Nunatop
Since 1983, Avataq has led the Nunatop Project, preserving and promoting Inuit place names across Nunavik. This initiative began after the 1981 Elders’ Conference. Concerns were raised about the survival of Inuit culture and language, highlighting the urgent need to protect oral traditions like toponymy.
Inuit place names reflect a deep knowledge of the land, often describing geographic features and embodying stories, experiences, and legends. Passed down orally for generations, they are essential to Inuit heritage and identity.
§ 01 · 1985 to 2024
Recorded with Elders and land users
Working closely with partners like Makivvik, Avataq has conducted interviews with Elders and land users from 1985 to 2024. These efforts have recorded, verified, and enriched nearly 8,000 names, while also collecting valuable land-use knowledge.
§ 02 · Toponymic Maps
The Nunatop 50K Map Series.
This database supports the creation of toponymic maps shared with municipal offices, landholding corporations, Kativik Ilisarniliriniq, Air Inuit, and others. The flagship Nunatop 50K Map Series — 648 maps at a 1:50,000 scale — provides detailed coverage of Nunavik. Other map sets offer varied formats and scales to ensure broad access.
~8,000
Place names recorded
648
Maps in the 50K series
1:50,000
Scale
§ 03 · Living tradition
Toponymy remains a living tradition. As land users continue to share their knowledge, Avataq remains dedicated to sustaining and expanding this cultural legacy.
