The Creation of Nunavut.

Who: The Inuit people of northern Canada and the Canadian government.

What: The creation of the territory of Nunavut.

When: April 1st 1999.

Where: Nunavut is bordered by Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea on the east side, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to their south, and the Northwest Territories on the west coast. It covers 777,000 square miles which is almost 20% of all of Canada. Nunavut is larger than Alaska.

Why: Nunavut was the result of the largest successful Aboriginal land claims agreement between the Canadian government and the Inuit.

The creation of Nunavut has helped greatly in the relations of Aborignials and the Canadian government. The creation has allowed thousands of Inuit to live happily free of reserves or 'European' origin ways. Although many Inuit say they have been presented land that was rightfully theirs. I can only say that I am happy the territory of Nunavut is what it is today. The Inuit people, who make up 83% of the population dubbed it Nunavut meaning "our land" in the language of Inuktitut. Those who live there can live as close to their ancestors ways as possible. Way up north I'd think we would all be closest to the spiritual world. Under their own self-government I believe Nunavut, and most of Northern Canada will stay as wondrous as it is now for quite a while. It is soothing to know that such a place still exists; a place where the vast emptiness gives vertigo and the utter silence is deafening.