| In 2004, I completed two Inuit art buying trips to | | | | the creation of the Nunavut territory, Iqaluit is |
| Iqaluit (formerly Frobisher Bay), the capital of | | | | growing as more Inuit from other Arctic communities |
| Nunavut, Canada's newest territory. For both trips, I | | | | are migrating to the city.One thing that was very |
| flew out of Ottawa on Canadian North airlines. The | | | | noticeable in Iqaluit was the large numbers of children |
| other airline that services Nunavut is First Air. Only | | | | everywhere. Nunavut has a very young population |
| the last half of the jets was allocated for passengers | | | | with 56% under the age of 25. I saw many Inuit |
| as the entire first half was for cargo. Being so | | | | mothers wearing traditional Inuit parkas with large |
| remote, Canadian Arctic Inuit communities pretty well | | | | hoods in the back where their babies are carried. The |
| have to have everything shipped up there by plane | | | | Inuit youth is one of the Canadian Arctic's untapped |
| or by boat during the summers since there are no | | | | resources and its future. They have access to |
| roads connecting to the rest of Canada or even | | | | satellite television and dress just like their |
| between each Nunavut community. The Arctic | | | | counterparts in the south. However, at present only |
| landscape from the air was desolate, hilly and barren. | | | | about 25% of high school students graduate so a big |
| As the plane got closer to Iqaluit, the airport's small | | | | challenge for the Nunavut government is to |
| terminal building stood out with its bright yellow | | | | encourage the Inuit kids to stay in school. During my |
| color.The airport itself is within walking distance to | | | | second trip, there was darkness for only a few hours |
| the rest of the town. There are taxis that charge a | | | | each day so it was very strange to be walking |
| flat rate of $5 per trip anywhere in Iqaluit. | | | | around town at 10 pm in the evening with daylight |
| Interestingly enough, these taxis also pick up and | | | | still present. Even at this hour, there were still quite a |
| drop off other passengers along the way so shared | | | | few young Inuit children playing outside.The locals, |
| rides with others are common here. There are | | | | Inuit and non-Inuit alike were very friendly. I got the |
| several hotels in Iqaluit and rooms are generally clean, | | | | impression of a tight community perhaps because of |
| comfortable but quite basic. Accommodations and | | | | the isolation of the Canadian Arctic. However, the |
| dining up north in Nunavut are both expensive. All | | | | local Inuit were also very open to visitors and willing |
| food items with the exception of local Inuit fare | | | | to share a bit of their lives. During the daytime, I |
| must be flown up from the Canadian south. A carton | | | | went up to a few Inuit art carvers who were |
| of milk will cost about $10 in Iqaluit. Most Inuit locals | | | | working outside their houses. Each turned off their |
| cannot afford to buy overpriced fruits, vegetables | | | | power saws when I approached them and seemed |
| and meat from the south. Many local families still rely | | | | happy to talk to me. I met most of them later during |
| on Inuit hunters who bring caribou, seal and whale to | | | | the evenings when they showed me their finished |
| the table.There is only one high rise building in Iqaluit | | | | works of Inuit art.I had the opportunity to walk |
| and it is used mainly for local Nunavut government | | | | about 30 minutes to the outskirts of town past the |
| offices. All other buildings are low rise, including the | | | | airport one day. I climbed up a hilltop with a satellite |
| hospital. The vast majority of the residential housing | | | | dish facility overlooking an expansive valley. There |
| is similar to cabins that are raised off the ground | | | | was nobody else around and it was incredible how |
| because of the harsh Canadian Arctic winters. Many | | | | silent the area was. It was like a vacuum where I |
| look a bit run down with junk and disposed items | | | | could hear only my own breathing. It was a very |
| piled outside. With the fact that there are no lawns | | | | peaceful and even spiritual moment there. While |
| or trees possible this far north, the neighborhoods | | | | sitting on this Arctic hilltop, I was suddenly startled at |
| are certainly not the prettiest sights around. But one | | | | one point by a noise and it turned out to be the |
| Inuit art carver told me that his government | | | | flapping wings of a large raven flying by.There are |
| subsidized rent is only $36 per month. There are | | | | tours offered by local outfitters to see the northern |
| some small clusters of nice homes on the outskirts of | | | | wildlife and experience some of the Arctic tundra |
| town. Some houses have husky dogs tied up outside | | | | further out. I hope to take one of these tours on a |
| and many have snowmobiles. In fact, the roads, | | | | future visit. A trip to Nunavut is not cheap since |
| most of them unpaved, are shared by cars, trucks, | | | | everything, including flights are so expensive. |
| snowmobiles, all terrain | | | | However, I will definitely return not only for more |
| vehicles and people. During the summers, Iqaluit can | | | | Inuit art, but also to experience more of the local |
| get quite dusty with all the vehicles turning up the | | | | Inuit culture and the Arctic land.Clint Leung is owner |
| dirt on the roads. As a result, Iqaluit did look a bit | | | | of Free Spirit Gallery , an online gallery specializing in |
| nicer during my first trip which was during the winter | | | | Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art |
| when the city was in white snow rather than brown | | | | including carvings, sculpture and prints. |
| dirt. There is new construction going on since with | | | | |