The return to Nutak
On Wed. Aug. 15, the Nunatsiavut government held a special ceremony in the remote community of Nutak. While little stands in the area now, it was once an outpost around which a vital Inuit community flourished. When services were cut off to the area in 1956, taking away supplies and jobs many had become reliant on since the arrival of the Hudson’s Bay Company, the Inuit residents were forced to relocate to communities South. It was considered a devastating blow to a people struggling to maintain their traditional culture and way of life. The swift move also separated families and led to social and economic hardships. In 2005, the province apologized for its lack of consultation with the Inuit people at the time. The recent event saw former residents of Nutak gather to hear the apology read aloud, in the place they once called home.
Published on August 20, 2012
A map in the Happy Valley-Goose Bay offices of the Government of Nunatsiavut shows the Okak Islands area, where the community of Nutak was located. It was forcibly resettled in 1956. Also highlighted on the map is the community of Hebron, resettled in 1959. — Photo by Ashley Fitzpatrick/The Telegram- Our archives
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