From our daily program:
Population about 1800
Cambridge Bay is a hamlet located on Victoria Island and is its largest settlement. Named for Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge – the traditional name is Ikaluktutiak which means ”good fishing place.” It’s the largest stop for passenger and research vessels going through the Northwest Passage.
Today we walked through the town with a couple of high school girls, part of the contingent who’d volunteered to lead us around. We got to visit the co-op – kind of a mini Walmart that carried everything you might ever want (apples were almost $6 apiece) and a fabulous museum. Ron and I passed on the locally prepared food (muskox and beluga).
The sign at the front of this park explained the symbology as representing “the conflict between traditional and modern life. The muskox, placed specifically between the buildings and the water, symbolizes Inuit society caught between modern settlements and their cultural traditions on the land. The wolves are positioned between the muskox and the water to represent both positive and negative challenges to culture.
From the signage: ”In the 1950’s, concerns about northern sovereignty, health conditions, and the administration of social welfare programs prompted the government to construct permanent housing for Inuit to purchase or rent.
Onto Jenny Lind Island tomorrow.
