Fireworks and prayer ushered in the creation of Canada's newest territory yesterday, a vast Arctic region plagued with social problems the native Inuit hope they will now be able to conquer.
In the first redrawing of Canada's maps in 50 years, the territory of Nunavut was split off from the Northwest Territories at the stroke of midnight to become the country's third territory, covering one-fifth of Canada's land mass, from Hudson Bay to Ellesmere Island on the Arctic Ocean.
After an inter-denominational service and then fireworks over the frozen Frobisher Bay off the capital Iqaluit, with a windchill of 46C, judges with seal-fur sashes were sworn in as the first official act.
"The justice system we have today never quite worked with us," the new Minister of Justice, Mr Jack Anawak, told the earlymorning ceremony. "It was not culturally appropriate. It was imposed without our participation."
"We're going to be in a position to solve some of our own problems," said Mr Paul Okalik, the Prime Minister of Nunavut, which means "Our Land" in Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit.
Ottawa will pour in about C$800 million a year into Nunavut - at an average cost of C$30,000 per resident. On top of that it has pledged more than C$1 billion over 14 years for a land claim settlement that is part of the overall deal.
Geography presents a particular challenge. From the western edge of Nunavut to the eastern tip of Baffin Island opposite Greenland is as far as London to Istanbul. There are only 21 km of roads between towns - the rest require flights that can cost as much as C$2,300.
Government officials and others feel they will be better able to provide for, educate and inspire the people than the government of Northwest Territories, based in Yellowknife - 1,800 km west of Nunavut's capital Iqaluit.
"Yellowknife had no idea whom it was serving, to put it bluntly," commented an Inuk banker, Mr James Arreak, who says Nunavut's creation has brought hope and renewal for the Inuit.