tailieunhanh - Encyclopedia of World CulturesVolume I - NORTH AMERICA - B

Tự điển chuyên ngành nông nghiệp thế giới Vol1 - Bắc Mỹ - Vần B | 28 Baffinland Inuit Baffinland Inuit Orientation Identification. The Baftinland Inuit constitute the easternmost group of what is commonly referred to as the Central Eskimo a designation that also includes the Copper Iglulik Netsilik and Caribou Inuit. The Baffinland Inuit are a hunting people who have occupied their land for over four thousand years. They refer to their territory as Nunaseak which means beautiful land. Today the Baffinland Inuit are under the jurisdiction of the Northwest Territories government. There is however an active movement toward a reinterpretation of their political status within Canada which is based on the settlement of land claims the creation of a system of self-government and the recognition of aboriginal rights within the constitution of Canada. The rather massive changes that have occurred over the last twenty-five years have resulted in many disruptions to traditional social patterns that must be dealt with by all segments of the population as the Baffinland Inuit struggle to reconcile tradition with change and to create a new form of adaptation. Location. The Baffinland Inuit occupy the southern two-thirds of Baffin Island. Their territory extends from approximately 62 to 72 N. The northeastern sector of their territory is mountainous with small glaciers the southern sector has rolling terrain and to the west the surface becomes flat. The climate is marked by intense cold in the winter with daytime temperatures averaging about -30 F. Summer temperatures average 50 F and except for the areas of glaciers most of the snow melts each season. The sea freezes in October and begins break-up in July. In some years however pack ice never clears from the area. Demography. In 1988 the population of the Baffinland Inuit was approximately 7 200. The largest community Iqualuit Frobisher Bay is the transportation supply and government center for the territory and has a population of 3 625. The Davis Strait communities of Kangitugaapiq Clyde and