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The little hamlet of Cambridge Bay, located on Victoria Island in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut, is one of the richest locales in the North for resources on the history of the Inuit people. This three-part exhibition delves into the archeology of the area, covers the origins of the modern Cambridge Bay community and explores how the elders serve as a link between the past and the future.
Archeologist Max Friesen provided pictures of the prehistoric artefacts he has unearthed from nearby sites during his career in the region. Together with his crucial information about these discoveries, and photographs of excavation activities, this section of the exhibition paints a vivid picture of the Inuit of long ago.
To show the history of modern-day Cambridge Bay and to provide perspective on local life throughout the last century, the Kitikmeot Heritage Society searched far and wide to amass rare archival photographs, featuring town landmarks, other significant sites and cultural events. The contents of these photographs, identified and described in detail where possible by members of the community, have been digitized for the exhibition.
Finally, the exhibition bridges the past and future with recorded oral histories of community elders. As well, it offers displays of many recent Cambridge Bay events that have given elders an opportunity to share their traditional knowledge with young people and with the larger Canadian community. These include activities such as skin sewing lessons and sessions at archeological sites in which elders describe the use of artefacts found there.
