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 | |
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Northern village municipality | |
Puvirnituq Puvirnituq | |
Coordinates: 60°02′N 077°17′W[1][2] | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Quebec |
Region | Nord-du-Québec Nunavik |
Equivalent territory (TE) | Kativik |
Constituted | September 2, 1989 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Lucy Qalingo Aupalu |
• Federal riding | Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou |
• Provincial riding | Ungava |
Area | |
• Total | 111.50 km2 (43.05 sq mi) |
• Land | 81.61 km2 (31.51 sq mi) |
Population (2021)[4] | |
• Total | 2,129 |
• Density | 26.1/km2 (68/sq mi) |
• Change (2016–21) | 19.7% |
• Dwellings | 697 |
Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
Postal code(s) | J0M 1P0 |
Area code | 819 |
Website | www |
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):
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]
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]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Puvirnituq had a population of 2,129 living in 547 of its 697 total private dwellings, a change of 19.7% from its 2016 population of 1,779. With a land area of 81.61 km2 (31.51 sq mi), it had a population density of 26.1/km2 (67.6/sq mi) in 2021.[7]
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,[8] and the Adult Education Centre.[9]
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 August 2022, she has over 4 million TikTok followers and over 2 million Instagram followers.
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