Local Community Champion Driving Economic Development Through Cultural Preservation

Upon first meeting David Kattegatsiak of Chesterfield Inlet, Nunavut, he seems like your regular Economic Development Officer. But David’s desire to bring meaningful benefits to his community and passion to preserve local heritage and culture are unquestionable and evident in every project that he undertakes.

CES has had the pleasure of working with David and the community of Chesterfield Inlet for the past 4 years. As somewhat of a new member of the CES team, the project that I have been most intimately involved with has been Chesterfield Inlet’s 5-Year Community Economic Development Plan. Throughout this project, I have experienced first-hand the drive and determination that David has to push projects forward to create lasting benefits for his community.

Chesterfield Inlet 2023: Community Economic Development Plan is based on providing realistic recommendations for social and economic development, that are based on the needs and opinions of community members. David’s intimate knowledge of local and territorial conditions has enabled CES to provide meaningful suggestions that are both feasible and achievable and will help Chesterfield move towards its community goals.

David is also championing Chesterfield Inlet’s efforts to develop sustainable cultural tourism and ecotourism. Chesterfield Inlet’s beautiful community website is attractive, inviting and illustrates a true representation of what the community has to offer. The professionally developed site allows potential visitors to see the ‘real Chesterfield’ and immerse themselves in beautiful photos of the community’s arctic landscapes, history and get acquainted with some of Chesterfield’s warm and welcoming community members.

It is no secret that one of David’s passions is his home community’s history and heritage. Another one of David’s notable projects is the preservation of the community’s historical sites and heritage buildings. Chesterfield Inlet possesses some remarkable ancient Thule sites, that were inhabited by the ancestors of the modern-day Inuit. These heritage sites include the remains of ancient homes, fox traps, food caches and kayak stands all made from stones. The community’s archaeological treasures and historical sites have inspired David to pursue an Archaeological Mapping project that aims develop interpretive signage as well as an interactive map of the community’s heritage resources.

Chesterfield Inlet’s dedication to its cultural past does not stop at preserving its physical heritage resources. The knowledge of Elders and traditional Inuit traditional knowledge, referred to as Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is actively being preserved via the community’s digital storytelling project, Chesterfield Inlet Stories. It is here that the community’s history and contemporary culture is showcased through an interactive storytelling platform. The website and mobile app encourage community members to share their stories of hunting on the land, family and many other important aspects of Inuit life.

 

In Chesterfield Inlet the groundwork has been laid for a truly authentic and memorable cultural tourism destination and a big portion of the credit for this is owed to David. From the community’s historical walking tour to a  community-wide 5-year tourism strategy, David’s commitment to promote his culture and bring economic benefits to his community is undeniably strong and admirable.