Uluhaktok, NT

Christ the King

The Roman Catholic Church in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, has been part of the community’s spiritual and social life for many decades, woven into the broader history of this remote Arctic settlement. Ulukhaktok, formerly known as Holman, is an Inuvialuit community located on the west coast of Victoria Island. Life there has long been shaped by the land, the sea, and strong kinship networks, and the arrival of Christian missions in the twentieth century became one of several influences that helped shape the community’s modern history.

The Catholic presence in Ulukhaktok began in the late 1930s, shortly after the settlement itself was established. Missionaries traveled great distances under harsh conditions to serve Inuit families who were beginning to gather more permanently in the area. The mission that developed there eventually became known as Christ the King Parish.

From its earliest years, the Catholic church in Ulukhaktok was more than a place for Sunday worship. It functioned as a center of community life, offering sacramental celebrations, prayer, and pastoral care while also supporting education, social organization, and economic initiatives. Missionaries who served in Ulukhaktok often learned local languages and developed close relationships with families, becoming familiar figures in daily life. Some were involved in supporting local enterprises, including early cooperative efforts that helped community members sustain themselves economically through traditional skills and crafts.

Over time, the Catholic Church in Ulukhaktok has existed alongside strong Indigenous traditions and evolving cultural practices. Its history is part of the wider and often complex story of Christian missions in the Arctic, marked by both sincere faith and the need for ongoing reflection and reconciliation. Within the community, however, the church has remained a place where people gather for important moments of life, offering comfort, continuity, and a sense of shared identity.

Today, the Roman Catholic church in Ulukhaktok is no longer served by the diocese but has been handed over to the community. The plan is for the church to be turned into a museum, standing as a quiet witness to perseverance and faith in one of Canada’s most remote communities. Rooted in the past yet carried forward by the commitment of local people, it remains a small but meaningful presence in the spiritual landscape of the western Arctic.