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Hunters in two Nunavut communities have successfully caught bowhead whales and the spoils are already feeding residents.
It’s the first time Iqaluit and Sanirajak have gotten tags for bowhead whales in years. Sanirajak’s last bowhead hunt was in 2020, and Iqaluit’s was in 2022.
Daniel Nuyalia, with the Amaruq Hunters and Trappers Association in Iqaluit, said the hunt creates a feeling of pride and independence. He said it’s also important for food security.
“It feeds the whole community and some cannot afford food,” he said.
Plus, he said, it’s a great way to visit with the community.
“Get to see people together, gather,” Nuyalia said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
CBC followed some of the hunters earlier this month and captured the action.
A boat approaches Qaummaarviit Island, approximately 12 kilometres west of Iqaluit, where the caught bowhead was harvested. (Rafael Ferraz/CBC)
Hunter Jimmy Akavak drives a boat towards the site where the bowhead was harvested. (Rafael Ferraz/CBC)
Daniel Nuyalia, with the Amaruq Hunters and Trappers Association, speaks to community members outside the HTA office in Iqaluit. Hunters caught the bowhead on August 21. (Rafael Ferraz/CBC)
The caught bowhead whale, in the process of being harvested, rests in the water in front of Qaummaarviit Island on August 23, 2026. (Rafael Ferraz/CBC)
Some baleen plates and bowhead meat are pictured on the edge of Qaummaarviit Island, approximately 12 kilometres west of Iqaluit. Hunters took a number of days to harvest the whale at this site. (Raphael Ferraz/CBC)
CBC’s Qulliq host Lissie Anaviapik reported live from the bowhead harvest site on August 23, 2026. (Kimberly Ivany/CBC)
Iqaluit hunters and volunteers gather in front of Qaummaarviit Island two days after a bowhead was caught in Frobisher Bay, Nunavut. (Kimberly Ivany/CBC)
Watch Sanirajak hunters net a bowhead whale: