Naujaat, Nunavut
Naujaat is a Kivalliq hamlet in Nunavut’s Kivalliq region, on Repulse Bay near the Arctic Circle. The Inuktitut name means “seagull nesting place,” referring to nearby cliffs where birds nest in early summer.
For visitors, Naujaat is an Arctic Circle community with Aivilingmiut history, carving, bird cliffs, polar-bear and marine-wildlife context, Hudson Bay weather, and access planning connected to Ukkusiksalik National Park.
How Naujaat Started
The people of the Naujaat area are Aivilingmiut, and Travel Nunavut connects their history to Thule/Inuit ancestors, walrus hunting and travel around the Melville Peninsula and Repulse Bay region. The older English name, Repulse Bay, came from British exploration. Travel Nunavut attributes it to Christopher Middleton’s 1742 search for the Northwest Passage, when the bay proved not to be the route he wanted.
The Inuktitut name gives the community a more local identity. Naujaat refers to a nesting place for seagulls, and the nearby cliffs remain part of the visitor story. The Nunavut Planning Commission also describes Naujaat as a place known for bird cliffs, carving and access toward Ukkusiksalik National Park.
The present settlement grew from trade, services and twentieth-century government programs. A Government of Nunavut community profile notes that Inuit from the area came into Repulse Bay for supplies and trading, and that a 1968 federal building program brought a school, houses for Inuit families and staff housing for government workers.
The public name changed officially from Repulse Bay to Naujaat in 2015. The change matters for travellers because the community’s current identity is not simply an English chart name on Hudson Bay. It is a Kivalliq hamlet whose name, carving, land use and visitor appeal are tied to local Inuit knowledge of the coast.
What Naujaat Is Like Today
Statistics Canada counted 1,225 people in Naujaat in 2021. It is a fly-in hamlet with local government, school, airport, health services, community facilities, annual sealift and a strong harvesting and carving identity.
The townsite sits near the northwestern end of Hudson Bay, where the landscape includes rolling hills, inlets, tundra flats, bird cliffs and lakes. Travel Nunavut emphasizes the Arctic Circle setting, while Parks Canada places Ukkusiksalik National Park around Wager Bay, with tundra, wildlife and archaeological sites connected to Inuit travel over thousands of years.
Naujaat is known for carving in bone, ivory and stone. The Nunavut Planning Commission identifies the community’s innovative Inuit carvers as a major point of local identity. For visitors, that means art is not an add-on; it is one of the most direct ways to understand the community’s present-day skill and economy.
Wildlife and weather shape the visitor rhythm. Marine mammals, polar bears, birds, caribou and seasonal fishing all appear in official sources, but access to land and water depends on local guidance, permits where needed, and current conditions.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
Start in the community with local orientation, carving contacts and the shoreline. Ask about current artists, available carvings, community events, visitor rules and whether any local guide or outfitter is available during your dates.
The bird cliffs are an important local travel theme. They connect directly to the name Naujaat, and they are best approached with respect for nesting birds, weather, terrain and community guidance.
The townsite itself is part of the experience. A first visit can include the shoreline, community buildings, views over Repulse Bay, conversations about carving, and a sense of how supplies, school, airport, sealift and harvesting all fit into a small Arctic Circle hamlet.
Ukkusiksalik National Park is the major protected-area anchor. Parks Canada describes Wager Bay country with polar bears, wolves, caribou, archaeological sites, tent rings, food caches and guided boating or hiking opportunities. Trips into the park require advance planning, licensed support, safety briefings and flexibility.
For regional logistics, Rankin Inlet often functions as a Kivalliq service and flight hub, but Naujaat is not a quick add-on from a highway route. It needs its own travel plan, with weather days and local arrangements built in.
Quick Facts
- Territory: Nunavut
- Region: Kivalliq
- Municipality type: Hamlet
- 2021 census population: 1,225
- Official website: https://repulsebay.ca/
- Former name: Repulse Bay
- Main travel areas: Naujaat townsite, Repulse Bay shoreline, bird cliffs, carving contacts, Ukkusiksalik National Park access context
- Key routes: Naujaat Airport, annual sealift, local roads, guided boating, snowmobile and ATV routes
Travel Notes
Naujaat is reached by air. Confirm accommodations, guide availability, park logistics, community contacts and weather expectations before travelling.
Ukkusiksalik plans need extra care. Park travel may involve aircraft, boats, licensed outfitters, polar-bear safety, permits and rapid weather changes around Wager Bay.
Buy art respectfully. Ask who made the work, how to pay, and whether shipping or packing is available. A good Naujaat visit supports local makers and treats the land and wildlife around the community as lived territory.
Weather days belong in the plan.