Puvirnituq

Puvirnituq (Inuktitut: ᐳᕕᕐᓂᑐᖅ) is a northern village (Inuit community) in Nunavik, on the Povungnituk River near its mouth on Hudson Bay in northern Quebec, Canada. Its population was 2,128 as of the 2021 Canadian census.[4]

Puvirnituq
ᐳᕕᕐᓂᑐᖅ
Northern village municipality
Puvirnituq
Puvirnituq
Coordinates: 60°02′N 077°17′W[1][2]
CountryCanada
ProvinceQuebec
RegionNord-du-Québec
Nunavik
Equivalent territory (TE)Kativik
ConstitutedSeptember 2, 1989
Government
[3]
 • MayorLucy Qalingo Aupalu
 • Federal ridingAbitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou
 • Provincial ridingUngava
Area
[3][4]
 • Total111.50 km2 (43.05 sq mi)
 • Land81.61 km2 (31.51 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[4]
 • Total2,129
 • Density26.1/km2 (68/sq mi)
 • Change (2016–21)
19.7%
 • Dwellings
697
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
J0M 1P0
Area code(s)819
Websitewww.nvpuvirnituq.ca

Of all other northern villages in Nunavik (VN), only Ivujivik and Puvirnituq have no Inuit reserved land (TI) of the same name associated with it.

The name means "Place where there is a smell of rotten meat". This unusual name may have originated from either one of these events (occurring a long time ago):

  • A herd of caribou was swept away by the Povungnituk River while attempting to cross it and washed ashore near the current village site where the decomposing bodies began giving off a staunch smell.
  • An epidemic killed off most of the area's residents to the point where there were not enough people to bury the dead, allowing the exposed bodies to decompose, giving off a putrid smell.

Puvirnituq is the aviation hub of the Hudson Bay coast. Puvirnituq Airport handles scheduled flights to and from all other Hudson Bay coastal communities in Quebec, Montreal, and Ottawa. It is not accessible by road.

The police services in Puvirnituq are provided by the Nunavik Police Service.[5]

History
Iguarsivik School - School in Puvirnituq

In 1921, the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) established a trading post in the village, known as Povungnituk and often shortened to Pov. This attracted the settlement of Inuit living in the region. In 1951, the HBC opened a general store. The closure of HBC stores in other nearby villages led to an influx of Inuit to Puvirnituq.

A Catholic mission was founded in 1956, which encouraged the residents to form the Carvers Association of Povungnituk two years later. It later became the Co-operative Association of Povungnituk and was instrumental in assisting, developing, and marketing Inuit art. Its success inspired other Inuit communities to form similar cooperatives, most of which now make up the Federation of Co-operatives of Northern Quebec. Leah Nuvalinga Qumaluk was among the artists who worked at the cooperative.[6]

Education

The Kativik School Board operates three schools in Puvirnituq. Ikaarvik Primary School for K-3, Iguarsivik Primary-Secondary School for grades 4 through Secondary 5,[7] and the Adult Education Centre.[8]

Notable people

Inuit throat singer and activist Shina Novalinga (born 1998), an Inuk social media personality gained fame for posting videos throat singing with her mother on TikTok and Instagram. As of July 2021, she has over 2 million TikTok followers.

  • Hospital
  • Northern Store
  • View of Puvirnituq River
  • Street view in winter
  • The village near the North bank of Puvirnituq River
  • Cemetery of Puvirnituq


References
  1. "Puvirnituq". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  2. Reference number 291472 of the Commission de toponymie du Québec (in French)
  3. Geographic code 99120 in the official Répertoire des municipalités (in French)
  4. "Census Profile, 2021 Census". 2021 Census. Statistics Canada.
  5. KRPF. "General Information". Home. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  6. Jules Heller; Nancy G. Heller (19 December 2013). North American Women Artists of the Twentieth Century: A Biographical Dictionary. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-63882-5.
  7. "Our Schools." Kativik School Board. Retrieved on September 23, 2017.
  8. "Puvirnituq - Adult Education". Kativik. Retrieved 2022-04-17.
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