Baffinland recently completed the 2024 field season of our Archaeology Program along the planned route of the Steensby Railway. Through archaeological surveys, we identify culturally and historically significant sites and artifacts in planned development areas, which is a necessary step in ensuring their protection and preservation.
Participants included Baffinland archaeologists, Inuit Monitors and field assistants from three Baffin Island communities, who completed aerial surveys by helicopter. All findings were documented on the land and by drone, while noting specific areas needing further investigation. Each new archaeology site will be registered with the Territory.
It is important to note that during the survey phase of the Archaeology Program, no digging or retrieving of any artifacts took place. Baffinland has developed a detailed mitigation plan, prioritizing avoidance and protection. Before any excavation begins, archaeology permits will be reviewed and approved by the Territorial Archaeology Office, the communities, Inuit Heritage Trust, and Nunavut’s Minister of Culture and Heritage.
Baffinland uses a balance of science and Inuit Knowledge to safeguard the environment in which we operate. We are committed to community consultation, Inuit representation, as well as respecting, protecting and preserving Nunavut’s unique culture and rich archaeological history.
ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐱᔭᕇᖅᓯᓵᖅᑐᑦ 2024-ᒥ ᓯᓚᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᓐᓇᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓴᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᓂᒃ ᑕᐅᕘᓇ ᐸᕐᓇᒃᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᖅᑯᑖᒍᑦ ᐃᒃᐱᑭᑦᑐᕐᔪᐊᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓯᐅᑎᑯᑖᒃᓴᐅᑉ ᐊᖅᑯᑎᑯᑖᒃᓴᖓᓂ. ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓴᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓃᑦ, ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓯᒪᔪᒍᑦ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᒻᒪᕐᓂᓴᓪᓗ ᐱᕐᔪᐊᖑᔪᑦ ᐃᓃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓱᓇᒃᑯᑖᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᒃᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᕝᕕᐅᔪᒪᔪᒥ, ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᐳᔾᔭᐅᓯᒪᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᔭᒐᑕᐅᑦᑕᐃᓕᖁᓪᓗᒋᓪᓗ.
ᐃᓚᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓂ ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓴᓕᕆᔨᓂᒃ, ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᓇᐅᑦᑎᖅᓱᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓯᓚᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᓐᓇᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᓂ ᐱᖓᓱᓂ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᖕᒥ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᐱᔭᕇᖅᓯᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᒃᑯᑦ. ᓇᓂᔭᐅᔪᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᓕᒥᒎᕋᓛᖅ ᐊᔾᔨᓕᐅᕈᑎᓕᒃᑎᒍᑦ, ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓯᓐᓈᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓇᓂᓪᓚᑦᑖᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᒃᑲᓐᓂᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᖔᑕ. ᐊᑐᓂ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓴᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᑦ.
ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᔪᖅ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᕐᓗᒍ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓴᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒥ, ᓴᒡᒐᖕᓂᖅᑕᖃᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐲᖅᓯᔪᖃᓚᐅᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᑭᓱᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᒃ ᓱᓇᒃᑯᑖᓂᒃ. ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᔭᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᐸᓚᐅᒪᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎᓂᒃ, ᓯᕗᓪᓕᐅᔾᔨᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐅᐸᒃᑕᐅᑦᑕᐃᓕᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓴᐳᔾᔭᐅᓯᒪᓗᓂ. ᓇᒡᕚᖅᓯᐅᖅᑐᖃᓚᐅᙱᓐᓂᖓᓂ, ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓴᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑏᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᔭᐅᖅᑳᕆᐊᓖᑦ ᐊᖏᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓴᖃᕐᕕᖕᓄᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᐊᓂ, ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᖁᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓇᐅᑦᑎᖅᓱᖅᑎᒃᑯᓐᓂᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒥᓂᔅᑕ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ.
ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐊᑐᓲᑦ ᓇᓕᒧᒌᓂᒃ ᑭᒡᓕᓯᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓴᐳᔾᔨᓯᒪᔪᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᕙᑎᒥᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᖃᕐᕕᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂ. ᐱᓂᐊᕐᓂᕋᖅᓯᒪᔪᒍᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᑦ ᑐᓴᕋᓱᐊᖅᐸᖕᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐃᒃᐱᒍᓱᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᓴᐳᔾᔨᓯᒪᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᔭᒐᐃᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᒃᑯᓪᓗ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᙱᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᐅᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓴᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᓚᐅᖅᑐᓂᒃ.
Government of Nunavut Nunavut Impact Review Board
