Kinngait, Nunavut: History, Things to Do and Travel Guide
Kinngait is a Dorset Island hamlet in Nunavut’s Qikiqtaaluk region, at the southwestern tip of Baffin Island. The community was widely known as Cape Dorset until its official name changed to Kinngait, a name commonly translated as “mountains” or “where the hills are.”
Kinngait is one of Canada’s most important Inuit art communities. The travel story belongs to artists, printmakers, carvers, Kinngait Studios, Dorset Island, Malijuaq Territorial Park, cruise-ship visits, coastal wildlife and the archaeological record of Dorset, Thule and Inuit use.
How Kinngait Started
Travel Nunavut describes Kinngait as a place inhabited by Indigenous peoples for about 3,000 years. Several archaeological sites connected to the Dorset people, also called Tuniit or Sivullirmiut, were found in the area. Thule ancestors of Inuit later lived here, and Inuit knew the location as Sikusiilaq, referring to nearby seawater that stays ice-free through winter.
The English name Cape Dorset was given in 1631 by explorer Luke Foxe, who named it after his sponsor, Edward Sackville, the Earl of Dorset. The Hudson’s Bay Company founded a trading post in 1913, bringing the fur-trade economy into an area already shaped by hunting, fishing, coastal travel and seasonal camps.
The modern art story began in the 1950s. Dorset Fine Arts says Kinngait Studios has released annual catalogued print collections every year since 1959 and is the longest continuously running print studio in Canada. James Houston’s work with local artists helped establish the printmaking program, while local stone, carving skill and graphic traditions shaped a visual language that became known far beyond Nunavut.
What Kinngait Is Like Today
Kinngait is a hamlet with a 2021 census population of 1,396. Its economy and public identity are closely tied to drawing, printmaking, carving, co-operative art production, community services, flights, cruise visits and local land use.
The West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative, also known as the Kinngait Co-operative, is central to that identity. West Baffin describes the co-operative as an Inuit-owned organization in Kinngait known for buying, producing and selling Inuit artwork, with Kinngait Studios and the printmaking studio housed in the Kenojuak Cultural Centre and Print Shop.
The setting is coastal and compact. Dorset Island has rolling ground, nearby tidal crossings, exposed rock, water, birds, marine mammals and trails that link the townsite to places with older structures and hunting history.
Kinngait also has a modern municipal rhythm. Visitors will see a small hamlet with schools, recreation facilities, municipal offices, stores, gravel roads, airport movement and family travel on the land. The art reputation is international, but the place itself is still a working Nunavut community where studio access, events and public hours can change with local needs.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
Start with art. Kinngait Studios, West Baffin Co-operative, drawings, prints, sculpture and local artists are the main reasons many travellers know the community. Visitor access depends on current hours, community schedules and local protocols, so confirm before arrival.
Malijuaq Territorial Park is the main protected-area link. Nunavut Parks describes it as two rocky islands, Malijuaq and Dorset Island, separated by a narrow stretch of water. The park includes Dorset and Thule history, remains of houses with bowhead-whalebone roof supports, stone structures, fox traps, inuksuit, trails, a waterfall, a lake and low-tide access that must be timed carefully.
Wildlife and landscape are part of the visit, but they should not overshadow the community’s art. Travel Nunavut notes caribou, seabirds, whales, seals and walruses around Dorset Island and Malijuaq. Any land, boat or low-tide route should be planned with local guidance.
Flights often connect through Iqaluit, and weather can affect both visitor schedules and art-focused trips. Kinngait is small enough to move slowly, but important enough to plan deliberately.
Cruise visits can make the community feel busy for a short window. Independent travellers should avoid assuming that cruise-day services, galleries or guides will be available on a normal weekday. Confirm contacts directly and give yourself time to adjust if weather changes flights or local plans.
Quick Facts
- Territory: Nunavut
- Region: Qikiqtaaluk
- Municipality type: Hamlet
- 2021 census population: 1,396
- Official website: https://kinngait.net/
- Main travel areas: Kinngait townsite, Kinngait Studios, Kenojuak Cultural Centre and Print Shop, Dorset Island, Malijuaq Territorial Park and local coastal trails
- Key routes: Kinngait Airport, local roads and trails, boat access, snowmobile routes and flights through Iqaluit
Travel Notes
Kinngait is reached by air. Build flexibility into schedules, especially if the trip depends on studio visits, art purchases, cruise timing, park access or onward flights.
Do not treat archaeological places as casual photo props. Nunavut Parks stresses that sites and artifacts are protected, and visitors should avoid moving stones, disturbing structures or entering sensitive areas without guidance.
For art, ask before photographing artists, works in progress or studio spaces. Buying through reputable local or co-operative channels helps keep the value of the visit connected to the community that made the work.