During the festival, the unique culture of the Canadian Arctic takes center stage. Traditional activities include igloo building, Inuit games, seal skinning contests, dog team races, and fishing. Other modern celebratory activities include snowmobile races, scavenger hunts, and craft fairs.
The term Toonik Tyme comes from “Toonik,” a member of the ancient Tuniit people. The Tuniit people lived in Greenland and the eastern Canadian Arctic long before the modern Inuit people and were considered to be superior hunters and gatherers.
Although the Tuniit people disappeared about 600 years ago, their strong legacy is remembered through oral tradition and the Toonik Tyme festival.
Find out more about this holiday at the official Toonik Tyme website.
