KANGIRSUK means “bay.” This village, which lies on a large river, is also called “Majuriarjuaq.”
The Kangirsumiut live in a territory of abundant fish, especially Arctic char. In Ungava Bay, the flesh of Arctic char is red; these fish are delicious, and very healthy, with a thick skin. On the Hudson Bay coast, the flesh is paler because they eat two varieties of capelin, ammajait and quliiligai. In Ungava Bay, the char eat ijiligaujarniit (small transluscent fish with huge eyes). So it’s the diet that explains the differences within the same species.
The men of Kangirsuk are so hearty that they travel to Puvirnituq by snowmobile. The idea of crossing the immense territory of Nunavik doesn’t discourage the Puvirniturmiut. One winter, two men made the trip in a single day. The one who lived in Puvirnituq was called Qalingu Tukalak and the other one, who lived in Kangirsuk, was a young man named Itua Kauki. Since then, nobody else has covered the same distance in one day.
In winter, the Kangirsumiut fish for Arctic char through the ice using a kakivak. Sometimes women use kakivaks. In this region, the tides go out very far, and come back very high.
The inhabitants of Kangirsuk are very hospitable, they greet visitors with an “ai!” [1] and shake your hand. For that matter, everyone in Nunavik greets this way; visitors feel welcome. All the Inuit of Kangirsuk speak their traditional language, from Elders to children.
by Taamusi Qumaq (1992)
[1] The most common salutation in Inuktitut.
