Government Information presents its newest featured resource: Pan Inuit Trails Atlas.
Viewers of this atlas can explore the source maps to better understand Inuit mobility patterns and the cultural importance of their trails and place names.
Place names and trails are integral parts of Inuit culture and heritage. Inuit have used place names to describe different features of the land, water, and ice since time immemorial. Place names are often (but not always) descriptive of the features they are associated with, including lakes, hills, rocks, caribou passes, ice ridges, bays, islands, etc. The names are linked to places of significance, often denoting important fishing and hunting areas and camps. They are also used to describe routes of travel, and in that sense many of them are connected to well-established trails and routes.