This article is part of a series celebrating communities, culture, traditions, and adventure throughout Canada. We’re spotlighting exciting people and places across the country’s provinces, from British Columbia in the west to Newfoundland and Labrador in the east. Read more stories on our Canada guide page.
Considering that I’m an Alaska Native Tlingit tribal member who was born in Southeast Alaska, you’d expect me to be well acquainted with life in the Far North. However, a recent trip to Iqaluit, Nunavut—the site of Netflix’s new female-led Inuit comedy North of North—showed that even I still have a lot to learn about the Arctic.
Traveling to Nunavut—Canada’s largest, newest, and first Aboriginal self-governing territory—is no small feat. Iqaluit, the country’s northernmost city, sits on Baffin Island at the northern end of Frobisher Bay, about 1,600 miles from my home in Minneapolis, and my journey required three flights, with connections in Toronto and Ottawa. On the final leg, our plane carried not only passengers but also pallets of cargo, food, and supplies as it traveled beyond the so-called treeline, the border north of which large vegetation simply can’t survive. Peering out the window, I watched the subarctic boreal forest disappear before my eyes, giving way to an expansive frozen landscape dotted with rocks and glaciers.
Upon arriving in Iqaluit—which is technically just south of the Arctic Circle but is within what ecologists define as the Arctic region, where the average July temperature doesn’t break 50°F—I was struck by the signs of a rich, remarkably intact Inuit culture all around. In the airport, I marveled at vibrant, larger-than-life wall hangings that reflect both tribal mythology and traditional practices like subsistence fishing. These pieces have been translated from smaller works created throughout the 20th century by Indigenous artists such as Martha Kakee, whose Fishing in the Weir is included in the exhibit. Driving around town, I quickly realized all the brightly colored buildings are labeled first in Inuktitut (the Inuit language spoken in eastern Canada), then in English. Checking into the Aqsarniit Hotel, which opened in 2020 and is Inuit-owned, I noticed pops of Native culture around every corner, such as Indigenous-crafted art on the walls and regional foods like Arctic char on the menus.
“It’s incredible to see Inuit culture on display throughout Iqaluit,” says Stacey Aglok MacDonald, who co-created North of North along with Alethea Arnaquq-Baril. (Both of them are Inuit, and Arnaquq-Baril was born and raised in Iqaluit.) “Every Inuit region and territory has their own parka style, and you can usually tell where someone is from by what they are wearing, but here in Iqaluit, all the styles exist together. Iqaluit really showcases the diversity of Inuit, both in fashion and culture.”
Lambe, an Iqaluit native, and Cooper ride a snowmobile, a common mode of transportation in the Arctic, on the set of North of North.
Photo by Jasper Savage/Netflix
Highlighting that rich culture was the main goal of the creators of North of North, which made its global premiere on Netflix on April 10. The whole community adopted the project: During my visit last May, while the show was filming on location, it was evident that many of the city’s 8,000-some residents were involved in the production, serving as everything from extras to carpenters. Many locals saw it as an opportunity to help overcome outdated assumptions about life in the Arctic—as did the show’s cast.
“I’m really excited for people around the globe to see Inuit represent themselves,” says Anna Lambe, the 24-year-old star of North of North. Lambe grew up in Iqaluit and turned heads in last year’s True Detective: Night Country on HBO before scoring the role of Siaja, a young mother in the fictional village of Ice Cove who attempts to build a new life after a divorce. “To date, our stories have mostly been told by non-Inuit, and we’re often romanticized or shown in this skewed understanding of who we are—oftentimes framed in a very historical context rather than a modern context. With North of North, people can see us as we see ourselves and see the reality of our day-to-day lives. It’s such an authentic representation of how I understand myself, my family, and my community.”
Indeed, throughout Iqaluit, I found a union of the traditional and the modern, as is the case in so many Indigenous communities across Canada that aim to honor the past while moving toward the future. The city is certainly more cosmopolitan and buzzing than the many remote villages that dot Nunavut: There’s a movie theater playing the latest films, multiple performing arts institutions, the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum, and a variety of shops and restaurants.
At the same time, a visit to Iqaluit provides the chance to get a real taste of Arctic life. The highlight of my trip was snowmobiling across the frozen tundra in pursuit of caribou herds with Inuit operator Tikippugut; I was in awe of the stillness of the natural world around us, disrupted by only the buzz of our Ski-Doos (as locals tend to call all snowmobiles). Then during a special dinner focused on “country food” (the colloquial name for traditional dishes), I relished local delicacies like maktak (whale skin and blubber), ptarmigan soup, and Arctic char and caribou Wellington.
Crucially, I had the opportunity to learn about the many Native cultural traditions that are still practiced today, thanks to the efforts of knowledge keepers who preserved them despite the oppressive colonial-era policies that sought to eradicate Indigenous communities across Canada. For instance, many Inuit homes still have soapstone qulliq lamps, which typically use seal oil for fuel, alongside their light bulbs and laptops. And in the kitchen, Inuit women continue to use traditional ulu knives to cut and prepare harvested game such as fish and marine mammals.
Taken altogether, Iqaluit is a testament to Inuit culture being alive and well, and North of North showcases this place and these people from their own perspective. “It’s about time that we show our culture from our own gaze,” says Inuk actress and Iqaluit native Maika Harper, who plays Saija’s mom, Neevee, on the show. “We’re beautiful people. We’re thriving. We’re modern. I really hope people get a chance to visit Iqaluit and experience Inuit culture at its finest.”
Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, was known as Frobisher Bay from 1942 to 1987, when its Inuktitut name was officially restored.
Courtesy of Netflix
Plan a Trip to Iqaluit
Want to experience life in the Arctic for yourself? Here’s how to make the most of your time in Iqaluit.
Get there
The Iqaluit International Airport (YFB) got a new $300-million terminal in 2017, part of an ongoing effort to bring more tourism to the area. Most travelers will arrive via Canadian North airline, which offers daily flights from Ottawa, with flights also available from Edmonton, Montreal, Yellowknife, and select other Canadian cities.
Stay
The Inuit-owned Aqsarniit Hotel (rates start at about US$286 per night) opened in 2020 and has Original Original certification, an accreditation from the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada for Indigenous businesses that deliver a high-quality experience for visitors. The property also offers amenities such as a fitness center, a large restaurant and lounge, and eco-friendly bath products. The Discovery hotel (rates start at about US$261), meanwhile, is a longtime favorite for both its contemporary accommodations and the French-inspired cuisine at the on-site Granite Room restaurant. Both hotels are centrally located, within easy walking distance of many attractions, though cabs are available with flat rates of C$9.25 for in-town trips if needed.
See and do
Visitors to the Arctic will surely want to experience the Far North’s natural wonders. The operator Tikippugut offers snowmobiling and boating trips with Inuit guides, as well as customized cultural tours and aurora borealis packages. Dogsledding with Inukpak Outfitting is also a popular activity. Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park, just outside town, is an easily accessible destination for hiking and fishing. For the less adventuresome, but no less curious, the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum features educational exhibitions on the history, art, and culture of Nunavut.
In town, the best spots to eat are the Black Heart Café, which serves creative local fare like caribou and shrimp spring rolls and blackened Arctic char club sandwiches, and the Frob Kitchen & Eatery, which dishes up fusion fare such as lamb shank, braised oxtail, and caribou stew. For keepsakes, be sure to stop by Malikkaat, a beloved shop that specializes in Inuit carvings and jewelry. Finally, swing by the Legion on Friday and Saturday nights to live like a local and enjoy some live music, dancing, and a game of pool or darts.
