Nain, Newfoundland and Labrador

History

Nain was first established in 1771 by Moravian missionaries. It is among the oldest permanent Inuit settlements in Canada, most communities in Nunavut and Nunavik were settled in the 1950s or later. It is also the oldest continuously-inhabited community in Labrador after North West River. Nain has also been called "Nonynuke", "Nuninock" and "Nunaingoakh". The missionaries also establishes posts in Hopedale and areas in the north such as Hebron and Okak. The first Inuk to be baptized in Nain was a man named Kingminguse who took the name "Petrus" after conversion and then returned to southern Labrador where he used the name "Petrus Kingminguse" and died in 1800. Many Inuit in the south traveled to the Moravian posts in the north to be baptized and then returned to the south. The Moravians established posts only in northern areas since the Colony of Newfoundland hoped to colonize southern Labrador. In 1773, it was claimed that over 250 Inuit lived in Nain. In 1893, Nain's residents adopted patrilineal surnames at the request of Newfoundland courts. Many people took names of the missionaries (such as "Kohlmeister" and Townley") while others chose traditional names such as "Aggek", "Karpik", "Mitsuk" and "Nochasak".

In 1959, residents of Hebron and Nutak resettled to Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The relocation had a huge impact on residents of Hebron and Nutak since the land in Nain (and other communities) was very different (resulting in difficulties when hunting) and many families were divided. Poverty and alcoholism has affected many of the families that originated in Hebron and Nutak. The provincial government apologized for the relocations in 2005.

In 2016, the Google Street View imaging service uploaded images of various roads in Nain. Nain is the only community in Labrador with images on the service.

Nunatsiavut

On December 1, 2005, Nain became the administrative capital of the autonomous region of Nunatsiavut which is the name chosen by the Labrador Inuit when the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act was successfully ratified by the Canadian Government and the Inuit of Labrador. Hopedale, further south, is the legislative capital. The land claim cedes limited self-rule for the Nunatsiavut government in Northern Labrador and North-Eastern Quebec, granting title and aboriginal rights. The land that comprises the Nunatsiavut government is called the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area, or LISA, which amount to approximately 72,500 km² (28,000miles²). The Inuit of Labrador do not own this land per se, but they do have special rights related to traditional land use as aboriginals. That said, the Labrador Inuit will own 15,000 km² (6,100miles²) within the Settlement Area, officially designated as Labrador Inuit Lands. The Agreement also provides for the establishment of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve, consisting of about 9,600 square kilometres (3,700 sq mi) of land within LISA. Nunatsiavut is not to be confused with the Nunavut territory.

Many Inuit from Hebron were relocated to Nain by the provincial government after the Moravian mission at Hebron was closed under government pressure in 1959.

Geography

Nain is located on the north side of Unity Bay, a small inlet. The bay is open to the Atlantic Ocean but Nain's harbour is protected by numerous islands, the largest of which is Paul's Island. From Nain to the open Labrador Sea is approximately 50 km (31 mi) east through Strathcona Run. Nain is inaccessible by road and may be reached only by air or sea.

Climate

Although located at the same latitude as Ketchikan on North America’s west coast or Moscow and marine Scotland and southern Scandinavia in Europe, the influence of the Labrador Current gives Nain a marginal subarctic climate that is very close to a polar climate (ET), which creates the southernmost tree line in the northern hemisphere on the adjacent coast. The southernmost tundra is actually still in a zone of discontinuous permafrost rather than the much more typical continuous zone. The almost constant presence of the Icelandic Low means that precipitation, both as rain and snow, is exceptionally heavy for so consistently cold a climate in a low-lying area, with five meters of snow falling each winter. The actual depth of snow on the ground averages 1.13 metres (44 in) at the end of March.

Local government

The town is governed by a seven-member council composed of a mayor (or AngajukKâk), deputy mayor (Deputy AngajukKâk), and five councilors. In 2004 Sarah Leo was the mayor with George Lyall as deputy mayor, while the remaining councilors were Mary White, Isabella Pain, Margaret Fox, Duane Dicker, and Jacob Larkin.

The Town Council formally changed its name from "Nain Town Council" to "Nain Inuit Community Government" in October 2006. The Nain Inuit Community Government meets once per month.

Educational facilities

Nain has one kindergarten to level III school, Jens Haven Memorial, which is split between two buildings. One building contains primary grades (kindergarten to grade 3), the other houses elementary and secondary grades (grade 4 to Level III).

There is also an adult basic education program offered in town, through the College of the North Atlantic Happy Valley-Goose Bay campus.

Industry

Fishing is the main industry in Nain. Traditional hunting and trapping activities continue through the winter months after the fishing season has ended.

Media

Nain has two radio services available.

CKOK-FM is a low-power (LP) re-broadcaster of CKHV broadcasting at 99.9 FM. Owned by the Okalakatiget Society, the station broadcasts a community radio format for the region's First Nations and Inuit communities.

As of the end of 2014, the station now streams online (Live during Local Programming Only).

There is also a local re-broadcaster of CBC Radio One (Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL), CBNZ operating at 740 AM.

Transport

Flights to Nain are at Nain Airport, and are available from Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Air Labrador and Provincial Airlines.

Between mid-June and mid-November (pending ice conditions), the ferry MV Northern Ranger, operated by the Newfoundland and Labrador Government, provides weekly service from Goose Bay along the Atlantic Coast, with stops in Rigolet, Makkovik, Postville, Hopedale and Natuashish. Nain is the northernmost stop on the route; the ferry stays docked at Nain for about three hours before beginning its southbound route.