Aktlarvik

Our hamlet of Aktlarvik (Aklavik), meaning “Grizzly Bear Place,” is the western-most community in the Northwest Territories. It is located on the Peel Channel of the vast Mackenzie Delta, at the base of the Richardson Mountains. Approximately 600 residents of Inuvialuit, Gwich’in and non-Indigenous ancestries call it home. Established by the trappers Pukiq and Joe Greenland, Aktlarvik was the primary fur trading centre of the Western Arctic from the early to mid-20th century. Delta trappers focused on muskrat, marten, and mink. Because Aktlarvik is prone to flooding, the Canadian government built Inuuvik in the 1950s to become the new regional centre. While encouraged to relocate, many community members resisted. They posted a sign on the airstrip that said ‘Never Say Die’ and have continued to live here to this day. Hunting, trapping, fishing and beluga whaling are important aspects of our community’s livelihood and cultures.