1

Padlirmiut couple standing
1922
Arviat, Nunavut, Canada

Credits:
The Fifth Thule Expedition
National Museum of Denmark

2

Akulaak's song is sung by Martha Taliruq, Baker Lake, Nunavut. 2000.
Akulaak song:

I think that bread obtained from the ship I got is small piece but I don't mind it. It goes down the throat fast to the stomach. (meaning: when you're really hungry nothing's small but to be modest or humble to the public, it can be said to be small). Then requests his relative with same name not to be embarrassed by his saying and to go ahead and eat heartily.

First part of Akulaak's song about bread

a-i-jaa a-i
hug-lu-gi-jaa-li-ri-ga
I consider it small

a-kil-ru-ju-a-ti-ri-niq
the tiny bread

u-mi-ar-ju-ar-mi
from the ship

im-ma u-va-nga-i-ja-i-jaa
ja-ja-ji-ja a-ja-ji-jaa
a-i-jaa ti-ta-ti-taa ti-ta-ti-taa ti-ta-ti-taa
i-ja-ji-ja u-va-nga-i-ja-ji-jaa

a-ja-ji-jaa a-i
hug-lu-gi-jaa-li-rap-ku
when I consider it small

ik-tu-i-hu-nga-ri-va-ra
even so it goes down fast (it is easy to swallow because it's so light)

a-qi-a-kum-nul-li
goes straight to my stomach

im-ma u-va-nga-i-ja i-ja-ji-ja i-ja-ji-jaa

a-i-jaa ti-ta-ti-taa ti-ta-ti-taa ti-ta-ti-taa
i-ja-ji-ja u-va-nga-i-ja-ji-ja a-ja-ji-jaa

a-i-jaa
av-vaag-li
my one with same name

pin-ngi-la-gin
I'm do not mean you

ni-ri-rik-sa-tu-in-na-rin
go ahead, eat heartily

u-va-nga-i-ja-i-ja i-ja-ji-ja i-ja-ji-ja
i-ja-ji-jaa a-i-jaa
ti-ta-ti-taa ti-ta-ti-taa ti-ta-ti-taa
i-ja-ji-ja u-va-nga-i-ja i-ja-ji-jaa a-ja-ji-jaa
a-i-jaa i-ja-ji-ja i-ja-ji-jaa

3

Nguanguaq (Ouangwak), from Hikoligjuaq,Yathkyed, was condemned to die for murder
1920
Chesterfield Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

Credits:
Photographer: W. O. Douglas of the RCMP
Photo #0089. The Fifth Thule Expedition
National Museum of Denmark

4

"Taken this 17th day of April 1920 at Churchill, Manitoba, by Sergeant W.O. Douglas, before the undersigned members of the Hudson's Bay Company. Interpreted by Alexander Oman, interpreter for the Hudson Bay Company Fort Churchill.
"My name is Ou-ang-wak. I am a Padlermiut. I do not know how old I am, but I am old enough to have a wife.
"My home is at 'Shekoligyouak', in the Baker Lake district.
"My mother and father are both dead and I make my home with my married sister. According to the custom of my tribe I was given a wife a long time ago, she is only a child yet and is still living with her people.
"I did not like not having a woman old enough to live with as I am old enough to have a wife and I wanted one.
"At my camp, I had four dogs belonging to a native named Apittuk. The brothers called 'Angalookyouak' and 'Alecummick' wanted these dogs and were very angry because I would not give them the dogs.
"I heard it said in the camp that 'Angalookyouak' would kill me.
"One morning early in the hot weather, the moon before the ice starts to make on the lakes, I went to 'Angalookyouak's' tent and looked in and saw that he was alone in the tent and that he was in his bed and asleep. I went back to my tent and got my rife, a 38-55 Winchester, and went back to 'Angalookyouak's' tent and shot him through the top of the head while he was sleeping, he died quickly.
"When I had killed 'Angalookyouak' I was afraid of his brother 'Alecummick', so I ran quickly over to his tent which was quite close, opened up the flap and saw him sitting on his bed. I shot at him and hit him in the right shoulder, and he fell over dead.
"After I shot these two brothers they were left in their tents for five days, this being the custom of the tribe, and at the end of that time they were buried. I helped to bury them, and I left the rifle that I shot them with at the graveside.
I did not know that it was wrong to shoot these men, and if I did so that the white men would come after me.
"I am sorry now that I did this and would not do so again.
"I have travelled a lot with these two brothers, deer hunting, winter and summer, and to the trade store at Baker Lake, during these trips I always got along with them very well, and there was never any trouble with them.
"After 'Angalookyouak' was dead I took his woman as I had no wife, and this woman had no people to go too close to, and all her people were at Churchill."
"The above is true and correct interpretation of the statement of 'Ou-ang-wak' to the best of my knowledge and belief."... (page 15)

"Bringing Ou-an-wak to civilization did not solve all the difficulties of the case, and a trial in civilization presented grave difficulties. He is, of course, entitled to all the protection that British law affords, and this means that he must be tried with all the safeguards which are thrown about persons who are acccused of crime. The alleged murder took place in the general neighbourhood of Baker Lake, and the witnesses, i.e. the fifteen or sixteen natives who were in camp at the time, live in that region; no capital case hitherto has been tried nearer the scene than Norway Houses. The solution which was proposed, and which was approved by the Department of Justice, was as follows:
1. That an officer of the force, having the powers of a coroner, and such other ranks as appear advisable be sent to the Baker Lake District, for the purpose of holding an inquest and gathering the necessary evidence.
2. That the preliminary proceedings held before the Justice of the Peace at The Pas, Manitoba, be quashed and the accused accompnay the Police party back to Baker Lake and there be given a preliminary hearing after the inquest.
3. That the police party, with the accused, return to Baker Lake by the Hudson's Bay Company's steamship Nascopie which will leave Montreal about the first week in July, on her annual trip to Chesterfield Inlet. The necessary investigations can then be carried out during the winter of 1920-1921.
4. That in July, 1921, a court with the necessary powers be convened and proceed to Chesterfield Inlet in the Nascopie on her annual trip and there dispose of the case, returning by the same boat. The round trip would occupy approximately ten weeks.
5. It is considered that the Police party will have sufficent time to gather all necessary evidence and be in a position to present the case to the court on its arrival at Chesterfield Inlet in August 1921.
6. A jury panel of sufficient numbers can no doubt be secured from amongst the crew of the Nascopie.

The grounds upon which the recommendations were made were stated in the following terms:
(a) That murders in the Northwest Territories amongst the natives are becoming alarmingly prevalent.
(b) That members of the tribes to which the murdered men belonged informed Sergeant Douglas that it was against their law for one Eskimo to kill another; that they had intended killing the accused for his crime but finally decided to leave him in the hands of the white men to be dealt with.
(c) It is therefore considered that the holding of a court and the disposing of this case at Chesterfield Inlet will have a beneficial and moral effect on the natives.
(d) That from a point of view of economy, it would, in all probability, be less expensive to have a court proceed to Chesterfield Inlet and dispose of the case, than to have all witnesses brought to civilization and held until the Nascopie made her annual trip in 1922.

Accordingly, Inspector Reames was despatched to Baker Lake before the close of navigation, and it is proposed to send the full court there in the summer of 1921.

SEQUEL

Annual Report year ended September 30, 1926

ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE COMMISSIONER'S REPORT

Constable D. F. Robinson of the Chesterfield detachment made a patrol of approximately 745 miles between March 25 and May 3, 1926, to Baker Lake, the mouth of the Thelon River, up the Kazan River, and to Kaminuriak Lake, Haecoligua (or Yath-kyed) Lake, and return. Scarcity of caribou prevented a visit to Maguse Lake and Cape Eskimo on Hudson Bay. This is the country where Ouangwak, the murderer, lived, and apart from the fact that a patrol there was desirable on police grounds, unnecessary slaughter of game had occurred. No unusal incidents were recorded. Information was collected as to deaths of natives; an appallingly large proportion of these were due to tuberculosis. One death was due apparently to heart disease, our report noting an interesting occurrence:
"A Padlemiut man of middle age, this occurred about the New Year, when he was visiting relatives on the Kazan River. A dance was held in his honour, but whilst singing and playing the drum he collapsed and died of heart failure. Owing to this all drums were destroyed in this tribe."
In his general remarks about the Eskimos, Constable Robinson says:
"The natives visited still lived primitively, depending almost entirely on the country, using the kayak and spear to obtain the caribou for their clothes and food caches. In winter time life is sometimes hard, as their only fuel for cooking is moss and willows, so that their igloos are never heated, like the coast natives, who have blubber lamps.
"They are all in possession of rifles, the most popular one being the .44-40, which is cheap and effective at short ranges, but these are not used to any great extent, except when travelling. In summer the caribou are speared by men in kayaks, at the crossing places on the river of the migrating herds, and in winter, snow pits are made to trap them.
"As travellers they are very poor, the average amount of dogs possessed by each man being three, and when a trading post is visited the men travel in pairs, one man breaking trail, whilst the other guides the sled and drives the dogs, which he does by a large amount of shouting, and by throwing a piece of wood, about 16 inces long , at any dog not working hard enough.
"Few of these natives visit the post more than once a year; this gives the native traders large scope, so they charge exorbitants prices for their goods.
"The only white men's supplies these natives wanted were tea, sugar, tobacco and coal oil, their main diet being deer meat and fish, both of which were eaten frozen.
"Although superstitious like most primitive people, their taboos seemed very reasonable when explained.
"At Ejughadjuk's camp I was invited to an old Angakok's igloo, immediately after my arrival, and a meal prepared for me, when I left for my igloo, half of a large fish was given to me. This was the party to which the murderer Oungwak belonged, so no ill-feeling is held toward the police for his death. His sister, a woman of about 45, stated that he was a bad man and deserved to die.
" There was a possibility of starvation amongst the Shagwaktolmiut during a poor year, as they will not move from the permanent camp, so I spoke to them about conserving game, and caching all meat not needed for immediate consumption, as it would be very difficult for the police to provide relief in mid-winter as the natives are scattered in small parties and travelling would be difficult with a heavy load in soft snow."...

5

Getting ready to leave on a long patrol by dogteam
1926
Ukpiktujuq 'Big Hips Island', Baker Lake, Nunavut

Credits:
Burwash, L.T. Major
# PA099415 National Archives of Canada

6

ROYAL NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE
REPORT OF INSPECTOR PELLETIER
9 10 EDWARD VIII, A 1909, SESSIONAL PAPER No. 28
R.N.W.M. POLICE,
REGINA, March 21, 1909

(Excerpts of passages from page151-164)

THE HANBURY RIVER
On the morning of August 2, we reached the Hanbury river proper. We began the descent by portaging one and a quarter miles. Tyrell shows a portage of half a ... but he passed one month earlier than we did. ...

THELON RIVER
On the morning of the 8th August we began the decent of the Thelon river. The left bank is quite low, not so the right bank, which is high...

BEVERLY LAKE TO MOUTH OF CHESTERFIELD INLET

On the afternoon of August 13 we were on Beverly Lake. At the upper end the water is very shoal, long sand bars running almost across, leaving a narrow and tortuous channel. As soon as the bars are cleared, water is good and deep...

I had some difficulty in persuading the natives to come. They said that no one travels in December and January; the days are short and it is too cold. The only reason they consented was on account of their wives and families being at Churchill, Manitoba. They were anxious to get to them.
I knew what a lot of delay of this patrol would cause, and we hurried preparations.
On the 29th of November our outfit was in readiness. The party consisted of Sergt. McArthur, Corpl. Reeves, Special Constable Ford, natives Pook and Tuperlock and myself, six in all. We had two dog sleighs eighteen feet long, and two feet wide, nine dogs on each load of about sixteen hundred pounds dived between the two sleighs...
On the morning of 30th of November we pulled out of Fullerton. The rocky shores were almost bare of snow. We had to keep on the salt water ice, which is very heavy pulling when bare of snow as it was, and made very slow progress, only going at a walk...

7

Harry Thomas Ford with Corporal Petty
1926
Back River, Nunavut, Canada

Credits:
Burwash, L.T. Major
# PA099330 National Archives of Canada

8

Royal Canadian Mounted Police on patrol. Photograph # PA 099414 by Burwash. Back River 1926. Corporal Petty, two RCMPs and Special Constable Harry T. Ford.

Annual Report year ended September 30, 1926

ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE COMMISSIONER'S REPORT

(Excerpts)

HUDSON'S BAY

The usual patrols were made in the Hudson Bay sub-district, the detachment at Chesterfield now being the centre of these operations. During August and September, 1925, Constable W.B. MacGregor was absent from the post for the annual caribou hunt at Baker Lake. In the course of his report Constable MacGregor makes the following observations:-
"Whilest hunting, many deserted native camping sites, graves, caches, etc. Were found Notably at Pah-hah, near Ah-o-lah-te-veeng point, (situated on north side of inlet, some 60 or 70 miles from inlet estuary), a circular camping site of stone construction, with door facing south, 27 paces, oustide circumference, and had been originally about 4 feet high. Some stones compsoing bottom ring of toopek, would weigh 700 or 800 pounds. Near this ancient village, (comparatively) manygraves are to be found, including one alongside of which repose the hunter's weapons; a broken kayak, double paddle, a single barrel muzzle-loading gun, with inscription of makere's name, Barnett, London...

Corporal Petty, who is in charge of the Chesterfield Inlet detachment, in the course of the winter made a hunting patrol, some of the details of which illustrate life in three regions...

Corporal Petty made a patrol of about 900 miles from Chesterfield Inlet along a route from Chesterfield inlet to Wager bay, and from thence by Backs river and Hayes river to Baker Lake and return. The journey was made in company with a manager of the Hudson's Bay Company. Leaving Chesterfield on March 16 the party proceeded by Winchester inlet and then by a little known course to Wager bay.

Annual Report year ended September 30, 1926
ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE COMMISSIONER'S REPORT
HUDSON'S BAY

The usual patrols were made in the Hudson Bay sub-district, the detachment at Chesterfield now being the centre of these operations. During August and September, 1925, Constable W.B. MacGregor was absent from the post for the annual caribou hunt at Baker Lake. In the course of his report Constable MacGregor makes the following observations:-
"Whilest hunting, many deserted native camping sites, graves, caches, etc. Were found Notably at Pah-hah, near Ah-o-lah-te-veeng point, (situated on north side of inlet, some 60 or 70 miles from inlet estuary), a circular camping site of stone construction, with door facing south, 27 paces, oustide circumference, and had been originally about 4 feet high. Some stones compsoing bottom ring of toopek, would weigh 700 or 800 pounds. Near this ancient village, (comparatively) manygraves are to be found, including one alongside of which repose the hunter's weapons; a broken kayak, double paddle, a single barrel muzzle-loading gun, with inscription of makere's name, Barnett, London...

Corporal Petty, who is in charge of the Chesterfield Inlet detachment, in the course of the winter made a hunting patrol, some of the details of which illustrate life in three regions...

Corporal Petty made a patrol of about 900 miles from Chesterfield Inlet along a route from Chesterfield inlet to Wager bay, and from thence by Backs river and Hayes river to Baker Lake and return. The journey was made in company with a manager of the Hudson's Bay Company. Leaving Chesterfield on March 16 the party proceeded by Winchester inlet and then by a little known course to Wager bay. Corporal Petty was not favourably impressed with it as a route, but observes:-...

"The country betwee Backs river and Baker Lake is not very well know to white men...

With regard to the Eskimos encountered he says:-
"All had passed a good winter as far as food was concerned, except a few at Baker Lake who had suffered for a time from lack of fresh meat. Their fox catches had not be very large.
"The Backs or Hayes river natives live and seem to lve well on frozen fish during the winter and what few deer they can obtain.
"Generally they are camped some days from places where moss can be gathered, and do not seem to trouble much about going for it...

9

'Pork' or 'Pook' Kangirjuaq and Harry Thomas Ford, special RCMP constables
1900
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Credits:
Henry T. Ford collection

10

Kangirjuaq traveled by dog team to Winnipeg, Manitoba. He traveled with Uqalujujuq Harry T. Ford, a special constable for the R.C.
M .P. Both of them spoke English and Inuktitut. That's what Uqalujujuq means, "one who can speak". He use to interpret/translate for the R.C.M.P. by traveling in the Keewatin too. Everybody traveled everywhere by dogteam in winter.
When Kangirjuaq worked with RCMP he and his wife Niviaqsaarjuk lived in Churchill, Manitoba. One winter their chimney was plugged with snow and they were overcome by smoke but one of them woke up and they survived. Later on they moved to Chesterfield Inlet, the capital of the region, at that time. Kangirjuaq and Niviaqsaarjuk then lived in Chesterfield Inlet where they adopted Martha Taliruq, Scottie, and Aupaluktuq. They only adopted children only when they became an old couple. Martha Taliruq only moved to Baker Lake when she got married but her adoptive parents already traveled back and forth all around the Keewatin, Baker Lake, the south and the north.

11

Royal Northwest Mounted Police station
1914
Churchill, Manitoba

Credits:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police

12

Francis Kaput, Rankin Inlet. Francis Kaput is singing, "How can the place where one sleeps be warm if it doesn't have a lamp (oil lamp)?"
Inuit Heritage Centre.

13

Igjugaarjuk, Inuk from Yathkyed Lake
1922
Hikuliqjuaq, Yathkyed Lake, Nunavut, Canada

Credits:
Rasmussen, Knud
Photo #1208. The Fifth Thule Expedition
National Museum of Denmark

14

RCMP Annual Report year ended September 30, 1920
ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE COMMISSIONER'S REPORT
11 GEORGE V, A. 1921
SESSIONAL PAPER No. 28

ALLEGED MURDERS NEAR BAKER LAKE

"In the winter of 1919-20, Sergeant W.O. Douglas was in charge of the detachment at Fullerton. This detachment, over 400 miles farther north than Churchill, and 100 miles up the coast from Chesterfield Inlet, at this period was the centre of very active patrolling; from September, 1916, to January, 1919, the distance covered by patrols based on it was nearly 16,000 miles.
On December 19, 1919, Sergeaant Douglas, with Constable Eyre and two natives left Fullerton for Chesterfield Inlet, arriving on December 22, after being delayed for a day by a blizzard. At the Hudson's Bay Company's post a letter was waiting for him from the manager of the Hudson's Bay Company's post at Baker Lake, 150 miles inland up Chesterfield Inlet, informing him that two of this hunters had been murdered by another native, that the murderer was at large, and that the native population of the region was badly frightened. Sergeant Douglas at once decided to go up the Inlet to Baker Lake. The necessary arrangements took time as it was necessary to get additional dog-feed, etc. From Fullerton; and on January 1, 1920, Sergeant Douglas, after sending Constable Eyre back to Fullerton, set out for Baker Lake; he had with him two natives and two dog t4eams. He arrived at Baker Lake on January 8.
The information obtainable was meagre. An Eskimo of the Paddlemiut tribe named ou-wang-wak, living about 150 miles south, was reported to have shot dead two brothers, also of the same tribe, named Ang-alook-you-ak and Ale-cummmick, and had appropriated the wife of the former. The other Eskimo were so afraid of Ou-ang-wak that they were keeping away from the Baker Lake post. Sergeant Douglas resolved to patrol to the scen of the murder, to investigate, and if necessary to arrest the accused. At once difficulties arose which delayed him for nearly three weeks, for the natives were afraid to accompany him. He reports:-
"I experienced great difficulty in getting anyone to make the trip. At last I managed to get a native who assured me he knew the country, but refused to pull out with less than three sleds and four or five men. He said that he had heard that this native had said that he would never be taken alive by the Police. This he gave as a reason for wanting such a large outfit.
After much trouble, Sergeant Douglas got together a party of four Eskimo men and the wife of one of them, together with three dog trains, and left Baker Lake on January 27. An illustration of the difficulties of travel in these regions is afforded by the party's pre-occupation with dog-feed; none of this was carried on the journey and the animals on which their transport depended lived for the first four or five days on deer (caribou) which were shot as the party went along, and for the rest of the time on an insufficient amount of "summer cache meat' which Sergeant Douglas managed to buy.
On February 5, they arrived at a native camp of two igloos, and found two lads of a tribe whose name is variously spelled as Shav-voe-toe and Shag-wak-toe. Sergeant Douglas's natives were so afraid of Ou-ang-wak-they thought he might be there-that he had difficulty in inducing them to drive up to the igloos and see who the inhabitants were. 'It caused much laughter amongst themselves when they found that one of the men was a guide's own brother-in-law.' The news was that the object of the search was encamped about two days farther on, and he had been warned by some white men that the Police would be after him and would kill him (due to capital punishment) and that he was in a state of extreme nervousness. 'When last seen by these lads, he was sitting in his igloo with his hand over his face, and every few minutes getting up and getting out to see if there were any strange sleds about.'
All this increased the dread of Sergeant Douglas's natives, and they resolved to go home. He found that there was a native camp midway between the place where they were and Ou-ang-wak's camp, and he, in the end, persuaded his escort to proceed to this half-way house. The arrived there on the afternoon of February 7.
'On our arrival at this camp we were met some distance from the igloos by a young lad who wished to find out all about us and report to the chief. After some delay he returned and told us that Edjogajuch, the chief of the tribe, wished to see us in his igloo. Negvic, the guide, Native Joe and myself returned with this man, the other two members of the party staying with sleds. After entering the igloo, I shook hands all around, took off my koolotang (caribou coat for outside), sat up on the bench beside the chief and told him that we were hungry and would like to eat with him. He produced a frozen deer and several small butcher knives. We all sat around and ate. This put things on a better footing and all the natives started to talk, and our other two men came in. After we finished eating. I produced tobacco and matches and when everybody had got their pipes going, with Native Joe as an interpreter. I told them what I had come for.
'Edjogajuch replied saying he was sorry that I had come, and telling me that Ou-wang-wak was living one day's travel from his camp. He also warned me not to go there as he had just left this camp and was afraid that if a white man went there and tried to bring away Ou-ang-wak there would be shooting.
'This put the finishing touch to my natives and they refused point blandk to go ahead another step.'
Negotiations ensued.
'I had an igloo built and sent for Edjogajuch. I then told him through the interpreter that I had heard that one of his tribe, Ou-ang-wak had killed two men. He replied that this was so. I further told him that this was contrary to white man's law, and that I was down here to see that Ou-ang-wak and that I was not leaving without doing so. I then suggested that in the morning he take me to the camp across the lake. This he refused to do, as he said that he also might get shot.
'I tried again to get my natives to go with me to this camp, but without success. I sent again for Edjogajuch and told him that I looked upon him as a chief in this district, and it was up to him to either to take me to this camp or go there himself and bring this native Ou-ang-wak to me. He said that he would not go with me but would go alone and try and get him. I told him that I would wait here at this camp for three days and if at the end of that time he was not back, or had no word fo him, I should come myself to look for Ou-ang-wak. He was much afraid as he undoubtedly believed that as soon as I saw Ou-ang-wak I should shoot him. I gve him my word that no harm would come Ou-ang-wak or any of the natives if they did what was right and showed no strife.
Accordingly, on February 8, Edjogajuch left his camp, and late in the afternoon of February 9 he returned with Ou-an-wak and the woman." (pages 11-12).
On their arrival at the camp Sergeant Douglas arrested Ou-ang-wak and, 'I then told him that he would have to come with me to the white man's land as the Big Chief there wanted to see him. He asked me what they were going to do with him and would they kill him. I told him that I had no idea, but I assured him that if he acted square with me he would be looked after well and taken outside to the Big White Chief...'
Sergeant Douglas took Ou-ang-wak and the woman to Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, and Churchill Manitoba. He then took Ou-ang-wak to Fort Nelson, The Pas, and then to Dauphin, Manitoba.