Development of Mackenzie Inuit Culture

Prior to the appearance of Euroamericans and the cultural disruptions that followed in their wake, the western regions of the Canadian Arctic were occupied by Inuit groups who had strong affinities to specific home territories. Although each group had its own name, outside observers have applied the term “Mackenzie Inuit” to them collectively on the basis of shared cultural traits and their proximity to the Mackenzie River, whose resources first attracted them. Information from archaeology, historical records, and local oral histories is drawn upon to formulate an interpretive framework for the origins and development of Mackenzie Inuit over a period spanning 500 to 600 years.