The Inuit way of life began some 10,000 years ago in the Bering Strait. The Inuit's early ancestors are believed to be the second major group of migratory settlers to cross the Bering land bridge. As part of the Aleut Eskimo language family the Inuit migrated across the bridge and by 8,500 B.C. are believed to have established several coastal villages around the Bering Strait area. During this time the Inuit population began to thrive, due in no small part to the abundance of food in that area, and in doing so needed more land to sustain the growing population. The Inuit undertook another mass migration splitting into several sub-groups, or bands, and heading in different directions. The exact date of this migration can only be speculated. The Inuit are believed to have migrated north along the coast and possibly inland towards large rivers and valleys.
Their way of life must have been very successful for the Inuit undertook yet another migration around the time of 5000 BC, spreading eastward from Alaska and into what is now known as the Northwest Territories. This group of people, called the "Sivullirmuit" (meaning first people) by the Inuit's and the 'Dorset' by archaeologists, spread eastward across Canada settling as far east as the Belle Isle in Newfoundland. Above you will find a map showing the possible migratory routes across Canada the Inuit may have taken. Note the vast area covered in their travels. …
