IND U S T RY P ROF ILE
A screen capture of the Kitikmeot Place Name Atlas
Can an online geographic application
like the Place Name Atlas realistically play
a role in maintaining traditional Inuit
geographical knowledge? This is a question
that has ultimately guided both the design
and development of the Atlas. A distinct
strength of the Atlas lies in its potential
to be constantly updated and improved.
The Atlas allows for user submissions
to its database, encouraging local elders
and land users to upload and share their
knowledge about the land.
The Place Name Atlas
The database currently contains over 1,400
named places, many of which have associated stories and historical details. A recent
addition to the Atlas enables it to integrate photosphere images taken at named
sites, allowing Atlas users an immersive
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360-degree perspective of the landscape
that surrounds the place of interest. The
KHS is currently working on the creation
of virtual ‘walk-throughs’ to enhance the
remote experience of navigating a site,
and aspires to create GPS applications to
provide actual land travellers with the
names and knowledge surrounding their
physical location.
While the KHS recognizes that the
Place Name Atlas will never replace the
firsthand experience of visiting traditional
places, they see the Atlas as a valuable
tool for recording and documenting place
name knowledge for future generations in
a manner that remains true to Inuit understandings of how and why their landscape is
important. As they continue to expand the
user interface of the Atlas, they hope that it
serves as a catalyst for bringing more young
Inuit back to the land that remains such an
integral part of their cultural identity.
The Kitikmeot Place Name Atlas can
be accessed on the Kitikmeot Heritage
Society’s website (kitikmeotheritage.ca) or
at (atlas.kitikmeot.ca).