The goal of Project Naming is the identification of Inuit portrayed in some of the photographic collections of Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa. It is an ongoing initiative, which enables Nunavut youth to connect with Elders and to better understand their past. It also helps to bridge the cultural differences and geographical distances between Nunavut and the more southern parts of Canada.
The collections depicting the people of Canada’s North consist of thousands of photographs dating from the late 1800s to the mid-20th century. However, very few Inuit in these images were identified at the time these photographs were taken. Nunavummiut have never had a chance to assist in identifying these individuals because the collections were located far from their communities. Prior to digitization, there was no means of easily transporting the photographs to Nunavut. The naming of these still anonymous
people has become very time sensitive. Today’s Elders may be the last people able to identify these individuals from the past, whose names might otherwise remain lost forever.
During the first phase of Project Naming, photographs from the Igloolik (Iglulik) area, taken in the early 1950s by renowned photographer Richard Harrington were scanned and transferred to CD-ROM. Equipped with laptop computers, youth visited Elders living in that community, in order to identify the individuals in these photographs. The first phase was a great success, since more than three-quarters of the people were identified. Many Elders were able to identify their parents, other family and community members, and in some cases even themselves. Since then, the Project expanded to include other photographic collections at Library and Archives Canada, and covered additional Nunavut communities, including Kugluktuk (formerly Coppermine), Taloyoak (formerly Spence Bay), Pond Inlet (Mittimatalik/Tununiq), Pangnirtung (Pangnirtuuq), Cape Dorset (Kinngait), and Iqaluit (formerly Frobisher Bay).
When the locations of photographs are described in Project Naming, communities are listed by their Inuit name or by the English or non-Aboriginal name, followed by the other in parentheses. Most of the photographs were taken at a time when the non-Aboriginal names were considered the official community names. Today, with the creation of Nunavut and Native name recognition initiatives throughout the Arctic, some communities such as Iqaluit and Arviat have officially changed back to their original Inuit names. Although others are in the process of changing back, many still use both names interchangeably. Searches for photographs related to Project Naming can be done using both the Inuit and non-Aboriginal community names. The spelling of all Inuit community names is based on the Map of Inuit Communities in Canada, on the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Web site, and on the Northern Community Names Changes section of the Canadian Geographical Names Web site of Natural Resources Canada.
Project Naming is a collaborative effort between Nunavut Sivuniksavut, a special college program based in Ottawa, which serves Inuit youth from Nunavut; the Department of Culture, Languages, Elders and Youth (CLEY) in the Government of Nunavut; and Library and Archives Canada.
As a tribute to the importance of language in Project Naming, this Web exhibition was made available in Inuktitut, English and French. To view Project Naming in Inuktitut, you will need Pigiarniq font. This font can be downloaded for free in either PC or Mac fonts at: www.multedata.ca/p20.htm.
Pond Inlet (Mittimatalik/Tununiq) Area Photos |
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“Umilik” McGregor (left) standing behind Akumalik and Maki Angutirjuaq (right)
Unknown date
Photographer: unknown
PA-042117
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(Back row): Maata Qaurinniq (left), Tuurngaaluk (centre) and Ukpigjjuujaq (right); Moses Ittukusuk (front)
September 17, 1924
Photographer: Lachlan T. Burwash
PA-099156
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Padlunga (left), Inakaseea (centre) and Attosungwa (right)
1924
Photographer: Roy Tash
PA-102278
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Nukappiannguaq (left), unidentified boy (centre) and Inalunnguaq (right)
August 1925
Photographer: G.H. Valiquette
PA-102447
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(Left to right): Qaumajuq, Piipi Nasaq, Jonathan Arnakallak and Rhoda
ca. 1940–1944
Photographer: unknown
PA-121387
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Arnaujumajuq Piungittuq preparing her qulliq (oil lamp) in her tent
1950
Photographer: Alexander Stevenson
PA-143231
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What You Will Find on This Web Site
The voices from Nunavut section includes written, audio and video material that describes how the information was gathered for Project Naming, as well as personal accounts by Nunavut Elders and youth about the project.
The Inuktitut language section provides a history on the development of syllabics.
An overview of the Library and Archives Canada photographic collections included in this project is available by visiting the photo collections section.
The naming continues section features images for which names are still missing, and invites the user to submit information that is relevant to a photograph.
Visit the search for photos section in order to access all images scanned for Project Naming. The database therein includes photographs of people who have been identified as a result of this project, as well as others in which the individuals are still unnamed. To date, the names of hundreds of persons have been remembered by Nunavut Elders, and work continues on the identification of still more individuals in other photographs.
