Traditionally, Labrador Inuit lived in extended family units, place-groups or bands that occupied the bays and inlets of the northern Labrador coast. Among the larger Inuit population, individual bands were named for the bay or inlet they called home. Within Inuit culture, there has always been a strong sense of family and a fundamental belief in the equality of men and women, though traditionally men and women had different responsibilities and different roles.

Inuit culture has also had a long tradition of welcoming innovation, respecting and encouraging those who find a better way to do things.

Although the early Labrador Inuit lived mainly on the north coast, they travelled widely to harvest the resources of the land and sea. Before European settlement, they ranged from Cape Chidley to the island of Newfoundland, where the archaeological record confirms their presence on the Northern and Baie Verte Peninsulas. It was during these travels, to the Straits of Belle Isle in the mid-16th century, that they first made contact with Basque whalers. For over 200 years, Labrador Inuit would travel south to follow animal migrations and to trade with the seasonal, but growing, European population. Despite this contact, little was known about the Inuit way of life until the 1760s.

Winds of Change
A New Beginning