The community of Rigolet

Rigolet (population 300, 95% identify as Aboriginal) is the Southern-most Inuit community in Nunatsiavut. Rich in land and sea life, Rigolet enjoys harvesting the abundance in the area: salmon, char, trout, seals, wild berries, and medicinal plants. In the 18th Century, Hamilton Inlet became host to European explorers and traders, and in 1743 Louis Fornel landed near the present day Rigolet and established Rigolet’s first trading post. Rigolet has also been very proactive with research projects in recent years, and has established the ‘My Word:’ Storytelling and Digital Media Lab to lead and conduct Inuit-led and Inuit owned research and participatory media. Through this Lab and its equipment, Rigolet is able to travel to other communities to conduct digital storytelling, PhotoVoice, and participatory video workshops, train other communities in these techniques, conduct research, and train others in research design and delivery. Rigolet has become a leader of community-directed and community-engaged participatory research, particularly concerning climate change and health, across the Canadian North.