Steven Solomon (Geological Survey of Canada) and James Sydney (Inuvialuit Social Development Program) with GPS gear used to survey the eroding banks of Kitigaaryuit.

The Inuvialuit Social Development Program conducted a small-scale field project at Kitigaaryuit National Historic Site in August of 2001. The work consisted of oral history interviews with 5 elders, identifying a number of new cultural remains, and conducting geological assessments of the site. The work was done over a 5-day period. The crew consisted of Steven Solomon of the Geological Survey of Canada, Elisa Hart and James Sydney of the Inuvialuit Social Development Program. James is also a student at the University of Northern British Columbia. Emmanuel Adam of Tuktoyaktuk managed the camp, and John Pokiak and Oliver Pingo operated the boat operation and provided assistance. The Polar Continental Shelf Project provided helicopter support.

Elders, Annie Emaghok and Laura Raymond told us about the time they lived at Kitigaaryuit in the 1930s. Otto Binder and Adam Emaghok told us their use of the reindeer corral in the 1950s. Noah Felix related information that had been passed to him by his father Felix Nuyaviak, on the construction of ice pits used for storing whale parts.

Six previously undocumented traditional driftwood graves were located. This brings the number of traditional graves that can be seen on the surface to approximately 250.

Laura Raymond and Annie Emaghok discuss the time they lived at Kitigaaryuit in the 1930s with interviewer Elisa Hart. They are sitting on the overgrown foundation of the Hudson’s Bay Company store.

The majority of the work at Kitigaaryuit was devoted to the geological assessments of the site that are needed to monitor the erosion and slumping that is taking place there. The edges of the eroding bluffs were surveyed and videotaped. The thickness of the active layer of permafrost was measured in a number of places. Vegetation mapping was done, as changes in vegetation can have a profound effect on the temperature of the ground by changing the snow depth. Thicker snow pack increases the average annual temperature of the ground, resulting in a reduction of the permafrost that binds the soil together. Nearshore profiles of the underwater slope adjacent to threatened locations will be created from the echo sounding that was done.

All of the information will be used to produce detailed maps showing the distribution of landscape features and vegetation at the site that are sensitive to change. Once the maps of coastal and landscape sensitivity are constructed, a monitoring plan can be developed which targets high risk locations. This information is essential for cultural resource managers who must assess the impacts to cultural remains at Kitigaaryuit from erosion and slumping that are both natural and human induced.