Nain Nunajnguk |
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Inuit community | |
Nain as viewed from Mt. Sophie, September 2011.
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Location of Nain in the province | |
Coordinates: 56°32′32″N 61°41′34″W / 56.54222°N 61.69278°WCoordinates: 56°32′32″N 61°41′34″W / 56.54222°N 61.69278°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Newfoundland and Labrador |
Region | Nunatsiavut |
Settled | 1771 |
Government | |
• Type | Inuit Community Government |
• Mayor (AngajukKâk) | Joe Dicker |
• Federal MP | Yvonne Jones (L) |
• Provincial MHA | Randy Edmunds (L) |
• Nunatsiavut Assembly members | Sean Lyall Richard Pamak |
Area | |
• Total | 94.58 km2 (36.52 sq mi) |
Elevation | 11 m (36 ft) |
Population (2014) | |
• Total | 1,424 |
• Density | 12.6/km2 (33/sq mi) |
Time zone | AST (UTC-4) |
• Summer (DST) | Atlantic Daylight Saving Time (UTC-3) |
Postal code span | A0P |
Area code(s) | 709 |
Nain or Naina (Inuit: Nunajnguk) is the northernmost permanent settlement in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, located about 370 kilometres by air from Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The town was established as a Moravian mission in 1771 by Jens Haven and other missionaries. As of 2011, the population is 1,424 mostly Inuit and mixed Inuit-European.
Nain was first established in 1771 by Moravian missionaries. It is among the oldest permanent Inuit settlements in Canada, most communities in Nunavut and Nunavik were settled in the 1950s or later. It is also the oldest continuously-inhabited community in Labrador after North West River. Nain has also been called "Nonynuke", "Nuninock" and "Nunaingoakh". The missionaries also establishes posts in Hopedale and areas in the north such as Hebron and Okak. The first Inuk to be baptized in Nain was a man named Kingminguse who took the name "Petrus" after conversion and then returned to southern Labrador where he used the name "Petrus Kingminguse" and died in 1800. Many Inuit in the south traveled to the Moravian posts in the north to be baptized and then returned to the south. The Moravians established posts only in northern areas since the Colony of Newfoundland hoped to colonize southern Labrador. In 1773, it was claimed that over 250 Inuit lived in Nain. In 1893, Nain's residents adopted patrilineal surnames at the request of Newfoundland courts. Many people took names of the missionaries (such as "Kohlmeister" and Townley") while others chose traditional names such as "Aggek", "Karpik", "Mitsuk" and "Nochasak".
In 1959, residents of Hebron and Nutak resettled to Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The relocation had a huge impact on residents of Hebron and Nutak since the land in Nain (and other communities) was very different (resulting in difficulties when hunting) and many families were divided. Poverty and alcoholism has affected many of the families that originated in Hebron and Nutak. The provincial government apologized for the relocations in 2005.