Makkovik NL Newfoundland-Labrador Canada
Frequently Asked Questions
By Zodiac, depending on weather and swell; schedules stay flexible. This north Labrador coast village is reachable only by sea, by air, or by snowmobile once winter sets in.
About 400 people, in a mixed community of Inuit and descendants of European settlers. Makkovik is part of Nunatsiavut, the autonomous Inuit territory of Labrador.
A visit to the White Elephant museum, a walk through the village and a short guided hike on the tundra hills fill the stop. Depending on the call, residents greet passengers with tea, fried dough or singing.
The local museum, in a large white building from 1915 built as a boarding school and so little used for that purpose that residents nicknamed it 'the white elephant'. More than 200 objects tell the story of life on this coast.
A Norwegian settler, Torsten Andersen, who established himself here in 1859 for the fur trade and fishing. Moravian missionaries joined the community in the late 19th century, leaving white churches and musical traditions.
Yes, in Inuktitut, and they remain part of life across Nunatsiavut. That double root, Inuit and European, also shows in family names, trades and elders' stories.
Yes, directly from the artisans: embroidery, mittens and hand-sewn sealskin items. Purchases are often cash only, so bring small bills before going ashore.
In early summer, yes: they come down the Labrador Current along the route sailors nickname iceberg alley. Whales also pass regularly through these cold waters.
Warm and waterproof clothing, essential even at the height of summer. The bare rock hills and tundra hollows give no shelter, and the Zodiac landing gets wet.
No, and it helps to arrive with that in mind. You are entering a place where people live: Arctic char fishing and hunting still set the rhythm of the seasons. Respect for the place and its people comes before everything else.
