Headstones in Iqaluit and Nunavut: Permafrost, Sealift and Inuktitut

Iqaluit, Nunavut's capital on Frobisher Bay, and the territory's other communities are built on permafrost, with no road connection to the south. Memorials need careful planning — and many families want inscriptions in Inuktitut syllabics.

Cemetery rules in Nunavut

Cemeteries in Nunavut are mostly run by municipalities, communities and churches, each with its own rules on memorial size, materials and installation. Get those rules in writing, ask who installs and when, and submit your design for approval before production. Our cemetery headstone rules guide has a checklist of questions.

Permafrost

Permafrost shifts as it freezes and thaws. Many families choose flat or low markers, or follow the community's preferred way of setting monuments. Ask the hamlet or city office before you order.

Sealift and air cargo

Heavy goods reach Nunavut by sealift in the short summer shipping season, or by air cargo at higher cost. Order early so the stone can go on the sealift.

Inuktitut syllabics

Inscriptions can include names and words in Inuktitut syllabics alongside English or French. Provide the exact text and have a fluent speaker check the proof.

Arctic designs

Inukshuks, qulliit (seal-oil lamps), polar bears, ravens and the northern lights are meaningful designs for many Nunavut families, ideally chosen with the family and community.

Factory-direct to Iqaluit

Marwaa Memorials manufactures in our own factory and delivers door-to-door across Canada under DAP terms, with freight, customs and duties included — so the price you approve is the price delivered. Plan the design in our Design Studio, request a quote, or call our Canada team via the contact page. Read how DAP delivery works.

Local pages: Iqaluit and our Nunavut headstone guide.