Aukkaaniq - Open areas in spring

Indigenous Knowledge

Aukkaaniq ᐊᐅᒃᑳᓂᖅ
‘ᓯᑯ ᐅᐱᕐᖓᑦᓵᒥ ᐊᐅᑉᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᖅ ᓱᑲᑦᑐᒥᒃ.  ᐊᑦᑕᓇᑐᐹᓗᒃ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᕕᒋᓗᒍ.  ᓴᕐᕙᒧ ᖃᓂᒐᔪᑦᑐᖅ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᓂᖏᑦ ᓴᙱᓂᖅᓴᐅᒻᒪᑕ.  ᓇᖏᐊᕐᓇᖅᓯᒐᐃᒻᒪᑦ. [ᐊᐅᒃᑳᓐ, ᐊᐅᒃᑲᕐᓂᖅ, ᓴᖅᕙᖅ]
Areas where the ice starts wearing out, melting, earlier than others in the spring time (April or May); these areas quickly become unsafe to travel through; often located near or around a sarva or other areas with stronger currents (the condition resulting from aukkaajuq) [variations: aukkaan, aukkarniq – sometimes referred to as a sarva, depending on dialect or context]’ (North/South Qikiqtaaluk, Inuit Siku Atlas)

Aukaajuk ᐊᐅᑳᔪᒃ
'An area that opens early in the spring, due to warmth and currents, could be where ikirasait had frozen over or be new areas.' (Sanikiluaq Siku Terminology Workshop, 2018)