Release of Inuit calendar coincides with return of the sun

The Nunavut Social Development Council has produced a calendar based on a system of Inuit moon-months and seasonal cycles used by the people of Igloolik.

The release of the calendar, developed with the help of the Inullariit Elders Society of Igloolik, was planned to coincide with the return of the sun in the high Arctic.

It combines the traditional Inuit calendar with the modern calendar. Each page presents information about Inuit life and social activities in English and Inuktitut.

Each moon-month has its own name, reflecting occurrences in the sky or on the ground, the NSDC said in a release. The calendar marks key social events of the Inuit year, from Tivajuut, a mid-winter festival, to Qaggiq, an annual celebration of renewal to mark the return of the sun.

The calendar will be distributed through community co-operatives across Nunavut.