Celebrating Inuit Nunangat
Celebrating Inuit Nunangat: The Inuit Homeland in Canada
Inuit Nunangat means the Inuit homeland, and is a vast area that encompasses land, water, and ice. It is a source from which Inuit draw unity, strength, resilience, and identity.
The new commemorative $2 circulation coin invites all people living in Canada to celebrate and learn more about Inuit Nunangat, as well as the distinct ways of life and rich and vital culture of Inuit.
BEHIND THE DESIGN
Inuit Nunangat Commemorative Circulation Coin
At once an expression of Inuit unity and regional diversity, the Celebrating Inuit Nunangat commemorative coin design was created jointly by four Inuit artists, each representing one of the four regions of Inuit Nunangat: Nunatsiavut, Nunavik, Nunavut, and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.
A first for a Canadian circulation coin, these four artistic voices worked closely with the Royal Canadian Mint and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), in real time, to create a seamless piece of art.
Strength of Tradition
For millennia, oral tradition has enabled Inuit to share vital knowledge, as well as their culture, across generations. Today, it continues to be a way of learning. A tribute to a core expression of Inuit culture, the commemorative coin design features Nuliajuk, spirit of the sea, whose ancient story has long been shared, with regional variations, by Inuit across Inuit Nunangat.
Learn more about the story of Nuliajuk from Natan Obed, President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
Connected by Culture: The Geography of Inuit Nunangat
Influenced by the geography of their homeland, Inuit in Canada live in concert with the land and sea that surrounds them. Inuit Nunangat is an extensive area that encompasses approximately 40% of Canada’s land area and over 70% of its coastlines.
Of the approximately 70,000 Inuit in Canada, the majority live in Inuit Nunangat. It is home to 51 communities, many of which have populations of less than 500 people and can only be accessed by air or sea.
Inuit are united across, and by, this land—as well as a vital culture—which finds unique expression throughout its four regions: Nunatsiavut, Nunavik, Nunavut, and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, each of which has an Inuit treaty organization that supports Inuit rights to this land and to self-determination.
Discover the Four Regions of Inuit Nunangat
Inuvialuit Settlement Region
The most western part of Inuit Nunangat, governed by the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. In 1984, the comprehensive Inuvialuit Final Agreement led to its creation—the second of its kind in Canada, and the first above the 60th parallel.
Primary Regional Dialect: Inuvialuktun
Population: 12,000
Communities: 6
Administrative Centre: Inuvik (Population 1,600)
Nunavut
The largest Indigenous land claim settlement in recent Canadian history, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, was signed by Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and paved the way for the creation of Nunavut on April 1, 1999.
Primary Regional Dialect: Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun
Population: 27,000
Communities: 26
Capital: Iqaluit (Population 7,250)
Nunavik
Nunavik was created as a result of Canada’s first modern comprehensive land claims agreement in 1975, signed by Makivvik.
Primary Regional Dialect: Inuktitut
Population: 11,000
Communities: 14
Administrative Centre: Kuujjuaq (Population 1,800)
Photo Credit: Inuit Adventures
Nunatsiavut
Nunatsiavut, created through the Labrador Inuit Agreement, became the first self-governing Inuit region in Canada in 2004. It is governed by the Nunatsiavut Government.
Primary Regional Dialect: Inuttitut
Population: 2,300
Communities: 5
Legislative Capital: Hopedale (Population 596)
Administrative Capital: Nain (Population 1,100)
An Expression of Inuit Unity and Regional Diversity
In their own words, the four Inuit artists behind the Celebrating Inuit Nunangat commemorative $2 circulation coin design describe their approach and the meaning behind their shared artwork.
Inuktut: The Language of Inuit Nunangat
Inuktut is the language of Inuit. Spoken in Canada as well as other regions around the world, Inuktut encompasses all Inuit languages, of which some are spoken in Inuit Nunangat.
Just as the regions of Inuit Nunangat are diverse, so too are their dialects. Across Inuit Nunangat, there are many dialects, each with varying sounds, vocabulary, and writing systems, including syllabics and roman orthography.
An Invitation to Celebrate
United in Celebrating Inuit Nunangat
The Mint was honoured to facilitate the coin design’s creation with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, providing a cooperative space for the artists to combine their individual expressions to form a shared vision. We are most grateful to our partners at ITK and to the incredible artists who worked together so seamlessly to create the shared vision that composes this coin design.
Together, we invite all people living in Canada to learn about Inuit Nunangat, its distinct ways of life, vibrant culture, and rich heritage through this special 2024 commemorative circulation coin.
Thank You
Learn More About Inuit Nunangat
We invite you to explore the following resources:
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Makivvik
Nunatsiavut Government
Inuvialuit Regional Corporation
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
Photo: Woman [identified as Quuju Ottokie] wearing beaded clothing at [Kinngait] (Cape Dorset), Baffin Island, [Nunavut] [in July 1961]
Source: Library and Archives Canada/National Film Board of Canada fonds/e010975588