Rose Kirby

Well-photographed and tourist-visited, Parks Canada has engaged Elders and members of the community to assist in learning about plants and other important issues surrounding the Falls. Who were the Inuit who may have lived in the area? How do you find out? uu

TUKTUT NURRAIT NATIONAL PARK, LA RONCIÈRE FALLS

JOSEPH SARAANA THRASHER WITH GEOLOGISTS ROSS MACKAY AND KEITH FRASER, JULY 1951

This story is from Iriaruk/Nirliq/Tuuqłak Rose Thrasher/Kirby, who was at the time 7 years old. She and her immediate family and extended families were living at Fish Camp for the summer. Men were able to hunt for caribou upland and ducks, fish at the Kuuk (river) and seals from the ocean, men would walk up the hills to try to get caribou. If they travelled, they had to walk miles up the hills to hunt and used dogs and men to haul the meat, skins back. Caribou skins were so important for clothing in the summer/fall, their fur was short and good for clothing, it would soon get cold, and the fur would start to get thicker for parkas, pants and maklak (kammak). The ugyuk skin was being dried for maklak, your threads were made from caribou sinew. There were so many of us children, dried fish generally finished quickly.

It was the summer we heard a plane land in Paulatuuq. Every adult was wondering why the plane went to Paulatuuq, which made us children worry. My granddad and some other men decided to walk to Paulatuuq, our only means of travel in the summers. On their return ataatak An'ngik said, "Two men arrived on the plane; they were looking for someone who could speak English to hire." Joseph Thrasher’s name was given to them, and they wish to hire him. We all walked to Paulatuuq to spend the summer there while Dad was working with the two geologists.

Two very important events were happening that summer and fall of 1951. My dad Joseph got his first job; he was told that they plan on walking to La Roncière Falls, look at Brock Canyons, walk the country, and return to Paulatuuq. They also told my dad they would like to hire his dogs. Dad explained to mom what they were going to do: name plants, rocks, animals, fish, ducks, birds, and study land. The day arrived when they started their trek. My dad was packing goods. Dad’s three dogs were packing their tent/ poles, caribou skins for mattresses and other goods they needed for the trek. We all said our “see you laters” and farewells.

I watched my dad, so handsome, dressed with waterproof knee-high maklak made from seal skin, which my mother sewed. He had an atiktluk on, his hood up because of the mosquitoes. Ross and Keith had a fishnet, hats, and gumboots. Off they went—three men and three dogs.

The days went by slowly, but we had many adventures looking at what was at the beach; we would find jellyfish and picked up the odd driftwood for when it got cool.

We'd go to Father Dehurtevant's (Umiligaaluk’s) house and ask: “How long would my dad be gone?” He would tell us, “In days.”

The other event we waited to happen was the coming of the “Our Lady of Lourdes” mission boat to pick up school kids to go to school in Aktlarvik. This was not a happy event. The only good thing about it was they brought coal for the mission and some food to sell to Inuit; our little store was on the porch of Father D's house.

Finally, Father D told us my dad would be here any day. We searched the east until we saw them coming, what a happy event. Everyone shook hands with Dad and his companions. I was overjoyed. My dad was home, and he was talking about the beauty of the land, the falls, how high it was, and I could only imagine the scenery as he spoke.

Dad asked if the Lady of Lourdes came, who we saw, and who went to school in Aktlarvik. He was always interested in learning; he had completed grade 8, the highest level they offered in Aktlarvik school.

The following day, they were already planning their trip to the west. They talked at Father D's house, and Ross told Father D when the plane would be at Paulatuuq to pick them up. The following day my dad was leaving again. I watched with a heavy heart as they began their journey to the west; they had planned to walk to the Horton River and check Vilhjlámur Stefánsson’s cache. I had no interest; I only wanted my dad home.

Ataatak and all the families were planning on moving to Tasiryuk for the fall and on to Langton Bay after freeze-up, and we were told we could catch up with them at Tasiryuk. They all started the trek—men, women, teens, dogs and children walking, all belongings were carried, it looked like a long procession walking around the Darnley Bay.

We saw where they were camping. It was getting dark at night, which made us scared of grizzlies, but we had some watchdogs loose, and when they barked, we knew something was out there.

I watched mom shed a few tears, but she quickly got busy sewing for the coming fall. Andy and I would pick up a few driftwoods for heat.

“ I miss my cousin Sarah whom I had spent the spring and summer with, visiting Ross and Keith.

We heard the plane the next day. We could see Dad and his companions coming from the West. The name of the pilot was Ernie Buffett, as Dad told us. Dad’s companions rushed to pack, and whatever they could not take they gave my dad. A radio was given to him, which gave Dad great joy, but it meant very little to us. He was paid for him and his dogs, and they left. We had packing to do; Father D drove Rodger the boat to bring us to Argo Bay and to catch up with relatives at Tasiryuk. Oh joy, to be with relatives.

So many years have passed when Dad talked about the beauty of the falls and canyons. My dad gave a vivid verbal picture of La Roncière Falls as he described them. Only the past few years Parks has given our Elders the opportunity to see and appreciate the beauty Joseph Thrasher had witnessed at the falls and canyons.

—Rose Kirby