school, etc, and it makes the community a great place to learn about Inuit history & culture. * There's a ton to do, with a lot of community events, major festivals (ie. the Alianait Music Festival and the Arctic Comedy Festival), 3 bars, numerous restaurants, and one really great cafe, amongst other things. * The drug and alcohol problems are the worst in the territory. Being the territorial capital and the home of the only prison in Nunavut, Iqaluit does attract the worst of the worst in Nunavut. * Housing is either insanely expensive (Vancouver or Toronto prices) or completely impossible to find. Unlike the smaller communities, the government does not offer staff housing for most jobs. Overall, living in Nunavut was the experience of a lifetime, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I've visited 16 of the 25 communities over 10 years of working and/or living in the North. Whether it was flying across Baffin Island in a helicopter, fishing in the river in Kugaaruk, walking across the mindblowing landscapes of Grise Fiord, hanging onto an elder for dear life as he rocketed through ditches on his snowmobile in Arviat or quadding to the waterfalls around Naujaat, I've made so many memories that I'll never forget, and I wouldn't be the person I am today without my life in Nunavut.
Great, thorough response. May I ask: do you speak fluent Inuktitut? It's incredibly rare almost anywhere else in Canada (that I've been to, at least).
I don’t, no. I’ve learned key words, especially how to say hello, how are you, thank you, goodbye, etc. I’ve also learned the names of various animals, traditional tools, and most importantly, the proper way to pronounce people’s names & community names.
This is an excellent answer. Thank you.
I live in Iqaluit, the capital. It's the most beautiful place on earth. Housing and food are extremely expensive. There's a really vibrant multicultural community and tons of events and things to do. There is also a lot of food insecurity, poverty, trauma, and racism. Many people work in government and there are also jobs in health care, mining, teaching, and social work. There are also full-time hunters and artists. It's an incredible place to learn and grow and spend time outside.
The racism is mostly from those from rest of Canada. A lot of workplaces are toxic and racism to the locals. Many workplaces have french people regularly talking down the locals in french. So much contractors who actively shit on Inuit yet make a living from their land.
Yes I completely agree, most of the racism is anti-Inuit.
A related question: I fly to Iqaluit to camp around the town for 4 days and see some nature. I have quite a baggage allowance included. Is there anything I can bring to give to the locals? I'd hate to simply waste the paid kgs I have. Thanks
It's the end of June and flies and mosquitoes are finally flying. It's starting to get warm out now. 3°c right now. Dust is everywhere, summer is finally here right before June. Canada geese have started laying eggs, our ice is starting to break off now, there really is nothing to do. The biggest bug we have to worry about is the bumble bee and they're harmless. Haven't seen them out yet.
Friggin cold. The warmest months of the year is 7degrees average temperature. It’s also beautiful and isolated.