Nakasuk

Who is Nakasuk?

Nakasuk was an Inuk who was born at a sealing camp near Pangnirtung, Nunavut in the early 20th century and grew up around Kimmirut. He assisted a US Navy party wintering on Baffin Island during the 1941-1942 winter to find a suitable location for a US air base. During World War II, the United States constructed a chain of airfields connecting the United States to the United Kingdom via Arctic Canada, Greenland and Iceland.

The site they selected is the location of the modern community of Iqaluit. Nakasuk remained at the site to assist the Americans in establishing their base, and settled there permanently after its completion, becoming Iqaluit's first permanent resident. He is therefore remembered as the founder of Iqaluit, and Nakasuk Elementary School is named in his honour.

His name means "bladder" in Inuktitut.