Above & Beyond | Canada's Arctic Journal September-October 2014

CANADA’S ARCTIC JOURNAL

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 • $ 5.95

Arctic Watercolour Voyages of Discovery Aboard the HMS Investigator

Plant Legacies From a Rock Hound

PM40050872

Nunavik Furs

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Brock Friesen / XÇ4 K‰n8

Dear Guest, While some of you went camping and enjoyed the beach this summer, others were out fishing, hiking or kayaking.

No matter your outdoor activity of choice, all of us embrace this time of year to be with family and friends, enjoying the midnight sun, out on the land with the wildlife and the gorgeous Arctic scenery building a lifetime of memories.

At First Air we are getting ready for the upcoming winter season when you are enjoying summer. Another winter is around the corner; in fact our most northern station, Resolute Bay, already had its first light snowfall in August!

Operating an airline in Canada's remote northern territories, with some of the harshest weather conditions, requires careful and advanced planning.

Take for example, de-icing. When temperatures drop, de-icing is a standard and quite frequent procedure. A plane's wings and rear tail are engineered with a very specific shape in order to provide proper lift for flight.

Snow and ice on these areas, changes their shape and disrupts the airflow across the surface, hindering the ability to create lift. Therefore, not just the removal of snow and ice, but also preventing build-up on the wings and tail of an airplane is crucial for a safe take-off.

To prepare for the de-icing process, inspections are done in summer, orders for fluid for the season are taken, repair is planned, new stairs and other equipment are ordered and shipped to the communities, all in advance of the start of the colder weather.

Planning and careful preparation are key to being a reliable airline. We know that you appreciate us operating in a safe and reliable manner. We are proud to share that First Air is among the top 40 airlines in the world recognized for best on-time performance in July, 2014. A truly remarkable achievement thanks to excellent preparation, our fantastic colleagues in operations and most importantly thanks to you for your contribution in being on-time for check-in and boarding ensuring an on-time departure.

We’re ready for the coming winter, not just in Resolute Bay, but across our network of 34 cities and communities.

Thank you for flying with us, I look forward to seeing you on-board one of our aircraft again soon.

Brock Friesen First Air President & CEO

Jobie Tukkiapik / JW bexW4

ᖃᖓᑕᓱᒥ ᐃᑭᒪᔪᓄᑦ,

ᐃᓚᐃᓯᒍᑦ ᐊᐅᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᓄᓇᒦᑦᑕᖅᑐᕐᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᓯ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᓗᒐᓛᕆᐊᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᓯ ᓯᒡᔭᒥ, ᐊᓯᖏᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐃᖃᓪᓕᕿᔭᖅᑐᕐᓯᒪᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ, ᐱᓱᕋᔭᒋᐊᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᖃᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᒥᐊᖅᑐᕆᐊᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ. ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᓃᕋᔭᒋᐊᖅᓯᒪᔾᔪᑎᖃᕋᓗᐊᕈᑦᑕ, ᑕᒪᑦᑕᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᐊᐅᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᖃᑎᐊᓗᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃᓗ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᖃᕆᐊᖅᓯᒪᕙᒃᑐᒍᑦ, ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᓐᓄᐊᒥ ᖃᐅᒪᐃᓐᓇᖅᐸᓐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᓃᕋᔭᖃᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᓄᓇᒥ ᐆᒪᔪᖅᑕᖃᐅᖅᑐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑑᑉ ᓄᓇᑦᑎᐊᕚᓗᖓᓃᑦᑕᖅᑐᕐᑐᑕ ᐃᖅᑲᐃᖃᑦᑕᒐᑦᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑭᖑᓂᐊᓂ ᓴᓇᕙᓪᓕᐊᕙᒃᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᕗᒍᑦ. ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᓐᓂ ᐸᕐᓇᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᓕᕐᒥᒐᑦᑕ ᐅᑭᐅᖑᓂᐊᖅᑐᒧᑦ ᐊᐅᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᓘᔭᖅᑎᓪᓗᓯ ᓱᓕ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᕙᑦᑕᑦᓯᓐᓂᒃ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᓵᓕᓂᐊᓕᕐᒥᒻᒪᑦ; ᓲᕐᓗᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᕐᑐᒥ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒃᑯᕕᖃᕐᕕᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᖃᐅᓱᐃᑦᑐᒥ, ᐅᒡᒍᑎ ᑕᖅᑭᐊᓂ ᖃᓐᓂᖃᑦᑕᓕᕇᕐᒪᑦ! ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒥᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᕙᓐᓂᕗᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᖓᑕ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑑᓂᖅᐹᖓᓂ, ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓂᒡᓚᓱᓐᓂᖅᐸᐅᕙᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᓯᓚᖃᖅᑐᒥ, ᐅᔾᔨᖅᓱᑦᑎᐊᕐᓗᑕ ᓯᕗᓂᒻᒪᕆᐊᓂᓗ ᐸᕐᓇᐃᕙᓪᓕᐊᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐸᑦᑐᒍᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖑᓂᐊᖅᑐᒧᑦ.

ᐆᒃᑑᑎᒋᓗᒍ ᐅᓇ ᓲᕐᓗ, ᓯᑯᐃᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐸᓐᓂᖅ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒥᒃ. ᐃᒃᑮᕐᓇᖅᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓯᓚ, ᓯᑯᐃᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐸᒻᒪᑕ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑯᓚᐃᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᓯᑯᐃᔭᖅᐸᒋᐊᖃᖅᑐᒋᑦ. ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑉ ᐃᓴᕈᖏᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖅᑯᐊᖓ ᖃᖓᑕᔾᔪᑎᓕᕐᓯᒪᕙᒻᒪᑕ ᐋᖅᑭᐅᒪᓂᖏᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑑᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᐸᒃᑐᑎᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᑦᑎᐊᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖁᓪᓗᒍ. ᐊᐱᓯᒪᓕᕐᓂᖅᐸᑕ ᓯᑯᖃᕐᓗᑎᒃᓗ ᖄᖓᒍᑦ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊᖏᑦ, ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᓯᒪᓕᕈᑎᐅᕙᒻᒪᑕ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑑᓂᖏᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓄᕆᐅᑉ ᐊᐅᓚᕙᓪᓕᐊᕙᓐᓂᖓ ᖄᖓᒍᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᑦᑎᐊᕈᓐᓃᖅᓴᕋᐃᑦᑑᕙᒻᒪᑦ, ᖃᖓᑦᑕᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᓄᑦ ᓱᒃᑲᐃᓕᑎᑦᑎᕙᒃᑐᑎᒃ. ᑕᐃᒪᓕ, ᐊᐳᑕᐃᔭᖅᑕᐅᒋᐊᖃᖅᐸᓐᓂᖏᑦ ᓯᑯᐃᔭᖅᑕᐅᒋᐊᖃᖅᐸᓐᓂᖏᓪᓗ ᑕᒡᕙᑦᓴᑑᕙᖖᒋᒻᒥᔪᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐃᓴᕈᖏᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᖅᑯᐊᓂᓗ ᐱᑕᖃᓗᐊᓕᖅᑎᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᖃᖓᑦᑕᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖅ. ᐸᕐᓇᖕᓂᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓯᑯᐃᔭᐃᕈᑎᐅᕙᑦᑐᓄᑦ, ᐊᐅᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᕙᑦᑐᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦ, ᓯᑯᐃᔭᐃᔭᕈᑎᔅᓴᓄᑦ ᑯᕕᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑎᑭᓴᐃᕙᒌᖅᐸᒃᑐᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᖕᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖑᓂᐊᖅᑐᒧᑦ, ᐋᖅᑭᔅᓱᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᓪᓗ ᐸᕐᓇᒍᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᑎᒃ, ᒪᔪᕋᐅᑏᑦ ᓄᑖᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓪᓗ ᓴᓇᕐᕈᑎᔅᓴᐃᑦ ᑎᑭᓴᖅᑕᐅᕙᒌᖅᐸᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖅᑎᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᒋᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ, ᐃᒃᑮᕐᓇᖅᓯᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᓵᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᓯᓚᐅᑉ ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᕙᒌᕆᐊᖅᐸᖕᒪᑕ.

ᐸᕐᓇᒃᓯᒪᒋᐊᖅᐸᓐᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᖅᑭᐅᒪᑦᑎᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᒋᐊᖅᐸᓐᓂᖅ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᖃᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓄᑦ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᔪᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᕈᑎᐅᕙᒻᒪᑕ. ᖃᐅᔨᒪᒐᑦᑕ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖁᑎᕗᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᓂᒃ ᖃᓄᐃᖖᒋᑦᑎᐊᕐᑑᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᓚᕐᓇᖅᑑᕙᒐᑎᒃ ᖁᔭᓕᔾᔪᑎᒋᕙᒃᑲᑦᓯᐅᒃ. ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒻᒪᕆᒃᑐᒍᑦ ᕘᔅᑦ ᐃᐊᒃᑯᓐᓐᓂ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᖁᑎᕗᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᐸᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ 40-ᐅᔪᓂ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᕆᔭᐅᕙᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᓕᒫᒥ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᒻᒪᑕ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᓚᐅᖅᑐᑎᒃᓗ ᑭᖑᕙᕋᑎᒃ ᑎᑭᑎᑕᐅᕙᓐᓂᖏᓂᒃ ᔪᓚᐃ 2014-ᒥ. ᐃᓛᓪᓚᕆᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᑦᑎᐊᖅᐸᓐᓂᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᖁᔭᓕᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᒍᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᖅᐸᓐᓂᖏᓂᒃ, ᐊᔪᖖᒋᑦᑎᐊᒻᒪᕆᒃᑑᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᔨᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓂᐅᕙᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᑦᓯᓐᓄᑦ ᑭᖑᕙᕋᓯᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒃᑯᕕᒻᒦᑉᐸᓐᓂᑦᓯᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑭᔭᖅᑐᕈᓐᓇᖅᐸᓐᓂᑦᓯᓐᓄᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒧᑦ ᑭᖑᕙᕆᐊᖃᕐᓇᑎᒃ ᖃᖓᑦᑕᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᕙᓐᓂᖏᑕ. ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎᒋᓯᒪᓕᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖑᓂᐊᖅᑐᒧᑦ ᐱᔭᑦᓴᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ, ᖃᐅᓱᐃᑎᑐᒧᑐᐃᓐᓇᖖᒋᑦᑐᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ 34-ᖑᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᐸᐅᔭᒋᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᒋᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ. ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᑭᒪᕙᒃᑲᑦᓯ, ᖃᑯᒍᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᓂᕆᐅᒋᓂᐊᕆᕙᑦᓯ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᒫᕐᓂᑦᓯᓐᓂᒃ.

ᐸᕌᒃ ᕗᕇᓴᓐ ᕘᔅᑎᐊᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖅ & ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᒻᒪᕆᒃ

President, Makivik Corporation & Chairman, First Air xzJ6√6, mr=F4 fxS‰nzk5 x7m w4y?sb6, {5 wsf8k5 Président, Société Makivik et président du conseil, First Air

Chers invités, Pendant que certains d’entre vous faisaient du camping et profitaient de la plage cet été, d’autres étaient occupés à faire de la pêche, de la randonnée pédestre ou du kayak. Peu importe les activités de plein air, nous apprécions à ce temps-ci de l’année les rencontres entre familles et amis, et profitons du soleil de minuit sur le vaste territoire avec la faune et le magnifique paysage de l’Arctique, créant ainsi des souvenirs pour la vie.

Chez First Air, pendant que vous profitez de l’été, nous nous préparons à la prochaine saison hivernale. En effet, l’hiver arrive et, à notre aérogare la plus au nord, à Resolute Bay, une neige légère est tombée en août! L’exploitation d’une compagnie aérienne, dans les régions les plus éloignées du Nord du Canada et dans des conditions météorologiques les plus extrêmes, exige une planification attentive et très poussée.

Prenons, par exemple, le dégivrage. Quand la température baisse, le dégivrage est une procédure normale et très fréquente. Les ailes et la queue d’un aéronef sont conçues selon une forme très particulière pour assurer la portance du vol. La neige et la glace sur ces sections modifient leur forme, ce qui gêne le flux d’air et empêche la création de la portance. Il est donc nécessaire non seulement d’y enlever la neige et la glace, mais aussi de prévenir leur accumulation pour veiller à un décollage sécuritaire.

En vue des opérations de dégivrage, des inspections sont effectuées au cours de l’été, des commandes de produits fluides pour la saison sont passées, des réparations sont planifiées, de nouveaux escaliers ainsi que d’autres équipements sont commandés et expédiés aux collectivités, le tout en prévision du début du temps plus froid.

Une planification et une préparation attentive sont essentielles à la fiabilité aérienne. Nous savons que vous appréciez nos efforts pour assurer le fonctionnement sécuritaire et fiable de notre compagnie aérienne. Nous sommes fiers de vous informer que First Air a été reconnue comme l’une des 40 meilleures compagnies aériennes du monde en matière de ponctualité en juillet 2014. Cette réalisation vraiment remarquable peut être attribuée à une excellente préparation, à nos collègues efficaces dans le secteur de l’exploitation et surtout grâce à votre ponctualité à l’enregistrement et l’embarquement pour un décollage à l’heure.

Nous sommes prêts pour l’hiver qui s’annonce, non seulement à Resolute Bay, mais aussi dans l’ensemble de notre réseau de 34 villes et collectivités. Je vous remercie d’utiliser nos services, et il me tarde de vous rencontrer très bientôt sur l’un de nos aéronefs.

Brock Friesen Président-directeur général de First Air

ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᑎᑦᑕᕗᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᓃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ ᕘᔅᑎᐊ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᓕᕆᔨᒻᒪᕆᐅᑎᒃᑲᕕᐅᒃ.

We value your support and thank you for making First Air The Airline of the North.

Nous apprécions votre soutien et vous remercions de votre appui à First Air la ligne aérienne du Nord.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Publisher & Editor Tom Koelbel Advertising Doris Ohlmann (Ottawa) 613-257-4999 Circulation

15 The Arctic through Watercolour

Patt Hunter

With artist Frances Brann

Design Robert Hoselton, Beat Studios email: editor@arcticjournal.ca

For the past 15 years, Frances Brann has been painting watercolours both above and below the Arctic Circle, using her sailboat and full-time home, Snow Dragon II, as her studio. But it is the North with its unique low-level Arctic light and limited vegetation allowing her to study the bones of a landscape that keeps drawing her back. — Krystina Scheller

Toll Free: 1 • 877 • 2ARCTIC Volume 26, No. 5

CANADA’S ARCTIC JOURNAL

Voyages of Discovery Aboard the HMS Investigator

Plant Legacies From a Rock Hound

Nunavik Furs

PM40050872

The fateful voyage into the Arctic begins in London, England, in January 1850. The Royal Navy assembles a search party to find the Franklin Expedition that had left England in 1845.

In a hopeful attempt to gather information from Inuit about the possible fate of Franklin, an interpreter from Germany, 32-year-old Johann August Miertsching, is engaged.

— Mechtild Opel

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 • $ 5.95

Arctic Watercolour

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24 Voyages of Discovery

September/October 2014

31 Arctic Botany The National Herbarium’s collection of more than 1.2 million specimens of plants includes over 100,000 Arctic specimens of vascular plants, such as flowers, ferns and shrubs, as well as moss, lichens and algae. Some of these were collected by 19th century explorers. — Season Osborne

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QAQORTOQ, GREENLAND. FRANCES BRANN

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arcticjournal.ca Celebrating our 26th year as the popular In-flight magazine for First Air, The Airline of the North.

September/October 2014

9 NORTHERN YOUTH A Northern University

By Teevi Mackay 19 LIVING ABOVE & BEYOND 23 RESOURCES 37 COMMUNITY Arctic Berry Project

By Sarah Desrosiers 40 Nunavik Furs

By Isabelle Dubois

43 PROFILE Captain Toomey

By Season Osborne 47 NORTHERN BOOKSHELF 49 EXOTICA Yellowknife Airshow 50 INUIT FORUM

By Terry Audla

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September/October 2014

NORTHERN YOUTH

You can do it: Envision a Northern Canada University ᐊᔪᖖᒋᑦᑐᑎᑦ: ᑕᐅᑐᖖᒍᐊᕐᓗᒍ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᐅᑭᐅᑕᖅᑐᖓᓂ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒃᑕᖃᓕᕐᓂᖓ Ajunngittutit: Tautunnguarlugu Canada-up Ukiutaqtungani Silattuqsarviktaqalirninga

© MAKIVIK CORPORATION/LAINA GREY

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olitical will: it’s needed in order to make things happen. Without political will it is difficult to create change.

As a Jane Glassco Northern Fellow I am researching how a university in Canada’s North can finally come to fruition. With our geographical and Northern political reality, I believe a Northern university would need to be a multi-campus, much like the University of Alaska Fairbanks model. I also know that other circumpolar university models have structures and lessons to share with the North.

Northern campuses should include: the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut — as long as all jurisdictions work together to achieve this goal.

The need for a university in the North has been researched for decades. Kelly Black, a PhD candidate at Carleton University’s School of Canadian Studies with the Institute of Political Economy, wrote a forthcoming paper, Tracing the Idea of a Northern University: Competing Visions for Post-Secondary Education in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, 1945-1999. He presented this paper on May 24 at the 8th meeting of the International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences in Prince George, British Columbia.

September/October 2014

ᕙᒪᓕᕆᔪᒪᓂᖃᕐᓂᖅ: ᐱᓯᒪᑦᓯᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᔪᒪᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᓯᔾᔩᓯᒪᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᓐᓇᖁᓪᓗᒍ. ᒐᕙᒪᓕᕆᔪᒪᓂᖃᖖᒋᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᓪᓚᕆᒃᐸᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᓯᔾᔩᓯᒪᓕᕈᑎᔅᓴᓂᒃ ᓴᖅᑮᓯᒪᓕᕆᐊᒥᒃ. ᔭᐃᓐ ᑲᓛᔅᑰ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖃᑕᐅᓪᓗᖓ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᐃᓂᖃᕋᒪ ᖃᓄᖅ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒃᑕᖃᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᒋᐊᒥᒃ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᖓᓂ ᐱᑕᖃᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᓐᓇᕋᔭᕐᒪᖔᑕ. ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓗᒋᑦ ᓇᓂ ᓄᓇᖖᒍᐊᑎᒍᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᕆᐊᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᓕᕆᓂᕐᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑑᓂᖏᑕ, ᐃᓱᒪᕗᖓ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᑦ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖃᓕᕋᔭᕈᑎᒃ ᐊᒥᓱᐃᓕᖓᔪᒥᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᑕᖃᓕᕆᐊᖃᕋᓱᒋᓪᓗᒍ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᐊᓛᔅᑲᒥᐅᓂ ᕕᐅᕐᐸᐃᖕᔅᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖓᑎᑐᑦ. ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓪᓗᖓᓗ ᐊᓯᖏᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᓂ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖃᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᐅᒪᓂᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᒻᒪᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᔅᓴᓂᒃ ᐊᒥᖅᑲᖃᑎᖃᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᓄᑦ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐅᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᑯᓇᓂ ᐊᕕᑦᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᓃᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᕋᔭᕐᑐᑦ: ᔫᑳᓐ, ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᖅ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ, ᓄᓇᕕᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕗᑦ — ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᕕᒃᑐᖅᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᐃᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖃᑎᒌᑐᐊᕈᑎᒃ ᑖᑦᓱᒥᖓ ᑐᕌᕐᐅᔪᒪᔪᒧᑦ ᑎᑭᓯᒪᓕᕈᓐᓇᕋᔭᕐᒪᑕ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒃᑕᖃᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓ ᐊᒥᓱᑲᓪᓚᒻᒪᕆᖕᓄᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᓕᕐᒪᑦ. ᑭᐊᓕ ᐸᓛᒃ, ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᐹᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᖃᓕᕈᒪᔪᖅ ᑳᕈᓪᑕᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖓᑕ ᑲᓇᑕᒥᐅᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᖃᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᕋᓱᐊᕐᓂᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂ, ᒪᑯᓂᖓ ᓴᖅᑭᓯᒪᓕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᔪᓕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ, ᓱᓇᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᖅᓯᒪᓂᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖃᓕᕆᐊᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᕐᓂᖅ: ᐱᓯᒪᓕᖔᕋᓱᐊᖅᑐᑎᒃ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᒐᐅᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᓕᕆᓂᕐᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᕕᑦᒥᐅᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥᐅᑦ, 1945-1999. ᑖᒃᑯᓂᖓ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᔭᒥᓂᒃ ᒪᐃ 24-ᒥ ᓴᖅᑮᓕᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ 8-ᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᓕᒫᒥ ᑲᑎᒪᕕᒡᔪᐊᕈᑎᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᐅᔪᑦ ᐳᕆᓐᔅ ᔪᐊᕐᔾ, ᐳᕈᑎᔅ ᑲᓚᒻᐱᐊᒥ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖑᔪᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᒋᐊᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ 1900-ᐃᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖏᑦ ᕿᑎᕋᐃᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᒋᐊᖖᒐᕐᕕᖓᓂᑦ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᐅᓯᕆᔭᐅᓂᖓᑕ ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᔭᐅᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖃᓕᕈᓂ ᑐᖖᒐᕝᕕᖃᕐᑎᑕᐅᒋᐊᖃᕋᔭᕐᒪᑦ ᐱᐅᓯᑐᖃᕆᔭᐅᔪᒧᑦ. ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓐᓂᕐᒥᐅᓂ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒻᒥᒃ ᐃᓗᐃᒃᑲᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᔾᔨᖓᓂᒃ ᐱᑕᖃᕋᔭᕈᓂ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᓄᑦ ᓈᒻᒪᒐᔭᖖᒋᒻᒪᑦ. ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒃ ᑐᑭᒧᐊᒃᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᕐᒥ

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overnment-lirijumaniqarniq: Pisimatsigiaqarniq pilirijumanirmik asijjiisimaliqtittijunnaqullugu. Government-lirijumaniqanngilluni ajurnallarikpattuq asijjiisimalirutissanik saqqiisimaliriamik.

Jane Glassco Ukiuqtaqtumi Silattuqsarvimmi Ilagijauqataullunga qaujisainiqarama qanuq silattuqsarviktaqaliqtittigiamik Canada-up Ukiuqtaqtungani pitaqaliqtittijunnarajarmangaata.

Isumagilugit nani nunannguatigut nunaqariattinnik ammalu Ukiuqtaqtumiut governmentlirinirni qanuittuuningita, isumavunga Ukiuqtaqtumiut silattuqsarviqalirajarutik amisuilingajumik ilinniarvinnik pitaqaliriaqarasugillugu, suurlu Alaska-miuni Fairbanks-mi silattuqsarvingatitut. Qaujimallungalu asingittauq ukiuqtaqtumiuni silattuqsarviqarviujut aaqqiumaniqaqtitaummata ammalu ilinniarutissanik amiqqaqatiqarunnarninginik Ukiuqtaqtumiunut.

Ukiuqtaqtumi silattuqsarviuliqtut ukunani avittuqsimajuniittariaqarajartut: Yukon, Nunatsiaq, Nunavut, Nunavik ammalu Nunatsiavut — tamarmik taakkua aviktuqsimaniujuit piliriaqaqatigiituarutik taatsuminga turaarujumajumut tikisimalirunnarajarmata.

Ukiuqtaqtumi silattuqsarviktaqaliriaqarninga amisukallammaringnut ukiunut qaujisaqtauqattaqsimalirmat. Kelly Black, PhD-nik ilinniarutiqalirumajuq Carleton Silattuqsarvingata Canada-miunut Ilinniarutiqaqtunut Government-lirinirmi Kiinaujaliurasuarnilirijikkunni, makuninga saqqisimalirniaqtaminik titiraqsimajuliulaurmat, Sunanik Piliriaqaqsimaniujunik Ukiuqtaqtumi Silattuqsarviqaliriamut Qaujigiarniq: Pisimalingaarasuaqtutik Tautuqquugauniujut Silattuqsarvimmi Ilinniarnilirinirnut Nunavitmiut ammalu Nunatsiarmiut, 19451999. Taakkuninga titiraqsimajaminik May 24-mi saqqiililaurmat 8-gijanganik Silarjualimaami Katimavigjuarutiqaqtillugit Ukiuqtaqtumiut Inuusilirinirmut Sunatuinnanik Qaujisaqtiujut Prince George, British Columbia-mi. above & beyond

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NORTHERN YOUTH

Š TEEVI MACKAY

Ilisimatusarfik: the University of Greenland.

Youth Delegate, Aili Liimakka Laue, (2nd from the left) represented the National Inuit Youth of Greenland at this summer’s Inuit Circumpolar Council 12th General Assembly held in Inuvik. She is a third year student at Ilisimatusarfik: University of Greenland, studying Social/Political Science, Law/International Law and Economics.

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Taanna unikkaangujuq piliriangugialauqsimajuq 1900-it ukiungit qitirailiqtillugit ammalu piliriangugianngarvinganit uqallausirijauningata tukisiumajaulaurmat Ukiuqtaqtumi silattuqsarviqaliruni tunngavviqartitaugiaqarajarmat piusituqarijaujumut.

Qallunaat nunangannirmiuni silattuqsar vimmik iluikkautillugu ajjinganik pitaqarajaruni Ukiuqtaqtumiunut naammagajanngimmat. Silattuqsarvik tukimuaktitausimajuq iliqqusituqarmi qaujimajaujutuqarnik atuliqtittisimanajarmata, taimaujariaqallariktutik aulatsijjutiuvaktut Qallunaat Nunanganni silattuqsarviujut, isumavunga, aturniqammarigajarmata silattuqsarviktaqalirajarnirmut tautuqquurtakka isumagilugit. Tamanna isumajjusiujuq ilaqaliqtitausimatillugit iliqqusituqakmi qaujimajaujutuqqanik uqausiusimammat tuqusimaliqtumit Mariano Aupilarjuk-mit taimanna ilinniaqtittivalauqsimajumit ikajulirasuaqtugit makkunniqsaujut inuit inuusirminni ingirrattiarniqaqullugit.

Ukiuqtaqtumi ilinniarniliriniq pijjutaulualiqsimammat ammalu ilinniaqtuqutivut quttingniqsanik ilinniarutiqaqtut ilinniaraaniksimaqattariaqarningita. Pitaqaliqtittiniq tautuqquurnirmik, turaarviksaunajaqtumik, ilinniaqtuqutittinnut pimmariuluarmata. Naammanngimmat Ukiuqtaqtumiut pijumaluaqtinnagit September/October 2014

This narrative started in the mid-20th century and from the onset the dialogue understood that a Northern university would need to be rooted in culture.

A Southern university model in its entirety would not be fitting in the North. A university guided by traditional knowledge with adopted, necessary elements of the Southern university model would, I believe, be fundamental for my vision of a university. This philosophy of including traditional knowledge comes from the late Mariano Aupilarjuk who taught this way to help the younger generations succeed today.

There has been a lot of focus on education in the North and the need to graduate our students from high school. Creating a vision, a goal, for our students is important. It is unfair that Northerners are often forced to move South to study and attain higher education. Students who see others graduate from a university in the North will instil hope, and the confidence to know that they, too, can access university (without fear) and succeed.

I understand from my own personal experience that there can be fear associated with enrolling at university. Not only are you expected to perform academically but you are also moving to a different city, far away from home, family and friends — your support system.

University in the South for me, when I was growing up, seemed impossible. It seemed so distant, unreachable and unattainable. In part, university was not part of my community culture, as it did not exist.

The power of a Northern university vision cannot be underestimated. For instance, when negotiators envisioned Nunavut, many laughed at their vision. Nunavut t-shirts were made to help people see it before it became a reality. This law of attraction is important for a Northern university. This is the catalyst to actualizing a goal.

Recently, the mining company Agnico Eagle pledged to donate $5 million towards the bricks and mortar of a university in Nunavut. This is the very type of vision and financial support needed to make a university in Canada’s North possible.

I think it is important to create a modern committee for a Northern Canada university. I believe the committee name should be the name of the university to help others envision the university before it is created. This committee should include Northern university research experts who will reflect on what has been September/October 2014

© TITKEN JAKOBSEN (2)

NORTHERN YOUTH

The bright open space of Ilisimatusarfik no doubt inspires its students — notice the wall of windows facilitates connection to the land.

ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᔪᑐᖃᕐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᓇᔭᕐᒪᑕ, ᑕᐃᒪᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᑎᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᔾᔪᑎᐅᕙᒃᑐᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓐᓂ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐅᔪᑦ, ᐃᓱᒪᕗᖓ, ᐊᑐᕐᓂᖃᒻᒪᕆᒐᔭᕐᒪᑕ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒃᑕᖃᓕᕋᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᕐᑕᒃᑲ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓗᒋᑦ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓱᒪᔾᔪᓯᐅᔪᖅ ᐃᓚᖃᓕᖅᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᒃᒥ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᔪᑐᖅᑲᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᓯᒪᒻᒪᑦ ᑐᖁᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᒫᕆᐋᓄ ᐊᐅᐱᓛᕐᔪᒻᒥᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᕙᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᒥᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᓕᕋᓱᐊᖅᑐᒋᑦ ᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥᓐᓂ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖃᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑕᐅᓗᐊᓕᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖁᑎᕗᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕌᓂᒃᓯᒪᖃᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᑕ. ᐱᑕᖃᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᑐᕌᕐᕕᒃᓴᐅᓇᔭᖅᑐᒥᒃ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖁᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᓗᐊᕐᒪᑕ. ᓈᒻᒪᖖᒋᒻᒪᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᑦ ᐱᔪᒪᓗᐊᖅᑎᓐᓇᒋᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓐᓄᐊᕆᐊᖃᖅᐸᓐᓂᖏᑕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᔅᓴᒥᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒃ ᖁᑦᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕌᓂᒃᓯᒪᐅᑎᖃᓕᕐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒃ. ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑐᐃᑦ ᐊᓯᒥᓐᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᖃᑦᑕᓕᕌᖓᒥᒃ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕌᓂᒃᓯᒪᐅᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᐱᑕᖃᓕᕈᑕᐅᓇᔭᕐᒪᑕ ᓂᕆᐅᓐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᖁᓚᖖᒋᓐᓂᕐᒥᒃᓗ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅᑕᐅᖅ, ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒻᒥ (ᐃᖅᓯᓇᑎᒃ) ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕈᓐᓇᕐᒥᒐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᔭᕇᖅᓯᓯᒪᑦᑎᐊᓕᕈᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᒃ. ᑐᑭᓯᐅᒪᒐᒪ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐊᑐᓚᐅᖅᑕᓐᓂᑦ ᑲᑉᐱᐊᓱᓕᖅᓯᒪᓂᖃᕈᓐᓇᕐᒪᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕈᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᐃᓱᒻᒥᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ. ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᔅᓴᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᔪᖖᒋᓐᓂᖃᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᕐᓇᖖᒋᒻᒪᑦ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐊᓯᐊᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᐸᐅᔭᕐᒧᑦ ᓄᒃᑎᕆᐊᖃᕋᔭᕐᒥᒐᕕᑦ, ᐅᖓᓯᒃᓯᒻᒪᕆᒃᓗᑎᑦ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᕆᔭᕐᓂᑦ, ᐃᓚᒋᔭᕐᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᖃᑎᐊᓗᒋᔭᕐᓂᑦ — ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᒋᔪᓐᓇᖅᐸᒃᑕᕐᓂᑦ.

Qallunaat Nunangannuariaqaqpanningita ilinniarutissaminnik ilinniariarniarutik quttingniqsanik ilinniaraaniksimautiqalirniarutik. Ilinniaqtuit asiminnik qaujiqattaliraangamik silattuqsarvinnit ilinniaraaniksimauqaqtunik Ukiuqtaqtumi pitaqalirutaunajarmata niriunnirmik, qulannginnirmiklu nangminiqtauq, silattuqsarvimmi (iqsinatik) ilinniariarunnarmigamik ammalu pijariiqsisimattialirunnarlutik.

Tukisiumagama nangminiq atulauqtannit kappiasuliqsimaniqarunnarmat ilinniariarumalluni silattuqsarvimmi isummiqsimajuq. Pijjutigillugu ilinniarutissauniaqtunik ajunnginniqatuinnariaqarnanngimmat kisianiluttauq asianut nunalipaujarmut nuktiriaqarajarmigavit, ungasiksimmariklutit angirrarijarnit, ilagijarnit ammalu piqatialugijarnit — ikajuqtigijunnaqpaktarnit.

Qallunaat Nunanganni Silattuqsarvik, piruqsatillunga, isumagigiamikluunniit ajurnammariktuulauqsimavuq. Ungasiktualuuqquujilluni, tikitaksaunani ammalu pisimaliriamik ajurnallariqquujilauqsimajuq. Ilangaguttauq pijjutigigillugu, silattuqsarvimmi ilinniariarajarniq nunaqqatigijattinni piusiuvalaunngimmat, suuqaimma pitaqanngimmatta.

Ukiuqtaqtumi silattuqsaqviktaarunnarnirmik tautuqquurnirijaujuq ajurnarniarasugijauluni isumagijauliriaqanngittuq. Suurlu, taikkua angiqatigiigasuaqtiulauqsimajut tautuqquurniqalirmata nunavutaaqsimaliriaminnut, amiabove & beyond

11

© TITKEN JAKOBSEN

NORTHERN YOUTH

Art is intrinsic among Inuit — Ilisimatusarfik’s architecture marries art and inspiration.

researched to accomplish this important university project.

A university would not only facilitate educating our people but it will also give them more control over Northern research, which is important for our North’s future competency, as well as economic, social and cultural development.

The creation of a university is a feat: a project that will not come to fruition without a lot of time, work, creativity and the necessary will of our decision-makers. As Kelly Black says, “[w]hatever structure a northern university may take, we must be cautious of projects that view university education in the North as simply an opportunity for nation building or the expansion of southern knowledge systems; the debates and discussions of the past deserve much greater study and reflection as we look to the future.”

Teevi Mackay 12

arcticjournal.ca

ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓐᓂ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒃ, ᐱᕈᖅᓴᑎᓪᓗᖓ, ᐃᓱᒪᒋᒋᐊᒥᒃᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᒻᒪᕆᒃᑑᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ. ᐅᖓᓯᒃᑐᐊᓘᖅᑰᔨᓪᓗᓂ, ᑎᑭᑕᒃᓴᐅᓇᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᓯᒪᓕᕆᐊᒥᒃ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᓪᓚᕆᖅᑰᔨᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ. ᐃᓚᖓᒍᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᒋᓪᓗᒍ, ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᕋᔭᕐᓂᖅ ᓄᓇᖅᑲᑎᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐱᐅᓯᐅᕙᓚᐅᖖᒋᒻᒪᑦ, ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᐱᑕᖃᖖᒋᒻᒪᑦᑕ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᖅᕕᒃᑖᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᕐᓂᕆᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕋᓱᒋᔭᐅᓗᓂ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᐅᓕᕆᐊᖃᖖᒋᑦᑐᖅ. ᓲᕐᓗ, ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᖏᖃᑎᒌᒐᓱᐊᖅᑎᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᕐᓂᖃᓕᕐᒪᑕ ᓄᓇᕗᑖᖅᓯᒪᓕᕆᐊᒥᓐᓄᑦ, ᐊᒥᓱᓂᑦ ᐃᔪᕆᔭᐅᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᒻᒪᑕ. ᓄᓇᕗᑦ-ᓛᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᕕᓂᕈᕐᓂᒃ ᐊᓐᓄᕌᓕᐅᖃᑦᑕᓕᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᕗᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᓕᖅᓯᒪᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᓚᐅᖅᑳᖅᑎᓐᓇᒍ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᒋᐊᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᓗᐊᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᐱᑕᖃᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᕈᒪᓪᓗᓂ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒃᑖᕈᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐋᖅᑭᒋᐊᕈᑕᐅᓗᓂᓗ ᓴᖅᑮᓯᒪᓕᕈᑎᔅᓴᐅᒻᒪᑦ ᑐᕌᕐᕕᒋᓇᓱᐊᖅᑕᒧᑦ ᑎᑭᓯᒪᓕᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ. ᒫᓐᓇᓵᖑᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᐋᒡᓂᑰ ᐄᑯᓪᑯᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖓᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᓯᓯᒪᓕᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ $5-ᒥᓕᐊᓐᑖᓚᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖕᒥᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᕐᔪᐊᓕᐅᕈᑎᔅᓴᓂᒃ. ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᕐᓂᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᑎᔅᓴᓂᒃ ᐱᓯᒪᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᖓᓂ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒃᑖᕈᑎᔅᓴᓂᒃ ᐱᑕᖃᓕᖅᑎᑕᐅᖁᓪᓗᒍ. ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᓗᐊᕋᓱᒋᒐᒃᑯ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᓕᖅᑐᒥ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕋᓛᖑᓂᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᖓᓂ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᕐᓴᖅᕕᓕᕆᔨᖏᓂᒃ ᐋᖅᑮᓯᒪᓕᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᐃᓱᒪᕗᖓ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕋᓛᖑᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑎᕆᓂᐊᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᑕᐃᔭᐅᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐅᓕᕋᔭᖅᑐᑉ ᐊᑎᕆᓇᔭᖅᑕᖓᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᕐᓂᖃᓕᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒻᒥᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᓚᐅᖅᑳᕐᑎᓐᓇᒍ. ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕋᓛᖑᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᓚᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᒻᒪᕆᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔅᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᓂᖃᓕᕋᔭᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓱᓇᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᕐᒪᖔᑕ ᑎᑭᓯᒪᓕᕈᓐᓇᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᒥ. ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐅᓕᕋᔭᕐᑐᖅ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᐸᒐᔭᖖᒋᒻᒪᑦ ᐃᓄᖁᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᕝᕕᐅᓗᓂ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓂᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᕋᔭᕐᒥᔪᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᐅᕙᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᓂᒃ, ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᓗᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᑦᑕ ᓯᕗᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᕆᓕᕋᔭᖅᑕᖏᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᕋᓱᐊᕐᓂᕐᒥ, ᐃᓅᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᐅᓯᑐᖃᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᓂᐅᕙᑦᑐᓄᑦ. ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒃᑖᕐᓯᒪᓕᕋᔭᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᐅᓕᖅᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᐃᖢᐃᓗᑕᖅᑕᖃᕋᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᓯᒪᓕᕋᓱᒃᑕᐅᒻᒪᕆᓐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ: ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐅᖅᑎᒋᕙᒃᑕᕗᑦ ᐊᑯᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᓯᒪᓕᓚᐅᖅᑳᖅᑎᓐᓇᒋᑦ, ᐱᓇᓱᐊᖅᓯᒪᓕᓚᐅᖅᑳᕐᑎᓐᓇᒋᑦ, ᐋᖅᑭᔅᓱᐃᓇᓱᓕᓚᐅᖅᑳᕐᑎᓐᓇᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᖅᑮᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᓪᓚᕆᓕᓚᐅᖅᑳᕐᑎᓐᓇᒋᑦ ᑖᓐᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᔪᖅ ᑎᑭᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᔾᔮᖖᒋᒻᒪᑦ. ᓲᕐᓗ ᑭᐊᓕ ᐸᓛᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᕐᒪᑦ. "ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑐᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᓗᓂ ᐃᒡᓗᕐᔪᐊᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐅᓕᕋᔭᖅᑐᖅ, ᐅᔾᔨᕈᓱᑦᑎᐊᕆᐊᖃᕋᑦᑕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᑲᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᐅᑐᖅᑰᕐᓂᖃᖅᑐᑎᒃ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᑖᕋᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᕐᕕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᒻᒪᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥᒃ ᐱᕈᖅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᖏᓪᓕᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᒪᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᐅᒻᒪᑦ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᕆᔭᖏᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᒋᔭᐅᕙᑦᑐᓂᒃ; ᓴᖑᓐᓂᐊᓕᕈᑎᒋᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᐅᓯᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᖏᓂᖅᓴᒥᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᖅᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᓯᕗᓂᕆᓂᐊᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᓯᒪᓕᕋᔭᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᓂᕆᐅᓐᓂᖃᓕᖅᓯᒪᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ.”

ᑏᕙᐃ ᒪᑲᐃ

sunit ijurijauqattalauqsimammata. Nunavutlaaqtunik uvinirurnik annuraaliuqattalilauqsimavut inuit tautuqquuliqsimaqullugit saqqitausimalilauqqaaqtinnagu. Tamanna tautuqquuliqtittigiarniq pimmariuluarniarmat pitaqaliqtittiniarumalluni Ukiuqtaqtumi silattuqsarviktaarumanirmut. Tamanna aaqqigiarutaulunilu saqqiisimalirutissaummat turaarviginasuaqtamut tikisimalirniarluni.

Maannasaangulauqtuq, Agnico Eagle-kut ujaranniarvingat kiinaujanik tunisisimalilaurmata $5-miliantaalanik Nunavummi silattuqsarvingmik iglurjualiurutissanik. Taimanna tautuqquurnirijaujunik ammalu kiinaujatigut ikajurutissanik pisimaliriaqarmata Canada-up Ukiuqtaqtungani silattuqsarviktaarutissanik pitaqaliqtitauqullugu.

Pimmariuluarasugigakku maannauliqtumi katimajiralaanguniaqtunik Canada-up Ukiuqtaqtungani silattursaqvilirijinginik aaqqiisimaliqullugit. Isumavunga katimajiralaanguniaqtut atiriniaqtangit taijauqullugit silattuqsarviulirajaqtup atirinajaqtanganik Inuit tautuqquurniqaliqullugit silattuqsarvimmik saqqitausimalilauqqaartinnagu. Taakkua katimajiralaanguliqtut ilaqaqtitaulutik Ukiuqtaqtumi silattuqsarvilirinirmut qaujisaqtimmariujunik takussautittiniqalirajaqtunik sunat qaujisaqtausimalirmangaata tikisimalirunnaqullugit pimmariutiulluni silattuqsarvilirinirmut piliriangujumi.

Silattuqsarviulirajartuq atuqtautuinnaqpagajanngimmat inuqutittinnik ilinniaqtittivviuluni kisianili aulattiniujunut ilagijauniqsaulirajarmijut Ukiuqtaqtumi qaujisarniuvaktunut sunatuinnanik, tamakkua pimmariuluarmata Ukiuqtaqtutta sivunirmi pilirijunnarnirilirajaqtanginut, ammalu kiinaujaliurasuarnirmi, inuusilirinirmi ammalu piusituqalirinirmi pivalliajuliriniuvattunut.

Silattuqsarviktaarsimalirajarniq piliriaksauliqsimavuq iłuilutaqtaqaraluaqtillugu pisimalirasuktaummarinniarluni: isumaliuqtigivaktavut akuni pilirisimalilauqqaaqtinnagit, pinasuaqsimalilauqqaartinnagit, aaqqissuinasulilauqqaartinnagit ammalu saqqiitittijumallarililauqqaartinnagit taanna piliriangujuq tikitausimalijjaanngimmat. Suurlu Kelly Black uqalaurmat.

“Qanuittutuinnauluni iglurjuaq ukiuqtaqtumi silattuqsarviulirajaqtuq, ujjirusuttiariaqaratta piliriangukainnaqtut tautuqquurniqaqtutik silattuqsarvimmi ilinniarnilirivviktaarajarnirmut ukiuqtaqtumi piliriaqarviujunnarnituinnaummat Canada-mik piruqtittinasuarnirmut uvvaluunniit angilligiaqtittijumatuinnarniummat qallunaat qaujimanirijangitigut pilirijjutigijauvattunik; sangunnialirutigijausimajut ammalu uqallausiuqattaqsimajut anginiqsamik qaujisaqtaujariaqarmata ammalu takunnaqtaulutik sivuniriniaqtattinnut pisimalirajarnirmik niriunniqaliqsimanittinni.”

Teevi Mackay September/October 2014

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arcticjournal.ca

September/October 2014

THE ARCTIC THROUGH WATERCOLOUR

Qaqortoq, Greenland.

WITH ARTIST FRANCES BRANN

By Krystina Scheller “WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT THE ARCTIC IS THE LIGHT. That is what I tell people to help them understand my obsession with a part of the world that many feel is too cold and stark to bother with. Those people have never seen the light or the complex beauty of the ice.”

For the past 15 years, Frances Brann has been painting watercolours both above and below the Arctic Circle, using her sailboat and full-time home, Snow Dragon II, as her studio. But it is the North with its unique low-level Arctic light and limited vegetation allowing her to study the bones of a landscape that keeps drawing her back.

September/October 2014

above & beyond

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Art, this page and facing: Views of Greenland.

© KRYSTINA SCHELLER

Below: Painting Barentsøya (aka Barents Island) mid-ocean, on the way to Svalbard, Norway.

“I’m able to focus on my surroundings and take the time to really look and see what’s there, that’s what really inspires me to paint. Even when you are taking a photo, you are mainly looking at the superficial play of light and not focused on the structure. Painting makes me have to understand the structure and how it goes together.”

Since Frances’ boat is her studio and form of travel, her subjects are viewed from the water. Sometimes the location is mid-ocean, sketching icebergs on the way to Greenland from inside Snow Dragon’s pilothouse or bundling up in her float-suit and drinking numerous cups of hot tea to paint Barentsoya from the cockpit on the way to Svalbard.

“It’s important to me that my paintings have a spirit of their own, they need to paint themselves to work. My landscape paintings are done with very little planning; it’s not until I have my paintbrush in hand that I know what my focus will be. The only thing I look for beforehand is the light — is it showing me the dimensions?”

While her landscape paintings are painted on location, directly from the scene at hand, capturing the magic of a specific moment, her composite paintings are inspired by the feeling of an area and are not dependent on a specific location or light situation when painted. Instead, these paintings are often done while Frances is waiting out unfavourable weather at anchor.

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arcticjournal.ca

“Even my composite paintings, which take more planning than my landscapes, are more playful and humorous than they are contrived — at least I hope they are. They come to life from my experience in a certain area. While walking along a beach in Svalbard, I came across a piece of whalebone that reminded me of a sculpture, a natural piece of art sitting amongst the stone. That combined with the imagery of the pilot whales I had seen earlier and the purple and gold tones in the rock of the raised beach is what inspired my painting, Whalebones.”

Frances has pursed art in a variety of mediums since she was a child and her passion for travel can be blamed on her parents who covered the walls of their home with maps, opening Frances eyes to the world around her. But it wasn’t until she moved to Alaska as a young adult that she began discovering elements of the Arctic that would form a lifelong fascination with the area.

“At the time I was drawing with graphite and colour pencil and using the inspiration of my surroundings as a professional woodworker. It wasn’t until after moving onto Snow Dragon that I worked up the courage to pursue watercolour, an unforgiving medium that had always intimidated me.”

Watching Frances paint, you would think she’s been using the medium all her life.

She is able to absorb herself in her work to the extent that she often doesn’t even realize her palette or approach is changing until she happens to place a painting from one area next to another. Her almost meditative approach is what allows the character of a place to come to life on paper.

“When I paint, I completely lose track of what is going on around me. I might miss a meal or not respond to a question. It’s not that I mind someone talking to me; I just don’t always recognize what’s happening outside of my painting.”

Recently Frances exhibited her work in England, her childhood home. She wasn’t

September/October 2014

© KRYSTINA SCHELLER

Brann at Snow Dragon’s helm, underway just off Greenland.

sure what the reaction would be to her paintings from Norway, Greenland, Alaska and Svalbard and there were a few people who looked at the location of her watercolours and shivered, saying the places were too cold. But to her surprise many of the visitors to her exhibition could relate to her work and some had even been to the places she had painted and shared their stories.

“After my exhibition ended, I received an email inquiring if any of my Svalbard paintings were still available. It turned out that the woman wanted to buy one as a birthday gift for her husband who used to work on a submarine and had fond memories of seeing Svalbard on the horizon when they headed for the North Pole.”

A reminder that even when one leaves the Arctic, the memory of the area lives on, beckoning you to return whether it be to live, visit or paint.

September/October 2014

Currently Frances can be found onboard Snow Dragon painting in Baffin Island and Labrador, taking advantage of the low-level morning and evening light. A selection of Frances’ paintings can be found at www.francesbrann.com.

above & beyond

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RANKIN INLET cq6Oi6 (Kangiqliniq)

Rankin Inlet, or Kangiqliniq (“deep bay/inlet� in Inuktitut), is one of the largest communities in Nunavut. It is the business and transportation hub of the Kivalliq region and the gateway to Nunavut from Central and Western Canada. Due to the large volume of traffic through the area, as well as a history of regional government, mining and exploration, Rankin Inlet has developed a strong taskforce of entrepreneurs. Freight expediters, equipment suppliers and outfitters provide tourists and businesses in the area with a wide variety of services.

The Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Historic Park is a favourite spot for hiking, fishing and bird watching. Archaeological sites, such as the European whaler shipwreck near Marble Island and the Thule site in the Ijiraliq River area offer an historical perspective. Come take a Walking Tour and you will see where an ancient past borders on a vibrant present.

The community includes various recreational facilities such as a hockey arena, curling arena, baseball diamond, recreational volleyball, basketball, soccer, badminton and hockey, an outdoor beach volleyball court and soccer field, an 18-hole golf course, and playgrounds. A variety of events are planned throughout the year such as arts and crafts shows, square dances, bingo, Pakalluk Time (town festival), Avataq Hockey Tournament, Christmas activities and many more.

With the welcoming attitude of the people, mining development, hotel construction, and opening of the Wellness Facility in 2013, Rankin Inlet is a great place to live, visit, work or start a business. Rankin Inlet is a growing community with great potential.

867-645-2895

info@rankininlet.ca

www.rankininlet.ca

LIVING ABOVE & BEYOND

Inuit grab the limelight at Montreal’s First People’s Festival

The artistic endeavours of Inuit were prominently featured at the 24th Montreal First People’s Festival (Présence Autochtone), an annual event meant to build bridges between nations, organized by Land InSights.This year’s showcase of North American Aboriginal art, history and traditions ran July 30 to August 5.

This year, Inuit artists benefiting from the services of St. Michael’s Mission for the Homeless in Montreal demonstrated their soapstone carving skills under a tent at Place des Festivals.

Inuit organizations Makivik Corporation and the Avataq Cultural Institute supported their participation.

Saturday night, two of Nunavik’s best-known Inuit singer-songwriters took to the outdoor centre stage to treat the large crowd to captivatingly upbeat performances. Montreal-based vocalist Beatrice Deer, originally from Quaqtaq,

© ISABELLE DUBOIS (3)

Always popular Sinuupa rocked the First People's Festival.

Montreal songstress, Beatrice Deer.

Carving demonstrations are always a big attraction.

opened with a few of her tunes, topped by her personal interpretations of traditional Inuit songs. Band, Sinuupa, led by Kuujjuaq’s Etua Snowball, flown to Montreal by First Air for the occasion, closed the show with a rockin’ hour

Canada’s Leading Retailer of Inuit Arts & Crafts

of terrific music featuring most of the tracks from his award-winning album, Culture Shock.

Throughout the week, films ranging from short animations to full-length features and documentaries, all with Inuit themes, were presented at venues across the city, including the world premiere of the Nunavik fictional documentary, The Healing Winds, a story of a qallunaaq psychotherapist whose training and personal values are tested by a residential school survivor patient in Salluit.

For more information on the festival, see www.presenceautochtone.ca.

“Grazing Caribou”

by Esa Kripanik, Igloolik, Nunavut

northern images A Division of Arctic Co-operatives Ltd.

Yellowknife 867-873-5944 | Churchill 204-675-2681

Visit Our New Website

www.northernimages.ca September/October 2014

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© DE BEERS

LIVING ABOVE & BEYOND

Glen Koropchuk, Chief Operating Officer of De Beers in Canada, left, presents a .5-carat Snap Lake diamond to Robert Bouchard, of Hay River, winner of the Snap Lake Diamond Shootout held during the De Beers Charity Classic Golf Tournament in Hay River, NWT.

De Beers Golf Classic raises money for charity

KIKIAK

CO NTRACTING LTD.

General contractors serving the North since 1999 Inuit owned and operated General construction, remediation work, plumbing and heating, heavy equipment rental and service, earthworks, vehicle service and rental, expediting, ice road construction, cat train work

#56 Kugluktuk Dr., Kugluktuk, NU Ph: 867-982-4713 F : 867-982-4718 Email: kikiak_gn@netkaster.ca 20

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At their seventh annual Charity Classic Golf Tournament held in July, De Beers raised $50,771 for the Health & Wellness Foundation of Hay River and Hay River Junior Golf.

Eighteen teams came out for the event with the Ledcor Group winning the tournament with a score of 50, playing a best-ball format.

Robert Bouchard won the .5-carat Snap

Lake diamond from De Beers, his shot landing 35 cm from the hole.

De Beers operates the Snap Lake Mine located 220 km northeast of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories and the Gahcho Kue Project, a joint venture project of De Beers Canada Inc. and Mountain Province Diamonds, located 280 km northeast of Yellowknife.

ICC promotes collaboration Inuit leaders representing Canada, Greenland, Chukotka (Russia) and Alaska met for the Inuit Circumpolar Council’s 12th general assembly in July in Inuvik, NWT. There they signed and adopted the Kitigaaryuit Declaration, which outlines 51 principles to guide the ICC’s activities over the next four years.

The Declaration included such recommendations as encouraging Inuit to develop more community-based monitoring on the local environment, food and transport security, advocate for culturally relevant mental wellness and substance abuse programs and to use Inuit Qaujimanituqangit (traditional knowledge) in all scientific reports and programs.

The Kitigaaryuit Declaration also calls on the ICC leadership to plan and convene a circumpolar Inuit economic summit over the next four years to encourage collaboration among Inuit businesses, and an Inuit-specific convention on wildlife management and planning.

Okalik Eegeesiak assumed the role of chair of the ICC along with Duane Smith, president of ICC Canada; Jimmy Stotts, president of ICC Alaska; Tatiana Achirgina of ICC Chukotka; and president of ICC Greenland, Hjalmar Dahl.

Three new members were elected to the executive council: Herb Nakamayak (Canada), Martha Abelsen (Greenland) and Elena Kaminskaya (Russia).

September/October 2014

LIVING ABOVE & BEYOND

Myths, legends and mystery on Nunavut television Kingulliit Productions Inc., out of Igloolik, Nunavut, will receive $762,984 from Canada’s Media Fund Aboriginal Program for two new television projects this year.

The film, entitled Malinaqputiit — The Searchers, receives $400,000. It is a historical drama that takes place in the early 1900s.

© PIERRE DUNNIGAN

Filmed in North Baffin, it tells the story of a man and his teenage son who go hunting and return to their iglu to find two grandparents and a child have been murdered and

Harry Okpik and racing partner Adamie Kauki take part in the 2011 edition of the Ivakkak race.

the man’s wife and 12-year-old daughter have been kidnapped. The man, Uik, begins a search to find the remains of his family and discover what happened.

A series called Stories of our Elders receives $362,984. Using 2D animation and live-action footage, it creates an Inuktitut oral history of Canada’s Inuit including myths and legends.

Kingulliit is founded by award-winning filmmakers Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn.

September/October 2014

Musher debuts in TV documentary this fall Musher Harry Okpik from Quaqtaq, Nunavik, is the subject of an upcoming documentary called, Okpik’s Dream. It’s about one man, Harry, and the importance of finding meaning in life despite a series of unfortunate incidents.

Remembering the slaughter of dogs by the RCMP that took place across Nunavik in the 1950s and 60s when he was very young, and experiencing the loss of one of his legs during a hunting accident, Harry rises above these

traumatic events and becomes a community leader and a dedicated musher, competing regularly in Nunavik’s Ivakkak dog sled race.

Filmmakers Laura Rietveld and Katarina Soukup will release the English and Inuttitutlanguage film on CBC television in Quebec and CBC North sometime this fall.

For more information or to participate in their crowd-funding campaign, visit http://okpiksdream.blogspot.ca.

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© JOSH STEINITZ/WIKIPEDIA COMMON

LIVING ABOVE & BEYOND

UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized When travellers head out on a journey through Nahanni National Park, in the NWT, one of the starting points of entry is at the Virginia Falls.

Nahanni National Park is now featured on a new Canada Post stamp as part of their UNESCO World Heritage Sites series. The picture is of a single canoe floating in front of the falls.

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© CLAUDIO APORTA

Nahanni Park Virginia Falls.

Travellers meet along a traditional trail between Igloolik and Repulse Bay (2006).

Marking Inuit historical footprints Inuit have lived in and travelled through vast swathes of the Arctic land, sea and ice. Their historical footprints are the basis for Pan-Inuit Trails, a digitized atlas database now available on the web.

Cartographic sources that closely reflect Inuit historical experience are important for conveying Inuit occupancy and mobility. Inuit trails, in particular, reflect occupancy patterns over coastal and marine areas, including those along and across significant parts of the Northwest Passage. Place names and trails are integral parts of Inuit culture and heritage.

This database links thousands of kilometres of historical routes across Nunavut with names of places with significance, often-denoting important fishing and hunting areas and camps.

Carleton University’s Cartographic Research Centre worked with the Marine Affairs Program at Halifax’s Dalhousie University and the geography department at Cambridge University to complete the project. Visit paninuittrails.org.

September/October 2014

RESOURCES

Gahcho Kué diamond mine to provide jobs for LKDFN

© DE BEERS

The Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation (LKDFN) reached an impact benefit agreement (IBA) with De Beers and Mountain Province Diamonds on the Gahcho Kué diamond mine in July.

The IBA provides certainty that they will work together to ensure training, jobs and business opportunities will be made available to the Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation members.

The Gahcho Kué mine is expected to employ close to 700 people during its two years of construction and 400 during operations.

LKDFN Chief Felix Lockhart accepts the gift of a painted paddle from Glen Koropchuk, Chief Operating Officer for De Beers in Canada at the signing of the IBA.

IVR project continues to expand Agnico Eagle’s IVR project in Nunavut continues to expand its exploration drilling on a number of mineralized zones on the property. A total of 48 drill holes (7,423 metres) have been completed since the program began in 2013.

A second phase of drilling (to about 20,000 metres) has recently commenced.

The 408-square-kilometre property is located within Inuit owned land and is 50 kilometres northwest of the Meadowbank mine.

This property could represent exciting new developments for Agnico Eagle’s northern operations.

September/October 2014

New nickel deposits found in Nunavik Nunavik may get a new Nickel mine if exploration at the Royal Nickel West Raglan site proves true to the results from a new technical report.

Located about 90 kilometres southwest of Salluit and east of Akulivik, the West Raglan property in Nunavik’s Cape Smith belt shows promising results. A deposit of between five and 20 million tons of ore, containing high grade nickel and platinum group metal have been discovered on the property.

Further exploration would include aerial electromagnetic surveys and thousands of metres of additional drilling.

Nico project gets final approval The N.W.T. government and land and water board have given final approval to Fortune Minerals to go ahead with its Nico project, a planned gold, cobalt, bismuth and copper mine 150 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife.

The Ontario-based company plans to start mining within three years and will have an application ready this fall for an all-weather road to truck out its metals.

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September/October 2014

Aerial view of Mercy Bay, Nunavut in 2011.

VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY

Adapted from the original manuscript by Mechtild Opel PART I The story of Johann August Miertsching and his time on board the HMS Investigator

It is April 1853. An icy wind whips the faces of the men who are struggling over jagged, erratic, some seeming near mountainous pack-ice ridges. Sometimes the only way forward is for them to move on all fours. After a year and a half of starvation rations on their icebound ship, the HMS Investigator, the men suffer from scurvy and © WOLFGANG OPEL

starvation, and the trek from Banks Island to Melville Island demands extreme strength and energy. But it is their only hope of survival. Staying with their ship is no longer an option if they are to live.

Printed German version of Miertsching’s search for Franklin Expedition diary.

© COURTESY PARKS CANADA

1850: Setting Sail in Search of Franklin

September/October 2014

The fateful voyage into the Arctic begins in London, England, in January 1850. The Royal Navy assembles a search party to find the Franklin Expedition that had left England in 1845. In a hopeful attempt to gather information from Inuit about the possible fate of Franklin, an interpreter from Germany, 32-year-old Johann August Miertsching, is engaged.

Miertsching had become fluent in the Inuit language while serving as a Moravian missionary in Labrador. Joining Captain McClure and the seamen on board the HMS Investigator, Miertsching sails around South America and on to the Bering Sea. There the ship turns east, hugging the coastline. Heavy sea ice prevents the expedition from taking a more northerly route.

Investigator’s easterly heading comes to a full halt in September 1850, when she is beset by heavy pack ice between two islands. McClure mounts an expedition and determines that the ship is, in fact, stranded in a strait (today’s Prince of Wales Strait) leading to Melville Sound; on record at the time as the furthest west achieved by Sir William Parry’s 1819 Northwest Passage Expedition. Quite by fortuitous fate, his expedition uncovers the navigational secret — the very key — to the here-to-fore missing link to the centuries long search for the Northwest Passage!

“The Northwest Passage that we have been seeking for over 300 years has now been found by the 26th of October 1850,” as McClure declared on his return, and to celebrate “a hearty dinner with extra grog was served that evening” Miertsching writes in his diary. above & beyond

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© COURTESY BARBARA JANNASCH

Johann August Miertsching, 1854 daguerreotype image.

Scan reproduction of original sketch by S.G. Creswell, courtesy Wolfgang Opel.

After that first long winter, the Investigator is finally freed from the ice in August 1851. However, the pack remains unruly and dense, preventing the expedition from sailing any further into what they now know to be the Northwest Passage. While looking to find a more navigable route around Banks Island, the ship is under dangerous pressure by heavy pack ice and chooses to take shelter in an inlet that McClure calls the “Bay of God’s Mercy”. But here too, once again, the ship and crew are locked in tight by heavy ice.

The first cases of scurvy break out with the late advent of summer. During a hunting expedition Miertsching discovers outcrops of Mountain Sorrel. The men gather as much of this as they can forage over the following weeks to help combat their increasing nutritional deficiencies. Their respite is short-lived, however, when the first snows of the coming winter return to cover the ground at the end of August. The ice has not opened the entire summer. The starvation experienced during the winter that followed would bring these already much weakened, near-starved men to the very brink of despair.

By mid-April their situation is dire. McClure wants the strongest to remain with the ship to attempt to sail the Northwest Passage once the HMS Investigator is freed; the others would have to set out on foot in still freezing weather to cover hundreds of kilometres in search of a rescue.

The Investigator lies motionless, firmly locked in and stranded in Mercy Bay. After an inventory of the ship’s supplies, McClure orders a drastic cut to daily rations. His men reluctantly crawl into their damp quarters at night, their stomachs growling in hunger. The supply of candles is also limited on board, rendering any thoughts of reading or writing virtually impossible.

“Hunger grows with the small portions provided, until it is quite painful,” Miertsching writes in his diary “...much of our time is spent in darkness” “...wolves howl outside the ship and their cries make the dark, cold, dead night even more desolate and dreary.”

In the spring of 1852, McClure and seven men set out on a four-week reconnaissance mission. On foot, pulling a sledge laden with provisions, they struggle across the rough ice to Melville Island. There, at a cairn bearing an inscription left previously by Parry’s expedition, McClure and his men leave behind an account of their plight and position of their ship. They, of course, have no idea then how important this information would become in the future.

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“In the spring of this year 1853 it became absolutely necessary that some of us should leave the ship to save the others from starving,” ship’s officer, Cresswell, writes in his report.

An understandably less optimistic Miertsching writes, “When I contemplate this planned journey and think about our reduced strength, I have to conclude that it’s humanly impossible that even one of us will ever reach England.”

© WOLFGANG OPEL

1851 – 1853: Stuck in the Ice

Approach to Beechey Island, Nunavut.

September/October 2014

It is that April in 1853, and shortly before the desperate men were to set out on a trek to near certain death, that a dark spot appears on the far horizon. It keeps getting closer and closer. At first the apparition is thought to be musk oxen; then comes speculation on the chance that it might be a group of Inuit, and then: “A voice called out to us in the English language: ‘I am Lieutenant Pim from the ship the Resolute, Captain Kellett, in Winter Harbour.’.... what news. I thought I was dreaming, the joy and elation, I was stunned,” Miertsching’s notes. One need know little more of their plight to appreciate the absolute joy, the indescribable lifting of spirits and renewed hope beyond hope, that yes, perhaps they would survive.

The HMS Resolute — as part of its own search for the Franklin expedition — had come through the Arctic waters from the east (just as Parry had in 1819) and overwintered off Dealy Island. On a trek from there to Melville Island, the note McClure had left at Parry’s cairn is found. The discovery prompts Resolute’s captain Kellett to launch a manned sledge expedition to head out to find the Investigator and her crew.

Once sufficiently over their initial jubilation to effect travel, Investigator’s crew sets off for the Resolute in small groups. It takes Miertsching’s cadre of weak and weary men two weeks to reach her. Safe on board, the rescued men are at last able to eat full rations and recover their strength in the ship’s warm and dry quarters over several weeks. Sadly, for three of the men on the Investigator the glorious rescue comes too late. They perish before being able to set out for Kellett’s ship and lie buried on the shores of Mercy Bay. The ship, in total, is eventually abandoned; and supplies including tools, lumber, boats, coal, canned foods and containers are cached on shore for use by other Arctic

© WOLFGANG OPEL

Unexpected Developments: What news!

Final resting place of Investigator crew member, Thomas Morgan.

Beechey Island, Nunavut.

course of the journey, gain the respect of most of the seamen and officers, not only as interpreter and adviser, but also as a practical, decent man; even his experience as a hunter helped the men to survive.

“Miertsching... was the most useful man on board, for not only did he set an excellent moral example to those around him, but, by his knowledge of mechanical arts, he proved of the greatest value to his shipmates, especially as a boot maker, and besides taught both officers and men other useful Arctic accomplishments, without they would have indeed fared badly.”

(Source: Dottings on the roadside in Panama, Nicaragua and Mosquito,

PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE COURTESY, JANE INGLESBY.

Bedford Pim, Berthold Seemann, 1868.)

Precious, time-worn sepia of original painting exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1870. The reproduction graced the family atlas of descendants of Edward Fawcett and James Williams. Both served on the McClure expedition.

explorers — possibly even by the Franklin expedition, still not considered lost at that time. The Resolute and Intrepid remain frozen in ice for yet another winter; their crews and McClure’s men all must walk for hundreds of miles to reach Beechey Island (not far from today’s Resolute Bay) in the Eastern Arctic.

The men of the Investigator eventually do return safely to England where they are celebrated as the first expedition to have identified the Northwest Passage; and, in 1855, in Germany, the “Reise-Tagebuch des Missionars Joh. Aug. Miertsching, welcher als Dolmetscher die Nordpol-Expedition zur Aufsuchung Sir John Franklins auf dem Schiff Investigator begleitete” (Diary of the missionary Joh. Aug. Miertsching, who served as interpreter on the ship the Investigator on its North Pole Expedition in the Search for Sir John Franklin) is published.

A religious man, Miertsching was the only civilian serving alongside what were tough and rowdy seamen at the outset of the expedition. That pegged him as the obvious outsider. His English was also not the best. Still, Miertsching would, over the September/October 2014

Miertsching’s travel journals remain a valuable source for Arctic researchers today. Of particular interest to naturalists, polar historians and anthropologists are not only his observations of life on board, of Arctic nature and his detailed weather reports, but also his descriptions of encounters with the Inuit ranging from the coast of Alaska to Cape Bathurst.

It is also quite likely that Miertsching was the first qallunaaq to have had long conversations with the Copper Inuit of Victoria Island in their language. He understood their language quite well. The Inuit, on request, even drew an accurate map of the coastline on a large fold of paper for him and his captain.

When the captain orders his crew to return to the ship, Miertsching parts from that Inuit group in warm friendship. Uniquely, and unusual for his time, he uses the term “Inuit” interchangeably with the more common “Eskimo” in his journal. Perhaps he is one of the first to do so.

Miertsching would remain a proud but modest man, turning down an offer by the Admiralty for another stint as interpreter in the Arctic. The Moravian Mission sent him instead to South Africa where he served for 13 years, performing various duties and serving primarily as keeper of the Mission store. He retired to Kleinwelka, near Bautzen (Saxony/Germany), where he died in 1875, at the age of 57.

In Canada, Miertsching was honoured when a lake in Nunavut received his name. Two species of Arctic plants are also named after him. It would appear that, oddly, it is only in Germany that Johann August Miertsching became as good as forgotten. above & beyond

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Diver surveying the Investigator’s hull.

VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY PART II It is now more than 150 years following Miertsching’s Arctic adventure. There is far less talk of the formidable sea ice, as encountered by the Investigator, her Captain, and his men. And while politicians, scientists, and experts today debate climate change in the media, (some questioning its very existence, or whether or not the speed and consequences of the now galloping melt are in any way attributable to human activities), sound scientific data and anecdotal evidence provided by Inuit confirms that the Arctic permafrost is in full retreat and the once expansive polar ice cap is continuing to shrink at an alarming rate, threatening long-established infrastructure and the very existence of the Arctic’s coastal communities.

It’s the summer of 2010 and there’s no ice The number of ships that made their way through the Canadian Northwest Passage in 2010 numbered double over the seagoing traffic the year before. Seems that the many cruise ship experiences offered today and for paddlers in canoes and kayaks and small vessel sailors seeking new experiences, the Northwest Passage is at once transformed from it previous dream status, to suddenly become one of the world’s newest, accessible and exotic playgrounds for the curious and adventurous.

For icebreakers and commercial shipping, the obvious dual benefits of easier to navigate ice conditions and greatly shortened shipping lanes have great appeal. Globally, governments, large international corporations, private investors and indigenous stakeholders alike are grappling in tandem, and, on occasion, with each other, over the hard 28

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questions of how to harness and best distribute the vast economic potential laid bare by the retreat of Arctic ice.

The Investigator and McClure’s Depot In July of 2010, Parks Canada sent a team from its Underwater Archaeology Service to Mercy Bay (now part of Aulavik National Park) to the very site where the Investigator was permanently trapped in the ice. There are no trees or shrubs on Banks Island. Its sandy soil is instead bestrewn with rocks and boulders.

After nine months of winter with temperatures dipping consistently below -40C, there are but sparse lowland outcroppings of saxifrage, mountain avens, wintergreen, moss campion, grasses and reindeer moss that are able to flourish in the otherwise barren landscape. And, despite the 24-hour sunlight, daytime temperatures rarely manage to climb much above +12C, limiting the window provided the Arctic field team to do its work. Their focus, however, is firmly fixed on finding the “HMS Investigator and exploring an area possibly holding artefacts and other unknown secrets at the site of Captain McClure’s depot.”

September/October 2014

Now more than a century and a half after she was abandoned, the Canadian archaeologists begin their search for the sunken wreck. The bay is covered in ice and the team busies itself with all that can be discovered on land. What is known is that sometime after 1853, Inuit had come upon McClure’s cache (left behind on Banks Island) and made use of the supplies, materials, and the tools they found. Still, the researchers manage to locate rusted tins, remnants of hardwood containers and boxes, a yard truss and a good supply of coal. They also come across the gravesites of the three sailors who died just before the rescue of 1853.

Just three days after the 2010 arrival of the archaeologists, the sea ice opens up. It is unexpected. A zodiac is launched immediately, and the serious search for the sunken ship begins. It is then that the nearly inconceivable occurs: barely a quarter of an hour after its launch, the team’s side scan sonar shows the Investigator on the laptop screen of team-member Ryan Harris.

Clearly visible to the naked eye in the sunlight-illuminated waters, they are able to see the well-defined contours of the ship’s hull. With Investigator lying only eight metres under the surface, her individual planks are easily discernable. A more comprehensive sonar scan of the hull shows the ship to be in very good condition and subsequent diving surveys using a submersible remote control video camera produces remarkably clear images of the wreck. In the summer of 2011 the team came back for a follow-up survey.

© COURTESY PARKS CANADA (4)

Archaeology Service team camp at Mercy Bay, Nunavut, 2011.

Longarm artefact retrieved at Mercy Bay dive-site.

All in all, in two short summertime windows of opportunity comprised of only a few weeks each, over 100 dives were performed by the Parks Canada team.

The discovery of the Investigator after more than 150 years was a remarkable achievement, one that created a media sensation in Canada and Great Britain. Beyond the kudos, the historical information gained and the artefacts harvested, this find is seen by some as having geo-political significance — one that clearly underscores, and, some might say, substantiates, in very real and tangible terms, Canada’s claims of sovereignty over the offshore lands and waters that comprise the Arctic Archipelago.

Special thanks to Garry Enns, Parks Canada, for his translation of Mechtild Opel’s original in-German manuscript.

Clockwise L-R: Block tackle, horn cleat and nail from the Investigator recovered by divers.

September/October 2014

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September/October 2014

Arctic Botany Plant Legacies from a Rock Hound

By Season Osborne

THE PLANTS IN THE GLASS DISPLAY CASE ARE VERY OLD. Narrow strips of white tape keep the pressed leaves and fragile stems in place on large, thick sheets of paper. In the bottom left-hand corner of each page, small handwritten identification labels state where the plants were found, who picked them, and when.

One specimen, a little yellow flower, was collected in 1904. The oldest, a round burgundy leafed plant — Rubus chamaemorus L. — was picked on August 15, 1884. It is 130 years old.

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Bell collected this Rubus chamaemorus L., commonly known as a cloudberry, from four different locations along Hudson Strait in 1884. CAN 70090, © Canadian Museum of Nature

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Port Laperrière Observation Station on Digges Island at the entrance to Hudson Bay, shortly after it was built on August 29, 1884. Bell made a number of collections of small plants and lichens on rocky Digges Island. Robert Bell, © Library and Archives Canada, C-086359

Bell collected this Armeria vulgaris willd on his 1897 geological expedition to the Amadjuak region of southern Baffin Island.

CAN 91902, © Canadian Museum of Nature

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The plants, displayed as part of the Arctic Festival at the Museum of Nature in Ottawa, are part of the museum’s National Herbarium. The Herbarium’s collection of more than 1.2 million specimens of plants includes over 100,000 Arctic specimens of vascular plants, such as flowers, ferns and shrubs, as well as moss, lichens and algae.

Some of these were collected by 19th century explorers. They are so perfectly preserved that anyone would guess they were picked only a few years ago.

The Rubus chamaemorus L., more commonly known as ‘cloudberry,’ was collected

by Dr. Robert Bell, a member of the first Canadian expedition to the Sub arctic. The 1884 Hudson’s Bay Expedition was the first in a three-year study to assess the feasibility of shipping Prairie wheat across Hudson Bay, through Hudson Strait to the Atlantic Ocean, and on to European markets. Prairie farmers hoped that by sailing through Hudson waters to the Atlantic they could avoid paying the Canadian Pacific Railway’s high shipping tariffs on the line they monopolized. A Hudson Bay route was physically shorter, and the three-year study would determine if it would be more economical.

Bell was one of the proponents of a Hudson Bay route. He was on the expedition in the capacity of ship’s surgeon. Bell was actually a geologist with the Geological Survey of Canada. He had gained a lot of prestige and respect in geological circles, carrying out extensive explorations of the northern sections of Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba in the 1870s and 1880s. He had taken a medical degree to be prepared for any mishap in the field. As the expedition did not have space for a geologist, though, Bell guaranteed his passage as doctor. However, the onboard historian noted that Bell’s medical supplies were buried deep in the hold where they were difficult to get at.

As part of the three-year assessment, five observation posts were erected along Hudson Strait and three men were left at each post for a year. Their job was to study conditions of the Strait, its temperature, barometric pressure, weather, ice, and tides.

The three men who were left at the posts in 1884 would be picked up and replaced the next summer of 1885 by three new men who would continue to take observations.

On September 12, 1884, the sailing steamship Neptune dropped anchor in a bay off rocky Digges Island, at the southern entrance to Hudson Bay from Hudson Strait.

An expedition party rowed ashore with a load of lumber. They were there to erect September/October 2014

Observation Station Number 5, promptly named Port Laperrière after Arthur Laperrière, the 24-year-old station observer.

Some of the men explored the island while carpenters raised the frame of the building the observers would occupy for the next two years. Five polar bears were spotted and the dory was dispatched to the ship to alert the men onboard. A hunt ensued with 15 men, nine with rifles. Three of the great white bears were shot, and the men debated who should get custody of the skins. Dr. Robert Bell, who hadn’t even been part of the hunt, acquired one of the skins under the auspices of science.

Bell had been otherwise occupied on Digges Island during the hunt. He had been collecting specimens and had gingerly uprooted a short plant with large, round, crenulated reddish leaves — a cloudberry. Back at the ship, he would dry the plants he’d gathered between thick layers of blotting paper and felt in a botanical press provided for just this purpose. Later, when he returned to Ottawa, the specimens would be identified

A contemporary image of Armeria vulgaris willd, commonly known as thrift, which grows in abundance in the Arctic.

Jennifer Doubt, © Canadian Museum of Nature

He evidently was diligent in collecting plants from both sides of Hudson Strait, but incorrectly named the place he collected them from.

Referring to his geo-referencing work, Wise says, “I have always been a puzzle fan, and finding some of the collection sites is indeed a puzzle.” Location of the Luzula’s collection site is another puzzle now solved.

Jennifer Doubt, Curator of Botany at the Canadian Museum of Nature, says that Wise has revolutionized georeferencing at the National Herbarium, finding more than just the geographical coordinates of where plants are collected.

“He not only figures out the latitude and longitude for the places named on specimen labels, but he also determines a radius within which the plants were most likely collected.

And he documents where he got the information, so that other people can decide if they agree with him or not,” says Doubt. “He talks to historians and people at heritage centres Plants laid out on a 12 x 17 inch sheet in the field, ready to be pressed.

Roger Bull, © Canadian Museum of Nature

and catalogued at the National Herbarium, then part of the Geological Survey of Canada’s natural history museum. The zoological and botanical specimens he collected would be examples of the abundant natural resources of Canada’s most northern lands.

Bell accompanied the three Hudson Bay and Strait expeditions in the summers of 1884, 1885 and 1886 as ship’s surgeon. On a fourth government expedition to Hudson Strait in 1897, he was officially recognized in the capacity of geologist, and with a team of four was dropped off on southern Baffin Island to explore the northern side of the Strait, particularly Amadjuak Fiord. Another team, led by fellow geologist Albert Peter Low, was dropped off on the south side of the Strait to make geological studies there.

Fast-forward to 2014, Paul Wise at the National Herbarium is looking for the exact location of where a Luzula was collected by “R. Bell in 1897.” Bell had noted on the plant’s accompanying label that the collection site was, “Prince George’s Sound, Hudson Straits.” Wise cannot find Prince George’s Sound on any contemporary map. Even using “the usually dependable Mr. Google produced not a single hit,” he says.

Paul Wise is geo-referencing specimens for the Herbarium. He tries to determine from the information on the labels attached to each plant’s sheet exactly where the plant was collected.

He is stumped with Bell’s Luzula, a long reedy plant known commonly as a wood-rush.

A 1911 map, however, shows a King George’s Sound on the south side of Hudson Strait. Commander William Wakeham’s published 1897 report on the Expedition to Hudson Bay and Cumberland Gulf in the Steamship “Diana,” details that between July 16 and 18 the expedition landed at King George’s Sound where Albert Low and his party disembarked to carry out their geological explorations on the south side of the Strait. There was obviously time over those three days for Bell to also go ashore.

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Geologist Robert Bell became assistant director in 1877 of the Geological Survey of Canada. He was appointed acting director of the Survey from 1901 to 1906, then held the position of chief geologist until he resigned from the survey in 1908. © Natural Resources Canada, Courtesy of the Geological Survey of Canada, kgs-2369BB

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Men aboard the Neptune on the first Dominion Government expedition to Hudson Strait and Hudson Bay in 1884. Robert Bell is front left with the big beard.

Robert Bell, © Library and Archives Canada, C-O52196

The Luzula collected by Robert Bell. This is the plant that Paul Wise at the National Herbarium is actively seeking geo-references for its exact location. CAN 12184, © Canadian Museum of Nature

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all over the place. Sometimes he’ll talk to the mayor of some small town if he is looking for the name of a landmark or road. If Paul can’t find it through regular sources, he’ll ferret it out.”

In 1903-04, Bell’s associate Albert Low commanded a Dominion Government expedition, which over wintered in northwestern Hudson Bay before exploring islands in the High Eastern Arctic. Dr. Lorris Borden, the ship’s surgeon, who doubled as the botanist/zoologist on the expedition, collected a clump of yellow flowers from Beechey Island on August 15, 1904. Draba bellii is noted on the label as the specimen that Borden collected.

The flowers were identified as the same species of plant that Bell had collected from Mansfield (now Mansel) Island, Hudson Bay, in the 1880s. The type specimen collected

by Bell was sent to Theo Holm, the Danish-American expert in Arctic botany, for identification. Holm named it Draba bellii after its collector. All new species must be published in order to be ‘official,’ so Holm published details about the new specimen in the Journal of Botanical Taxonomy and Geobotany in 1907.

“Since that time, however, botanists have determined that Draba bellii isn’t sufficiently distinct to warrant separate species status, so it is now included in the species Draba corymbosa,” says Doubt.

Like Bell, Borden had no real interest in plants, but he picked a variety of what he found and brought them back for identification by the head botanist in Ottawa.

The incredible thing is that the plants that Borden and Bell gathered are still part of the National Herbarium’s collection. The method they used to press and preserve them is still used to preserve plants today. They dried plants in 12 by 17 inch presses similar to the ones currently used by botanists. The top and bottom of plant presses are thin sheets of wood. Between the wood are layers of corrugated cardboard. In Bell’s time, the layers were made of felt and blotting paper. After they are picked, plants are gingerly laid out between sheets of cardboard. One specimen can be pressed or hundreds, depending on how many layers of cardboard are added. These layers are tightly held together by straps.

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Plant presses at a field site are raised up so that the Arctic breeze can blow through the layers of cardboard and dry the plants. Once the plants have been dried, they can literally last for centuries.

Roger Bull, © Canadian Museum of Nature

“The moisture is pressed out of the plants into the felt, blotting paper, or nowadays into the cardboard,” says, Botany Technician Micheline Beaulieu-Bouchard.

This low-tech method is very effective, and has been the system used to preserve plants for hundreds of years, says Beaulieu-Bouchard. However, other aspects of collecting specimens have changed greatly. GPS is now used in the field to get exact latitude and longitude coordinates to accurately establish the location where plants are collected. The majority of plant specimens now are also sampled for DNA to further the botanical knowledge of them. Advances in technology make it increasingly possible to sample the DNA of the older plants, such as those collected by Bell and others on the early Canadian expeditions. This concept of analyzing plants in this way would have been unfathomable to the men who collected them a century ago.

Paul Wise geo-referencing older Arctic plants at the National Herbarium at the Museum of Nature to establish latitude and longitude, and more precise details about where they were collected.

Jennifer Doubt, © Canadian Museum of Nature

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Once mounted, the specimens are scanned at 600 dpi, creating a 250 MB image each time, which captures every minute detail of the plant.

“Everything from the Arctic — Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon — gets scanned and is entered in the computer database, as well as any specimens that get sent to other herbaria,” says Beaulieu-Bouchard. Arctic specimens receive high priority for scanning because they are integral to the Arctic Flora of Canada and Alaska project, an international collaboration led by scientists at the Canadian Museum of Nature. “We keep multiple copies,” says Beaulieu-Bouchard. “We have the big master copy and then we create copies for different purposes, such as lower resolution versions for the web.”

As well, a specimen database was created in the 1990’s; however, with over a million specimens to enter, it will take years to record all the information. Plus, the collection is ever expanding, as botanists continue to collect new plants from various regions of Canada, including the Arctic.

Botanists and researchers collaborate with other researchers globally. They usually collect duplicates of plants when they are in the field, and these duplicates are often shared with other herbaria around the world. So, the National Herbarium has a number of specimens in its collection that were donated.

The earliest Arctic plants in the collection are from William Edward Parry’s 1821-22 expedition that over wintered in Fury and Hecla Strait near Igloolik. Parry’s niece had inherited these plants and her descendants donated them to the National Herbarium of Canada in the late 19th century. The Herbarium also has specimens collected by Franklin and by parties searching for him, as well as American Lt. Adolphus Greely’s expedition to Ellesmere, which came to grief on Pim Island in 1884.

Doubt says there is no record of how the Greely specimens came to be part of the collection. A system to rigorously keep track of who collected which plants, when, and where, or who donated them wasn’t put in place until much later.

So the origin of many of the older specimens is a mystery.

Paul Wise’s geo-referencing of many of these is contributing to the knowledge of where the plants were collected.

Reflecting on Bell’s collection of specimens, Doubt says, “We checked for algae from the Hudson Bay expeditions.

But there wasn’t any. “You’d think they would’ve hauled it out when they were collecting land specimens.” She adds, “I don’t know if they were sent somewhere else, but we don’t seem to have any algae collected for the Canadian Arctic from that period.”

This is surprising considering that Bell was very thorough in his collections, even going to the extent of dragging the bottom of Hudson Strait to dredge up molluscs and shellfish.

However, for a geologist, his botanical legacy is impressive.

What he collected over a century ago is still considered an important addition to the knowledge of flora of Canada’s North.

Season Osborne has a passion for Arctic history, and is the author of In the Shadow of the Pole: An Early History of Arctic Expeditions, 1871-1912. She lives and writes in Ottawa, Ontario. above & beyond

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COMMUNITY

T

The Arctic Berry Project Camping at Kugluk Bloody Falls Park

he Arctic Berry Project is a communitysupported monitoring program that was initiated in 2009 in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, with the financial support of ArcticNet. The project aims to better understand how the changing environment affects blueberries, cloudberries, cranberries and crowberries. The program was developed to give the opportunity for youth to engage with the environment by providing activities as part of their high school science classes.

The success of this program is based on the continual support of Elders, the Kugluktuk High School, regional biologists and researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC).

A weeklong environmental studies program has been developed in collaboration with a number of partners. The program incorporates various worldviews to give the students access to different knowledge systems including

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Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), Western knowledge and other Indigenous Knowledge from around the world. Youth participants between the ages of 15 to 20 gain training in environmental monitoring using standardized monitoring protocols. They also develop skills in oral history interviewing, navigation, camping and fishing. During the berrypicking season in late August, daily trips are organized and activities delivered with the support of the high school and active community members who show a keen interest to participate.

Last fall, a group of nine students along with Elders, guides, teachers and UBC researchers ventured to Kugluk Bloody Falls Territorial Park for an overnight camping trip to harvest berries from the monitoring plots found within the park, fish, learn more about park management, and exchange stories.

Š SARAH DESROSIERS (2)

Nunavut Parks, Planning and Operations Coordinator, Rebecca Torretti, talks with the Elders and youth program group about the knowledge project.

Kugluktuk’s Bill Algona hoists his catch for all to see.

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Enthusiastic harvesters (L to R): Emerald Macdonald and Riya Etoktok.

grunts were shared. Slow and steady we moved.

An hour easily elapsed. Our tummies rumbled and we became sluggish. Sprawled out bodies lay on top of the luggage. Dry meat was shared.

Powered up, the remaining gear was hauled up and settled amongst the short cliffs and willow wisps. The Coppermine River carves through the tall bedrock to the east. Thirteen kilometres to the north, the Hamlet of Kugluktuk

© SARAH DESROSIERS (4)

Six wall tents, three action packers stuffed with food and cooking supplies, countless backpacks, fishing rods, amongst heaps of equipment were unloaded from the jet boats idling between anchored boulders at the base of the rapids. It was a mere 200 metres to our camping destination. We made our way up the slippery rocks to the campground situated on higher ground. Huffs, puffs and

Twilight's peaceful pause comes wrapped in the vast stillness of the land.

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is found. Spectacular rolling hills vibrant with lime green horsetail and sphagnum mixed with different shades of green and hazy browns surrounded us. Students remained speechless taking in the beauty of the landscape never seen before even though located so close to the community.

“Can I help with anything?” I asked one of the Elders while preparing a soup. In English she responded:“The true Eskimo way, you never ask. You just do!” It was my second scolding of the day. As a graduate student from Vancouver, British Columbia, wanting to be accepted I quickly grabbed my pocketknife and started to chop the carrots. I copied her cutting technique as she sliced the potatoes using her ulu. A hearty soup was on the go. I decided to go on a walkabout to collect driftwood. She sent her grandson with me. We came back carrying our sweaters wrapped around the pile of sticks like baskets. The grandson fashioned his sweater into a backpack and carried an impressive load. Prepared bannock, warm soup and wonderful hunting stories and tales from the past awaited our arrival.

Late in the evening, the full moon peeked out from the clouds and the students howled in unison attempting to summon the resident September/October 2014

COMMUNITY wolves. Some students dispersed into their tents while a few stayed around the fire. Emotions were brewing and then, released. Youth in Northern communities rarely get the chance to unearth their feelings buried deep within.

Conversation was broken by one of the students reflecting about their surroundings: the sky, willows, rolling hills, rocks, berries, char and grayling spawning up river, caribou migrating five miles south, bears…

“Imagine what it would be like if we still lived out on the land like our ancestors did,” one said.

“Think of the risk of starvation and how difficult it would be to survive but at least we would still have our culture and our language,” one replied.

“What about arranged marriages? You would have to marry someone 40 years older than you.”

The following morning we got to work!

After conversing with the Elders we divided the working group by having the young men tear down the camp and set up the three monitoring plots. Once the camp was cleared, they located the plot boundaries using a GPS and marked off the edges with rope that was flagged at one-metre intervals to form a grid, like a checkerboard. In the meantime, the young women labelled the zip lock bags in which the berry samples would be collected.

They then efficiently harvested thirty 20 cm x 20 cm random samples from the three plots.

Story author Sarah Desrosiers with her treasure of berries.

While the girls were finishing up their task, the young men were having their last fishing session. They caught several char and whitefish to share with their family and friends.

While we waited for the boats to return to take us home, Rebecca Torretti of the Nunavut Parks division delivered a presentation about willow ecology and management in the park.

When we are out on the land we are never ready to go home but knowing that the next day we would be going to a different location, Hart Lake, to continue harvesting berries and learning about the land we felt satisfied.

The land is a place for healing and the link between place, language and cultural identity plays an essential role in the well being of not only an individual but also a community. This is why these place-based educational opportunities are so important in building strong

and healthy generations who will become the future leaders of Nunavut.

Reciprocity is fundamental when pursuing research in Arctic communities. Language revitalization through community initiatives is fundamental for the well being of the Inuit culture and for the future of Nunavut. Thus, as a way to give back to the community, we are working with our Kugluktukmiut partners to produce a not for profit community bilingual Berry Book that will contribute to the development of Inuinnaqtun written material regarding knowledge about the land. The material used in the production of the book comes from oral history workshops facilitated during the environmental programming. We aim to have the book printed and distributed in winter 2015.

Sarah Desrosiers

Magnificent view of Kugluk/Bloody Falls Territorial Park, Nunavut.

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COMMUNITY

Nunavik Furs

Couple shopping for Arctic fox fur to use as hood ruff on a parka.

Tannery serves the region’s Inuit hunters and trappers

A

s autumn falls upon us, temperatures slowly drop as dark wins the day. It won’t be long before the tundra puts on its winter coat and Northerners everywhere follow suit. While Inuit seamstresses are already busy sewing new parkas for their family, hunters and trappers will soon set out on their snowmobiles in pursuit of another type of coat: fur.

Somewhere in Kuujjuaq, on the road to Stewart Lake, (aka Tasialuk to Inuit), a tannery stands still. After the usually quiet summer spent on equipment maintenance and required upkeep, Nunavik Furs manager Daniel Lemelin, and his assistant Guy Lauzon, are now gearing up to meet the demand that will soon flood their schedule.

Opened in 2004 by Makivik Corporation in response to an identified need in the Nunavik region, the tannery has since been relocated to a new location that has become known as “industrial boulevard”. An integral part of Makivik’s subsidiary, Nunavik Creations, Nunavik Furs is the only licensed tannery in northeastern Canada, which makes its services just as appealing as the furs it produces.

Red fox furs dry on a stretcher, alongside dried red fox and wolf pelts.

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Tanning, the process by which animal pelts are treated to prevent them from decay, is an art in itself requiring unique equipment, skills and know-how that take years of experience to master. For woodsman Daniel Lemelin, who is the backbone of Nunavik Furs, tanning now holds few secrets and he’s happy to be able to put his skills to good use serving the needs of Inuit hunters and trappers in Kuujjuaq and beyond in the Nunavik region.

Fur cleaning and tanning services are greatly appreciated by the Inuit community, an otherwise painstaking and labour-intensive task.

“A lot of Inuit still tan their own furs, especially when it comes to sealskins, taking the fat off and softening the skin with a kiliutaq (a homemade handheld scraper), and drying it in the open air. But, nowadays, as many have full-time jobs, they don’t always have enough time to September/October 2014

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Manager Daniel Lemelin uses a fleshing machine to remove the excess fat from a wolf skin.

soft and lustrous as the other varieties of furs it purchases from suppliers down south. Then they are sold to local seamstresses and craftspeople producing everything from unique fur adornments all the way to high quality fur coats.

Isabelle Dubois For more information on the tannery’s services, or to purchase furs, contact Nunavik Furs at 819-964-0310.

© ISABELLE DUBOIS (5)

do all that work. That’s where we come in!” explains Lemelin, who doesn't frown on the idea of performing a chore traditionally carried out by women.

Hunters and trappers will often bring small animals whole, whether martens, fox, otters or even beavers, and bigger ones such as wolves and bears already skinned, which obviously saves on cargo when shipped from up the coasts. Although they are usually brought in frozen solid, Lemelin recommends that they be as fresh as possible, for better results, as an animal or fur kept for too long in the freezer or out in the cold will lose its quality over time.

He also emphasizes that “the furs should be harvested when the animal’s coat is at its best, usually between November and April, when it is nice and thick, if the hunters and trappers want to obtain a good value for it.”

“Not to mention that the fur won’t look as nice on a parka’s hood with shorter summer hair or worse, won’t be of any use if it is shedding,”

adds tannery assistant and apprentice Guy Lauzon.

“When we receive a fur, the first step is to clean the fat off of it, which we do with a fleshing machine,” explains Lemelin.“Once that’s done, we proceed to drying it or tanning it, depending on what the client wants to do with it,” he adds.

“Often, Inuit will just want to have their pelts dried on a stretcher, so that they can sell it to their local Hunters Support store,” continues Lemelin. Those pelts are then re-sold to local residents, who can buy them at a subsidized price if they are beneficiaries of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (1975).

“If the client wants the hide to be tanned, it is dipped for a couple of days to about a week, depending on the size of the pelt, in a solution that resembles the one for dill pickling,” Lemelin notes with a grin. “It is then hung to dry until it’s ready for a tanning oil to be applied on the leather side, to replace the natural oil of the skin and keep it supple,” he adds.

After settling overnight, the pelt is placed in a tumbler, where it will flip and flop for 10 hours or so with sawdust that will absorb excess oil on the fur. The thundering beat of the tumbler certainly makes for a good jam session come break time for these two musicians at heart.

A final run on the tannery’s buffer gives processed hides a smooth suede finish, ensuring that all furs handled are every bit as

Nunavik Furs tannery manager Daniel Lemelin (right) and his assistant Guy Lauzon.

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PROILE

Capt. Patrick R.M. Toomey, Canadian Coast Guard (retired), standing in front of the museum ship Alexander Henry, a former Canadian Coast Guard buoy-tender/light icebreaker at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, Kingston, Ontario, October 2013. © CARRIE TOOMEY, COURTESY-PATRICK TOOMEY

ON THE BRIDGE

Captain Toomey – Ice Master

F

rom the time he was three years old, Patrick Toomey wanted to go to sea.

Growing up near a busy harbour town in Sussex, England, the sea shaped his life. In Boy Scouts, Toomey learned Morse code and semaphore, earned an oarsman badge, and taught himself the international code of flags.

He learned anything that he thought was related to sailing.

After grammar school, between 1949 and 1951, Toomey was schooled on a training ship, which was moored in the Thames, down river from London, but never went to sea.

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The students lived on board for the school term. In addition to academic subjects, such as French, history, and geography, they learned seamanship and navigation, and did sail training on the Cutty Sark, which was also permanently moored.

During the Queen’s coronation, in 1953, ships from around the world anchored in the Thames. One unusual ship Toomey noticed, that no one seemed to know anything about, turned out to be the Canadian icebreaker d’Iberville on her maiden voyage for the Coronation Review at Spithead.

Toomey joined the British Merchant Navy in 1951, and had his first trip to sea when he was “nearly 16 years old,” taking cargo ships around the world. After working for the Furness Lines for a few years, Toomey joined the Bowater Pulp and Paper Company’s shipping line. In March 1955, Toomey was aboard the Margaret Bowater, heading to Newfoundland, when he met the sea ice for the very first time.

“I thought, ‘Boy, I like this,’” says Toomey about his first encounter with ice. “We had to be taken into Cornerbrook by a Canadian icebreaker, and I saw how they work.”

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© DAVID M. TOOMEY, COURTESY-PATRICK TOOMEY

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Capt. Toomey in working uniform seated at his desk in the captain’s cabin of CCGS des Groseilliers, March 1983.

In 1956, while Toomey was in London, studying for his mate’s ticket, he met Carrie Waterman. They married on one of his leaves in January 1958. Two years later, he earned his master’s ticket. He was now a ship’s chief officer, and sailed in cargo ships to ports in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Baltic, the Far East, and North America.

When Bowater sold its ships in 1964, Toomey suddenly found himself out of a job.

He recalled an earlier invitation to join the Canadian Coast Guard and, totally on spec,

headed for Canada. Toomey arrived in Ottawa in July 1964. He went to the coast guard offices, introduced himself to the marine superintendent and asked if they were hiring.

When the marine superintendent heard that he had a Master Mariner (Foreign Going) ticket, he said, “When can you start?” Within two months, the Toomeys had moved to Halifax.

Toomey then worked aboard such icebreakers as the Labrador and John A. Macdonald in the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes. In

© TRANSPORT CANADA, COURTESY-PATRICK TOOMEY

The Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker CCGS des Groseilliers, which Capt. Toomey commanded several different times from 1983 to 1986.

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September 1965, the government opened the Canadian Coast Guard College in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and hired Toomey as Cadet Supervisor, as he had experience in a maritime school.

“I didn’t want to go ashore permanently,” says Toomey. After two years, he was anxious to be aboard ship again. The coast guard offered to send him anywhere. As he wanted to become bilingual, he decided on Quebec.

So in December 1967, the Toomeys, and their then four children, moved to Quebec City.

That summer of 1968, Toomey made his first trip to the Arctic as chief officer aboard the old steamship icebreaker N.B. McLean.

“I’ve been there pretty well every year since,” he says.

In February 1970, Toomey got command of his own ship. He was made captain of the Simcoe, a small icebreaker-buoy tender working in the St. Lawrence. He only stayed with the Simcoe until June, and then headed North.

He recalls one of his later, more eventful Arctic expeditions aboard the Puffin, a WWII landing craft that had been converted to a tanker, and was “held together with paint.”

“We hit the bottom going up to Baker Lake and ripped half the bottom out of her. Got her temporarily fixed up at Churchill, supposedly for the voyage home to Quebec, but they kept us up North for another two months,” says Toomey. It was temporarily repaired, but she was leaking all over the place. We had 150 feet of the bottom missing. She was a tanker, so was floating on her tanks.”

After the Puffin, Toomey moved up through the fleet, gradually getting bigger and bigger ships — the Montcalm, Simon Fraser, J.E. Bernier, the des Groseilliers, and the d’Iberville (the ship he’d seen in the Thames for the Queen’s coronation). In them, he sailed the Atlantic, Great Lakes, and Arctic waters.

In 1978, Toomey “stood by” the Pierre Radisson, as she was being built in B.C. The Radisson was a prototype, the first of the R-class, and a more efficient and better icebreaker than the government had ever had before. In June, she performed the first sea trials in Vancouver and Victoria.

“In July we set off for the Northwest Passage. And that was my first Northwest Passage,” says Toomey. “We went from west to east. We had a heck of a trip through. We had an awful lot of ice.”

Ghislain Aubut, chief engineer aboard the Radisson on that voyage, recalls,“We got stuck in ice for one month in the Victoria Strait where Franklin died. At the time we used a

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thousand tonnes of fuel. We had to get back to Tuktoyaktuk to refuel. But because of the ice, instead of going through the normal route via Victoria Strait, we went through the Prince of Wales Strait. That was a fantastic experience with Pat at the helm. He’s a great captain.”

In 1985, the Canadian government decided to build a monster polar icebreaker for the Canadian Coast Guard to assert Canada’s sovereignty in Arctic waters. Toomey went to Ottawa in 1987 to work on this Polar 8 Project.

However, his family stayed in Quebec City where his now six children were going to school, and Toomey went home on weekends. He worked on the project for two years, captaining icebreakers in the Arctic for three or four months each summer. Unfortunately, the Polar 8 Project was cancelled in 1990.

Toomey retired in 1991, at age 57 with 27 years of service. He became a consultant, specializing in ice navigation. In 1992, Toomey’s ice expertise was sought out, and he was hired as ice pilot aboard a Russian icebreaker.

The Kapitan Khlebnikov was to spend the summer traversing the Northwest Passage to determine if it was feasible to take expeditions through it. The three-month trial runs between Provideniya, Siberia, and Nuuk, Greenland, proved successful and polar expedition cruises were launched.

Thus began his second sailing career as ice navigator on expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctic. Toomey mainly navigated aboard Russian icebreakers with Quark Expeditions, Marine Expeditions, T.C. Swartz and Zeagram Expeditions. He also worked on the Holland America Line cruise ships in Antarctica.

“I’m an ice pilot,” says Toomey.“I always tell people, I have all the fun and none of the responsibilities.”

Robert Headland, Senior Associate, Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, had corresponded with Toomey about “transits of the Northwest Passage” before meeting the captain aboard an icebreaker when he was historian for Quark Expeditions.

“There was a Russian ice navigator aboard, but Pat Toomey was the fellow who knew the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and he was acting in that post, translating and working with the Russian crew. With the language difference, and especially with the knowledge of the Northwest Passage, Pat was effectively a liaison officer, and ice was his specialty,” says Headland.

In 1994, Toomey went to the Antarctic for the first time with Quark Expeditions aboard

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© COURTESY - PATRICK TOOMEY

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Capt. Toomey was ice pilot on the Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker Yamal, as it pushed through multi-year ice on the way to the North Pole in 2005.

the Khlebnikov. In 1996, he circumnavigated Antarctica with the Russian icebreaker, sailing eastwards from the Falkland Islands: 14,000 nautical miles in 66 days. He has been to the Antarctic 33 times.

Altogether, Toomey’s made the Northwest Passage 14 times, seven aboard the Khlebnikov and twice on the Radisson. On the Khlebnikov, he did nine different NWP routes, or portions of nine different routes.

“The entry and exit are always the same, but you can do different bits in the middle,” says Toomey.

He has also made the Northeast Passage, starting in Norway and going through to Provideniya in the Bering Strait, then through the Northwest Passage to Greenland — circumnavigating the top of the world. Toomey also accompanied Quark Expeditions on six trips to the North Pole aboard the nuclearpowered Russian icebreaker, Yuma.

Toomey has worked on 36 ships in his 63-year career, including nine Canadian and six Russian icebreakers.

On the bridge is where Capt. Toomey belongs. He loves icebreaking and ice piloting.

He says,“Each voyage is different. I always think there is something interesting happening with icebreaking. Previously, we never had any open water trips. Not like we get now, that’s for certain.”

As the Arctic Ocean becomes more navigable with the dissipating ice, Toomey sees the necessity of making Arctic waters safer for passage. He is presently involved with the Arctic Council, advocating for the establishment of marine infrastructure in the Arctic, which would also allow cruise ships to more safely visit the remote northern communities.

Capt. Toomey’s impeccable knowledge of the Antarctic waters has led to a strait being named in his honour. Toomey Strait passes between Wince and Frito islands, at coordinates 64°43' W, 64°54' S. It is uncharted, full

of icebergs, and not considered navigable.

Capt. Toomey is not one to take chances with uncharted waters (even if it does carry his moniker), and may never make passage of it.

Aubut sums it up when he says, “For him safety of the ship is a must. He is safe at all times, under the worst possible conditions.

You can always sleep well when Capt. Toomey is onboard.”

Season Osborne Season Osborne has a passion for Arctic history, and is the author of In the Shadow of the Pole: An Early History of Arctic Expeditions, 18711912. She lives and writes in Ottawa, Ontario.

NAPEG message to Students and Teachers of the NWT and Nunavut

Did you know NAPEG: 3 Encourages students to study sciences and math;

3 Would be willing to contact an engineer, geologist or geophysicist to visit your classroom;

3 Challenges students and others to enter their annual Model Bridge Building Competition;

3 Awards two scholarships each year to northern students attending university in an engineering or geoscience program;

3 Provides two financial awards for Best Student Presentations at the Annual NWT/NU Geoscience Forum;

3 Offers a Science Teaching Award to teachers who are nominated by their peers.

Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists 201, 4817 – 49 Street, Yellowknife, NT X1A 3S7

(867) 920-4055 www.napeg.nt.ca

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NORTHERN BOOKSHELF

Paddlenorth: Adventure, Resilience, and Renewal in the Arctic Wild Jennifer Kingsley Greystone Books September 2014

Frozen in Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition Dr. Owen Beattie and John Geiger Greystone Books September 2014 The search for the lost ships from the Sir John Franklin Arctic Expedition has been continuing ever since their disappearance in 1846. The expedition’s two ships — HMS Erebus and HMS Terror — carried 129 soles onboard. Now, in their new book, Frozen in Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition, forensic anthropologist Dr. Owen Beattie and historian and writer John Geiger present a dramatic adventure story of the excavation of three sailors from that Expedition. The book includes photographs, maps and illustrations from the excavation on Beechey Island.

September/October 2014

In an adventure, wilderness story, Jennifer Kingsley describes the risks and rewards of travelling in the northern wilderness of the Arctic. In this fast-paced book, Kingsley and her five companions battle raging winds, impenetrable sea ice, and treacherous rapids on a 54-day rowing trip on the Back River. Despite the challenges they face, both physically and personally, their journey is also full of such breathtaking experiences as grizzly sightings, icy swims, and the caribou’s summer migration. Paddlenorth takes the reader on a journey that paints the Arctic as both spectacular and wild, tracing some of the pathways of earlier explorers.

A Registered Nurse’s Guide to Live and Work in Canada’s North and Arctic Communities Milton Grace www.northarcticnursing.ca May 2014 Milton Grace has spent 10 years travelling around the three territories and northern First Nations as a travelling northern nurse. His new book, A Registered Nurse’s Guide to Live and Work in Canada’s North and Arctic Communities, shares anecdotes and practical work and home life advice for nurses heading to remote northern communities. Besides covering topics such as what illnesses and injuries are most common, patching up lacerations, setting broken bones, prescribing medicines and delivering babies, he also discusses social activities, climate, cooking, shopping, banking and accommodations. The book also contains numerous photos of him, on the job and off duty, in various communities. It’s a good overview of what to expect in a typical health centre North of 60.

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arctic exotica

Š KYLE THOMAS

2014 Yellowknife Airshow

September/October 2014

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INUIT FORUM

Oil in the family he late Eben Hopson had a grand vision for circumpolar Inuit relationship-building back in the 1970s, and it had a lot to do with oil. Alaska’s North Slope Borough was engaged in a multimillion-dollar exploration project adjacent to Inupiat lands, and at the same time, Inuvialuit in Canada’s Western Arctic were examining a proposal to pipe oil and gas through the Mackenzie River Valley.

Forty years later, the organization Hopson kick started, now known as the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), is still talking about oil.

Today there isn’t a circumpolar nation that isn’t heavily involved in some form of resource exploration or extraction, and it seems it has never been more important for Inuit to come together to talk frankly about how to move forward in this increasingly complex space.

When we meet every four years with the Inuit of Kalaallit Nunaat, the Iñupiat and Yup’ik of the North Slope Borough of Alaska and the Yupik of Russia’s Chuchki Peninsula — as we did this past July in Inuvik for ICC’s 12th General Assembly — it’s easy to see how much we have in common. But it’s equally apparent that we are different in many ways, from the cut of our atigluit to our modern-day governance structures.

We are at different stages of political and economic development, and it should come as no surprise that we sometimes disagree on the best path to prosperity forward for Inuit.

It gives us the opportunity to learn from one another about our differing experiences with, for example, offshore partnerships at one end of the scale, and moratoria on the other. That’s just one of the reasons why ICC matters, why it was created and why it continues to exist.

And reasons for continuing collaboration among circumpolar Inuit abound.The European Union, one of the most powerful trading blocs on the planet, has been developing an Arctic

© ITK

© ITK

T

Celebrating our similarities and our differences: Canadian and Alaskan dancers perform during the Inuit Circumpolar Council General Assembly in Inuvik in July.

Policy to set out a path for its increased engagement in the Arctic. Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Arctic coastal states are making submissions to establish their sovereignty over large portions of the Arctic Ocean seabed. Large swaths of ice and water identified in those submissions include areas of Inuit Nunaat, our circumpolar homeland, in which Inuit exist and have rights relating to the use of resources situated there.

In Canada, as the Supreme Court recently explained in its Tsilhqot’in Nation decision, establishment of title — and the rights that it bestows — does not require a people to piece together intensive use of well-defined tracts of land. It takes a territorial approach that reflects the different sustainable uses to which lands and waters have been put.

It is still remarkably common for Arctic policies and strategies to be designed for the people of the Arctic rather than by us. Yet over many decades, organizations like ICC and ITK

have gone to great lengths to repatriate such decision-making. As outgoing ICC chair Aqqaluk Lynge observed some years ago, Inuit are no longer “the cartoon character Eskimos of 300 years ago.” Neither are the lands, ice and waters of Inuit Nunaat considered an empty space belonging to no one. That we have populated our territories and creatively harnessed its many renewable and nonrenewable resources for a long time is nearly universally acknowledged.

We are here. We use and know this land and the resources it offers to us. It is as much in us as we are in it. As stewards of the Arctic and custodians of its wealth for future generations, we are moving with caution toward a future of unleashed potential. We are a family that crosses borders and time zones, but under the northern lights or the midnight sun, we are Inuit.

Terry Audla

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami 75 Albert Street, Suite 1101 Ottawa, ON K1P 5E7 t. (613) 238.8181

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ᓄᓇᓕᓐᓅᖓᔪᖅ, ᐊᑲᕐᕆᓇᖅᑐᖅ, ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᑦᓯᐊᖅᑐᖅ

Nunallaat, Ihuarniq, Atuttiarniq Community, Comfort, Convenience

ᑲᓲᑎᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᑉ ᖄᖓᒍᑦ

Haniliriikhutik Hilarjuap Qulaani Spanning the Top of the World

www.InnsNorth.com

( 1-888-To-North

ᓄᓇᓕᒻᒥᐅᓄᑦ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᑐᔪᕐᒥᕖᑦ, ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᑦᑐᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᑦ.

Nunalimmiunut namminirijaujut tujurmiviit, katujjiqatigiittut Ukiuqtaqturmit.

Locally owned hotels, working together across the Arctic.

Photo: Brian Tattuinee

Meet the ATR 42 The ATR 42 is a fast, comfortable, fuel-efficient state-of-the-art turbo prop aircraft.

This flexible combi model has the ability to carry all passenger, all freight or any combination in between, servicing smaller northern communities in our route network.