Ukiuqtaqtuq District
Ukiuqtaqtuq District
Ukiuqtaqtumi aviktuqsimaninga (Itchalnu) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country |  Surrow |
| Founded | April 1, 1953 |
| County seat | Arvittiavak |
| Government | |
| • High Commissioner | Mary Iluraktuk |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6,338.67 km2 (2,447.37 sq mi) |
| Population (2021) | |
| • Total | 427 |
| • Rank | 5th in Surrow |
| • Density | 0.07/km2 (0.2/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (Surrowese Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | not observed |
Ukiuqtaqtuq District (Itchalnu: Ukiuqtaqtumi aviktuqsimaninga) is a district in Surrow, bordered to the north by Stoney County. Established in 1953 as part of the Northern Integration Scheme, alongside the Southern Improvement District (present-day Iqittiniq District) and the Central Improvement District (present-day Stoney County), Ukiuqtaquq District is today the least populous of the two districts, the least densely populated of all administrative divisions in Surrow, and the second least populous administrative division of Surrow, ahead of Kikik County.
Etymology
Ukiuqtaqtuq District derives from the Itchalnu word ukiuqtaqtuq, which means northern, referring to its geographic position on the northern third of Great Island. The name was adopted in 2015 following President Wyatt Martel's decision to rename the districts to Itchalnu names.
The previous name, Northern Improvement District referred to its position on the northern reaches of Great Island, and to its status as an improvement district, as districts were known until 2015.
History
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Although present-day Ukiuqtaqtuq District had been claimed to be part of Northland County since 1563, its remote location relative to the rest of the Surrowese archipelago, the ice-covered waters, and the terrain of Great Island, Ukiuqtaqtuq District would only see its first Auressian settlement in 1788 when a whaling station was established at Great Whale Bay, which operated seasonally. The whaling station at Great Whale Bay would continue operating until 1821 when it was abandoned after having exhausted the local whale population, although the site of Great Whale River would become a popular starting point for exploring the Breuvician throughout most of the nineteenth century.
The first permanent settlement in present-day Ukiuqtaqtuq District was only established in 1931, when Arvittiavak was established with a population of 21 people, with the stated intention of encouraging the Itchalnu to move into the village and adopt an Auressian lifestyle, and to assert Rythenean sovereignty over the entire Surrowese archipelago. At the time of its establishment, it was the northernmost settlement in the entire Surrowese archipelago.
Following Surrow's independence in 1950, and the discovery of palladium in 1951, the Northern Integration Act saw the creation of the Northern Integration Scheme, with Northland County being divided into three improvement districts, with the Northern Improvement District corresponding to Ukiuqtaqtuq District. Arvittiavak would become the district seat, but as part of the scheme, it would lose its status as the northernmost settlement, as Nanook Inlet was established in 1955, with one more settlement established as part of the scheme, Siurajack, being established in 1958. These two settlements would be declared unsustainable in the early 1960s, leading to the abandonment of Nanook Inlet in 1965, and Siurajack in 1967, and to Arvittiavak becoming the only setlement to be declared sustainable by the district government.
From the 1970s onward, the district has seen a slowly declining population, with its population peaking at 562 people in 1971, as younger people leave the district for better opportunities in Tulaktarvik, Holcot Inlet, or other countries.
The Northern Improvement District would be renamed to Ukiuqtaqtuq District in September 2015 as part of the wider effort by the Surrowese government to recognise indigenous toponymy following President Wyatt Martel's apology for the Northern Integration Scheme.
Government
Per the Northern Integration Act, Ukiuqtaqtuq District is governed by a five-member commission (Itchalnu: katimajiit), with the head of the district being the high commissioner (Itchalnu: quttiktumi kamisina). Until 2015, the commissioners were all appointed by the Surrowese government, but as part of President Wyatt Martel's reforms, four of the five members are now elected by the people of Ukiuqtaqtuq District, with the one remaining appointed member serving as the ex officio high commissioner, currently Mary Iluraktuk since 2018, when he succeeded his predecessor, Lawrence Harcourt, who served from 2013 until 2018.
Like the other districts in Surrow, Ukiuqtaqtuq District is responsible for day-to-day operations of schools, but is also responsible for determining whether a given settlement is sustainable or unsustainable, while the national government is responsible for infrastructure maintenance, emergency services, and medical facilities. Since 2015, it has been given increased powers, most notably in administering trial courts.
Since 2015, Ukiuqtaqtuq District is officially bilingual in Rythenean and Itchalnu.
Demographics
As of the 2021 census, the population of Ukiuqtaqtuq District was measured at 427 people.
Racially, Ukiuqtaqtuq District is overwhelmingly Native Surrowese, with 419 people, or around 98.2% of the district population being designated as Native Surrowese. Estimates suggest that 100% of the Native Surrowese population are of Itchalnu descent. 7 people, or around 1.6% of the district population are of Auressian origin, with estimates suggesting that 100% of the Auressian population are of Rythenean origin, and 1 person, or around 0.2% of the district population belong to other races.
Religiously, 402 people, or around 94.1% of the district population are Perendist. 19 people, or around 4.5% of the district population follow other religions, primarily traditional Itchalnu religion, and 6 people, or around 1.4% of the district population are irreligious.
Linguistically, Ukiuqtaqtuq District is the only administrative division in Surrow where Rythenean is not spoken as a first language by a majority of the population, with only 170 people, or around 39.8% of the district population speaking Rythenean as a first language. The majority language is Itchalnu, which is spoken by 256 people, or around 60% of the district population. Finally, one person, or around 0.2% of the district population speaks another language.
Settlements
Ukiuqtaqtuq District has one village (Itchalnu: nunaliralaaq): Arvittiavak, with a population of 413 people as of the 2021 census.
Ukiuqtaqtuq District has one research station (Itchalnu: qaujisarvik) that is inhabited on a temporary basis by Breuvician scientists: Nanook Inlet Research Station, which was established in 1973 on the site of the former settlement of Nanook Inlet. As of the 2021 census, the Nanook Inlet Research Station is inhabited by 14 people.