Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Finally Success in Internet Search

      This week I finally found success in a search that I have been pursuing for a few years.


      I had written in a previous post that I had taught in an isolated Inuit community from 1967 -1969. There were less than 200 people in the community. It was a two year period that had a tremendous impact on my life.


      At the time the settlement was called Wakeham Bay. Today it is called Kangiqsujuaq which means large bay. It is 1500 miles north of Montreal. We flew 1200 miles to an administration center and then another three hundred miles on a bush plane which banged along a 100 mile an hour. We landed on the sea and the idea was to hit the top of the swell and bounce to the top of the next swell until speed was reduced enough to settle into the water.  That was one of many things that contributed to the impact.


     For a few years after I left in 1969 there was some limited contact and then everything dried up. So for the last few years I have been searching the Internet. It was easy to Google and get a map and pictures, but I wanted to find out about the people. I  thought that they probably weren't on the Internet so I didn't really dig. What happened to my students?


     This week I finally made a hit and that led to many other leads. It was extremely gratifying to find that some of my former students had assumed significant leadership positions. One former student is the mayor. Some had excelled in business and others in the arts. I was very surprised to find out that they had been responsible for making a series of TV programs for the Inuit. It was also sad to learn that some of the older people had died. I had come to highly regard the adults at that time so to find the they had passed away was sad.


      In 1967 when I arrived the school had been open for five years. These people had only recently moved off the land into a settlement. They were still excellent and successful hunters. I was given some of the wild game and will remember the taste as well as their kindness and generosity. I had seal, arctic char, caribou, ptarmigan and mussels. I didn't like the mussels as they were very coarse but who could resist when some little kid with a runny nose showed up at the door with a pail of mussels. They always knew they would get fifty cents.


      The adults spoke only a few words of English. I used an interpreter. These people were talented
 sculptures with soapstone. Each day after school they would bring carvings which I bought for the Government. I always watch for carvings from that area.


     One fellow who I will never forget was the oblate missionary. He was Belgian and had a very French accent.  Pere Dion had to be extremely independent as the church support he received was limited. His parish was 10 to 20. He had been in the area for 12 years and knew all people well. It was fascinating to find that Pere Dion is still there and continuing the mission at age 89. About the only thing different is that he has a brilliant red sporty KIA. When I was there there were no roads and no vehicles.


     So this week was exciting as it took me back to some very fond memories. Even though I left Kangiqsujuaq 43 years ago the memories and influence are always with me. I still have some more searching to do.

23 comments:

  1. How wonderful to find out what some of the people are still doing! it probably is hard to hear that a bunch of them have died. I hope you find out more info as you go about your research..perhaps you should go back for a visit in the summer:)

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  2. How strange or is it a coincidence?
    I left the then TPNG in December 1969 for a new life in Alberta at Medicine Hat! The climatic change from the tropics to the frigid cold of Canada won the battle!
    Yes memories are great, unfortunately today PNG is a disaster. Just google if you are game to find out!
    Very interesting "Bluey".
    Cheers
    Colin

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  3. Another perfect example of the power of the internet. To be able to reunite people over such a distance and such a time is one of the true wonders of the digital age.

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  4. Congratulations on getting somewhere with that search. Interesting to find that at least one person is still in the same place, albeit a teeny bit older. I suppose a sporty red KIA is a good thing for an 89-year-old to drive, everyone can see him coming! :-)

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  5. I quite enjoy your stories Red, thanks for sharing memories. Hugs!

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  6. Such exciting news, finding back people of this community you left so many years ago.

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  7. How wonderful!!! Like Far Side said it would be really nice if you could go back and visit them in the summer. Of course it might be hard to see all the changes that have taken place, but it would an adventure.


    Linda
    http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
    http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

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  8. Far Side, it would be extremely difficult to go back and find that all is gone from the time I was there...my house, the school , store, mission...they're all gone and the students are now old and grandparents.

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  9. Colin, I'm not sure what tpng or png means???

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  10. Well said Alan and the internet is getting more powerful all the time.

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  11. DJan , Pere Dion was quite a character! Now don't forget I'm a tad bit older too.

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  12. Tess my time with aboriginal people had a great impact on my life. I am happy they shared their knowledge and friendship.

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  13. Anyes , it was exciting! It was not surprising to see that some of them had grown to be prominent leaders.

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  14. Some things make such an impact that they never leave your memory...

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  15. How lucky you were to work up north! I am really eager to visit our far north. My hubby has worked in all three territories and has some wonderful stories. I loved this blog post. Such great memories you have, and it's nice you were able to find out about people from the past on the web.

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  16. Wow, I got goosebumps reading this post. It's wonderful you reconnected with some of your former students. Red you have some amazing and interesting stories you share, thank you for sharing them... now how are you with writing essays? IF you're bored wanna write a few? LOL Cheers.

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  17. I would love to visit the North. Did you ever see the movie, "I Heard the Owl Call my Name"? I picture your experience to have the same feel as that, but I could be totally wrong.

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  18. Natalie, I was writing in a totally different era. I realize that . The north would be totally different now. I wouldn't recognize it. Now I'm curious about where your husband was and what he did.

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  19. My essay writing is completely pathetic. that's a whole other blog post. when I his university I had no idea what an essay was. That's the short of it!

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  20. Kathryn, I did see the movie "I heard the Owl call my Name" I also read the book. We used it for juvenile fiction and part of it was in an anthology. The people I was with certainly saw the spirits. To them it was real. The marriages were still arranged. All the kids knew who their wives and husbands would be. Cool eh?

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  21. Red, my hubby worked as a lawyer for the federal Dept. of Justice, and later as a negotiator for the Dept. of Indian and Northern Affairs (now he's back to practicing law as a sole practitioner.) He didn't spent long periods up north, but he went up to do some trials, and later to do some things related to treaty negotiations. He loved it up there. We were considering a move to Whitehorse at one point but that didn't pan out. I'm kind of wistful about it!

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  22. Thanks Natalie. I could have put a couple of things together if I'd looked at your side bar. There was a very famous judge thee in the 60's and he handled many cases that broke new ground. Sometimes his courtroom was on the airplane or out side. there have been many negotiations and still more to come. I highly recommend northern experience. There really isn't isolation anymore but isolation was one of the extra kickers.

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  23. That is incredibly exciting, Red. What a kick to search and find these folks as you have.

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