Nunatsiavut

In July 2009, a cruise along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador was our introduction to Nunatsiavut («Our beautiful land»), the land of the Inuit of Labrador. We received the most cordial welcomes in the villages of Makkovik and Nain, were moved by the story of the abandoned mission of Hebron and were filled with wonder by environment and the spectacular landscapes of the Torngat Mountains National park.

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  • The community of Makkovik is located at the latitude 55° 07' N on the coast of Labrador. Although the inuits have been living in the area for thousands of years, the “official” creation of the community goes back to 1860 when a trading post settled here. In 1896, the Moravians established a mission thus ensuring colonization.

  • Nain, located at the latitude 56º 30' N was the very first mission established by the Moravian missionaries in Labrador (in 1771). The community occupies the northern side of Unity Bay and approximately 50km separates it from the Labrador Sea. It is the largest (1 250 inhabitants) and the northernmost community in Labrador.

  • The Moravian mission of Hebron was established in 1831. Located at the latitude of 58º 12' N it was the northernmost settlement in Labrador until the day in 1959 when the Moravian church and the provincial government officials decided to close the settlement without first consulting with the local population.

  • The Torngat mountains (Torngait, in the Inuktitut language meaning «place inhabited by the spirits») is a mountain range located at the northern tip of the Labrador peninsula. In 2005, Parks Canada established the Torngat Mountains National Park to protect the wild nature of this area where inuits have been living for thousands of years.

  • Here are some photographs taken along the coast of Labrador. Tho photographs showing a superb orange sky were taken between 2:30AM and 4:00AM.