November 7th, 2022

Today, November 7, is International Inuit Day. International Inuit Day is an opportunity to celebrate, listen to, and learn from Inuit from across the North. It is a day to honour the rich contributions and vibrant ways of knowing and being of Inuit across the globe.

In 2006, the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) declared that November 7th, the birth date of ICC visionary, Eben Hopson Sr., will be recognized annually as “International Inuit Day”. Eben Hopson was the founder of the Inuit Circumpolar Council. The ICC represents the approximately 165,000 Inuit across the North, in places commonly known as Canada, the United States, Greenland and Russia. You can learn about Inuit Day, and the ICC, here.

Did You Know

• The word “Inuit” means “people”. When referring to Inuit, please note the following:
  • Inuk = individual
  • Inuuk = two individuals
  • Inuit = many people
• It is incorrect to say “Inuit people” because that would be like saying “the people people”.
• Most Inuit in the place commonly known as Canada live in 51 communities spread across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador).
  • This vast arctic region is called Inuit Nunangat. It encompasses roughly 35 percent of Canada’s landmass and 50 percent of its coastline.
• About a quarter of the Inuit population lives outside of the Inuit Nunangat region.
• You can learn more about the Inuit in the place commonly known as Canada here.