Taloyoak, Nunavut
What does Taloyoak mean?
Taloyoak means "caribou blind". Many years ago men built walls of rocks. Two walls of rocks would be placed in a V shape. Men would chase caribou into the V and hunters would hide behind the rocks and stab the caribou. They would use bows and arrows to kill the caribou. In the summer the rock walls can be seen from the edge of town. They are ancient places.
What kinds of animals are in Taloyoak?
There are:
Caribou, seal, fox, rabbits, ptarmigans, lemmings, wolves, wolverine, fish sometimes walrus, whales, weasels, sik sik, ducks, geese, musk oxen, snow birds, seagulls, ravens, polar bears.
Plants:
No trees, Lichen, Heather, Willows, Miniature Flowers
What does the creation of Nunavut mean to me?
For me, the creation of Nunavut means the following:
- More jobs for Inuit
- More Inuktitut classes
- Inuit have a voice in the government
- Young people want to finish school for jobs in Nunavut
- "The creation of Nunavut is an extraordinary and long waited event for Intuit to realise a dream of a Inuit homeland, independence and self, determination’’
The best thing about Taloyoak
The best thing about Taloyoak is the landscape. We have beautiful cliffs and hill within walking distance from town. Once the lakes freeze, there is a chain of lakes which become a highway out to Middle Lake and the cabins. People are able to skidoo, camp, ski, dog team and walk easily on the land. There is a variety of plant life and animals to see. Twice a year the caribou move across the peninsula. We hardly ever have windy or stormy weather and when we do, it only lasts a day. We have a beautiful view of the ocean and the mountains in the distance.