The nearest community, Kugluktuk, Nunavut, is 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast.[1] The traditional campsite at the falls is known as Onoagahiovik ("the place where you stay all night") because it's a good fishing area.[1]
History
Canoers' campsite during portage around rapids
Historically, this area was occupied by the Kogluktogmiut subgroup of Copper Inuit[3] dating back to 1500 CE. Previously, it was occupied by Paleo-Inuit around 1300 BCE and then by Indigenous caribou hunters between 500 BCE and 500 CE.[4]
In 1978, the portion of the Territorial Park northwest of the Coppermine River was designated the Bloody Falls National Historic Site of Canada, as the archaeological remains of pre-contact hunting and fishing sites in the area form a record of the presence of Pre-Dorset, Thule, First Nation and Inuit peoples over the last 3000 years.[5]
In 1996, Dene and Inuit met to hold a healing ceremony to reconcile their historical differences.[1]