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The first large-scale monograph on the contact between Aboriginal peoples and Europeans during the era of polar exploration. A comprehensive treatment and analysis of Aboriginal-European relations in the Ellesmere Island region of the High Arctic (now the Quttinirpaaq National Park of Canada) in the 19th and 20th centuries. Based on thorough research of published and unpublished primary resources on the history of north polar exploration. A revealing work on both polar exploration, the sensitive issue of cultural contact and the roles of Canada, the United States, and Britain (and some Scandinavian countries) in polar exploration. The book is illustrated with rare archival photographs in colour and black and white. ... Read more

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An in-depth focus on Ellesmere Island
This specialized title may find a home primarily in collections which focus on Canadian and Native American history, providing an in-depth focus on Ellesmere Island and early Aboriginal-European relations in the Arctic in the 19th and 20th centuries. From insights into natural and cultural influences on these relationships to charting historical changes, Muskox Land provides an extensive overview. ... Read more

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Adventurer Ken Madsen makes the case for preserving northern wilderness through heart-stopping stories and dramatic color photos of the wild rivers of the Yukon, British Columbia and Alaska. A portion of the royalties from Wild Rivers, Wild Lands will go to the Yukon Wildlands Project. ... Read more

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Having quit engineering, Bucher became involved in exploration of the Northland of Canada, primarily the high-Arctic. The story in hand is about a scientific exploration on the ice-covered offshores in the Queen Elixabeth Islands. It is not a scientific essay or just another adventure book. It is a reconstruction of an Arctic exploration that can never be restored or repeated in the way it was conducted, nor in its significance as a scientific endeavor--it was a first and only.The main theme of the story revolves around the ways this remote and, at that time, mostly unexplored part of the Arctic affected me: the loneliness, the cold, the harsh beauty, the physical and mental stress the author endured, and the addictive effect the Arctic had on him. ... Read more

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Dr John Burgess was awarded the Order of Canada for his services to the Inuit and his teaching and research at McGill University. In "Doctor to the North", he chronicles his remarkable career, from the early influence of his physician father, to his medical training at McGill, in the US, and abroad, to eventual roles as a professor of medicine and director of Cardiology at Montreal General Hospital. For several weeks a year, over three decades, he worked as a consulting cardiologist in the Canadian North, a first-hand witness to rapidly changing disease patterns among the Inuit as a Western lifestyle became more prevalent.Through the stories of some of his Inuit patients, Burgess presents a broad spectrum of heart diseases and discusses how they can be prevented. "Doctor to the North" provides a unique insight into the making of a heart specialist, researcher, and teacher. It also serves as a history of health care and heart disease in the Canadian Inuit and a cardiology treatise for present and future health care workers. ... Read more

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In 1857 Margaret Penny set off from Aberdeen, Scotland, with her husband, Captain William Penny, aboard the whaler "Lady Franklin" on a wintering voyage to what is now the eastern Canadian Arctic. Wives of British captains rarely sailed with their husbands and Margaret Penny was one of the few women to break with tradition, becoming the first European woman to enter Baffin Island. Incorporating the journal she kept during the expedition with commentary by W. Gilles Ross, this text aims to recreate 19th-century Baffin Island for the modern reader and provides a perspective on artic whaling, the Canadian Arctic, and the interaction between Inuit and European culture at the time of the voyage. ... Read more

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An excellent account Canada's northwest corner
Having been interested in the Yukon, I bought this book and all I can say is Wow. In addition to providing breathtakingly beautiful pictures, this book describes all aspects of the Yukon: Its geography, history, and people. It profiles some of the Yukon's many colourful citizens, from Jurg Hofer (who runs a trapline about as big as his native Switzerland), to Polly, the fabled 122-year-old parrot who died in 1972.
This book would get five stars just for the pictures alone, which detail much of the Yukon's pristine, untouched wilderness. It acts in effect like a travel brochure for the Yukon, showing some of the World's most beautiful wilderness.
This book should be sought after by those interested in the Yukon, those interested in wilderness, and those who love photography. It is a first-rate compendum of the Yukon, to which I would have given ten stars, if that were possible. ... Read more

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The canoeing heritage of two great barrenlands rivers is best recounted in the words of the many paddlers who paused, on the banks of the river, to write a few lines recording their trip and their thoughts. This book offers history and emotion; here is the feeling of the barrenlands canoeing experience. It will also serve as a useful reference for anyone planning, or dreaming of, their own northern trip.

What do Sarah, Duchess of York, former prime ministers Pierre Trudeau and John Turner, canoeing pioneer Eric Morse, the legendary John Hornby, veteran barrenlands travellers George Luste and Alex Hall, CTV newsman Craig Oliver, singer Gordon Lightfoot, writer David Pelly and Japanese solo-tripper Akitoshi Nishimura all have in common? They are all in this book, because they all left notes in a cairn beside one of these Arctic rivers, the Kazan or the Hanbury-Thelon.

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Arctic Justice is the story of the execution of a white fur trader by an Inuk. Shelagh Grant recounts how this event was crucial in establishing law enforcement in the High Arctic and documents its tragic consequences for Inuit in the subsequent decades. This compelling and generously illustrated account combines archival history with Inuit oral history to shed light on the conflicting values and perceptions of two disparate cultures. Despite the fact that Nuqallaq was following Inuit customary law in carrying out a collectively sanctioned act to defend the community from the dangerously crazed trader Robert Janes, Canadian authorities made the unprecedented decision to put him and two accomplices on trial for murder. Grant shows how this decision was motivated by Canada's international political concerns for establishing sovereignty over the Arctic and how the outcome of the trial - Nuqallaq's sentence to ten years of hard labour in Stony Mountain Penitentiary and subsequent death from tuberculosis - was determined more by fear than evidence.In what amounts to a social history of North Baffin Island in the twentieth century, Grant offers telling portraits of the people involved, including the victim, Robert Janes of Newfoundland; Captain J.E. Bernier of the CGS Arctic, explorer and friend to the Inuit; English trader and entrepreneur Henry Toke Munn; the investigating RCMP officer Staff-Sargeant A. H.; Judge L. A. Rivet, and others. Most importantly we meet the remarkable Nuqallaq, his wife Ataguttiaq, and the Inuit of North Baffin Island. Arctic Justice will appeal to anyone interested in the Arctic and its indigenous peoples, contact history, anthropology, legal history, and RCMP history. ... Read more

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This northern bestseller is a popular gift item and a "must have" for every cabin in the North! It's all about the traditional Yukon bush lifestyle, from people who live here. More than 200 Yukoners contributed photos, stories and how-to articles about surviving in this unique part of the world. Part sourcebook, part almanac, part guidebook and part storybook, the only book in print that tells you what life is like in the Yukon today. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

UNDER POLARIS, AN ARCTIC QUEST. By Tahoe Talbot Washburn. Se
This marvelous book is a blend of adventure story, scientific diary, and ethnographic study. The author, Tahoe Talbot Washburn, accompanied her husband, Lincoln Washburn, to the Canadian Arctic in 1938-1941, helping himdo his graduate field work in the glacial geology of the region. The authorwas a keen observer of native people and their way of life. She recordedwhat we now see in retrospect as the waning years of a nomadic way of lifefor the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Prior to World War II,many Inuit roamed freely across the high Arctic, camping in snow houses(igloos) constructed along the trail at the end of the day. The CanadianArctic Inuit were still essentially nomads; they did not live in or visitpermanent settlements, except for a few important events each year.Accordingly, governmental authorities and missionaries had to go onexpeditions to meet with the Inuit. Soon after the war, this patternchanged dramatically, and seemingly irrevocably,towards a more settledway of life. This book is made all the more fascinating because it providesmany glimpses into a way of life perched on the cusp of radical change. The Washburns were much more than casual visitors to the Canadian Arctic.They lived there for months at a time, including one extended stay fromAugust, 1940 to February, 1941. They spent precious little time indoors,preferring to move about the Arctic islands, hiking, boating, camping, anddog-sledding in winter. The scientific aim of this multi-year project wasto determine the extent of regional glaciation in the late Pleistocene, amuch-debated topic of that day. By collecting marine fossils and mappingtraces of glacial scouring in bedrock, Lincoln Washburn was able to beginthe process of reconstructing the extent of ice sheets during the lastglaciation. This thesis project marked the beginning of his long andillustrious career in glacial geology. However, geologic research is onlyincidental to this book. It brought the Washburns to Arctic Canada, butonce there, they fell in love with the land and its people. Both Lincolnand Tahoe relished the arduous Arctic lifestyle, where physical enduranceand mental acuity often make the difference between survival and death.They marveled at the ingenuity, patience, and sense of humor that seemed tosustain the Inuit through manifold hardships. Tahoe Washburn spent manymonths emulating the role of Inuit women, including daily food preparation(for both people and sled dogs), sewing of leather garments, and hidepreparation (including chewing caribou hides to soften them). Althoughlimited by not understanding the Inuit language, she learned byobservation. Her Native companions appreciated her efforts to follow theirways, and took the time to teach her many skills that few outsiders everlearned. The book is richly illustrated, with 107 photos and six maps.Although the material in the book was taken from diaries, it has beenwell-edited, never becoming dull or repetitive. I heartily recommend thisbook to readers interested in the natural history and ethnography of theArctic.

Review published in Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, Vol.31, No. 4.Copyright: Regents of the University of Colorado ... Read more

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Traced here are the beginnings of literacy and literature for Inuit living in Labrador and the eastern Canadian arctic. Inuit living in Labrador in the 19th and early 20th centuries were more literate than white settlers as a direct result of the Moravian missionaries who taught them to read and write in Inuktitut in the mission schools. Many of the original Inuktitut texts used by the mission teachers and students are included as part of this exhibition.

The Labrador Inuit are the first Canadian Inuit to have their own language. Their first texts took the form of songs or narratives. This catalog represents this history with images from pages and covers of books in the collection along with detailed descriptions of their importance.

Texts in French, English, Inuktitut and Inuktitut roman orthography & descriptions in English. ... Read more

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Carefully examines the prolonged historical dispute over the land selection process and subsurface rights in Nunavut, starting with the early resource development and oil and gas exploration in Canada's Arctic during the 1960s, through to the battle for Inuit self-determination.The book outlines the federal government's "business-as-usual" tactic in pushing exploration further north onto Inuit territory and sheds light on exactly how the precedent-setting agreement was achieved whereby the Inuit managed to become owners of the mineral claims on their own land.Author, Robert McPherson, acted as a mineral consultant to the Inuit negotiators. McPherson draws on fascinating personal accounts, interviews, and meticulous research to consider the institutional, political, and personal conflicts that guided the process of Nunavut land claim negotiations. ... Read more

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"Pitseolak: Pictures Out of My Life" is an illustrated oral biography created from recorded interviews by Dorothy Harley Eber in 1970. In these interviews, and through her drawings and prints, Pitseolak makes what Inuit call "the old way" come alive, reflecting on life on the land, its pleasure and trials. Her story later became an NFB animated documentary. This new edition, appearing more than thirty years after the first, contains additional drawings and prints by Pitseolak Ashoona and a new introduction by Eber that provides more information about the artist and the circumstances under which her groundbreaking oral biography came about.Pitseolak Ashoona, who died in 1983, was known for lively prints and drawings showing "the things we did long ago before there were many white men" and for imaginative renderings of spirits and monsters. She began creating prints in the late 1950s after James Houston started printmaking experiments at Cape Dorset, creating several thousand images of traditional Inuit life. Pitseolak Ashoona was elected a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1974 and was also a member of the Order of Canada. ... Read more

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Pitseolak: Pictures out of My Life
If you are interested in trying to understand the Inuit sensibility this is a great read. Pitseolak became an artist, drawing pictures of her life, when she was in her fifties, gaining international recognition.

The drawings and prints in this book embody joy and energy and fancy. The interviews were done when she was in her sixties. Pitseolak describes an idylic world despite a harsh and bone-tiring camp life and the untimely loss of so many loved ones. Though she leaves out the dark side this holds true to how she interprets her world. She is charmingly frank within this world view.

Though her second or third cousin, Peter Pitseolak's account, is more factual (I think), as (I think) her drawings are, the interviews are remarkable.

Dorothy Harley Eber's preface provides additional information and insights.Her work in interviewing Pitseolak is also an interesting study.

In the end, even though in her life Pitseolak worked collectively with her kinsfolk in camps and in the Cape Dorset print shop, and even though our interest as readers may be about Inuit culture, her personality and her individuality sparkle in a universal way. ... Read more

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An introduction to the many forms of the inuksuk structure

The image of a traditional Inuit stone structure, or inuksuk, silouetted against an arctic sky, has become a familiar symbol. Yet, for many, their purpose remains a mystery. In a stunning new book, artist and children's author Mary Wallace, in consultation with Inuit elders and other noted experts, gives a fascinating introduction in words, pictures, and paintings to the many forms of the inuksuk structure and its unique place in Inuit life and culture.

Customer Reviews (4)

How to keep from getting lost in the Arctic
I learned of the Inuksuk when I visited the Canadian Rockies 2 years ago.They were the talk of the shopkeepers since they will be the next symbol for the 2010 Winter Olympics.They represent the markers that were used as landmarks to mark the way in this land of permafrost and snow.

EXCITING ARTsharedbyourINUIT NEIGHBORS
The towering 'INUKSUK' (ee-nook-sook) pictured on the cover of Mary Wallace's book introduces readers to a world of earth-bound 'signposts' in the arctic - - and MUCH MORE! In their varied forms the inuksuk may be intended as markers for caches of food, to advise hunters of directions, or tosymbolize persons being memorialized. The last is an idea that could be used by students who want to follow the author's instructions for building a personal inuksuk. Another structure is shown serving as a road map to a traveler's next destination. It is not only a potential life-saver but makes a beautiful statement in the barren landscape.

Living in the Arctic means acquiring techniques for survival. Outsiders must acclimate themselves in a short time and this canbe unsettling! For many decades the U.S. War Dept. funded studies in climatology, resulting in proper clothing & more nutritious feeding of troops. One more way in which we have benefited from the insights of our neighbors to the north.

"The Inuksuk Book" has many striking silk paintings with a gorgeous rainbow of colors that reflect the beauty of the 'Northern Lights' (Aurora Boralis). These inspire an admiration for the mystery of the far north. Contemporary photographs and those from earlier years also enhance the text. Teachers often expand a study unit to include Eskimo/Inuit art. How fortunate the young people who become acquainted with the figures beautifully sculpted from walrus tusks and soapstone. Amazing artistry is evident in works created during the long winters north of Hudson's Bay.

REVIEWER mcHAIKU marvels at the skills & imagination of the Inuit people and cheers author Mary Wallace for sharing.

Beautiful, Mesmerizing!
This gorgeously illustrated book is one of the most appealing books I have read about the Far North.It highlights the ingenuity of a people who live in a demanding environment.

One of the things about the book I really enjoyed was the use of the Inuit alphabet to caption the beautiful pictures.There is a dictionary of sounds and words in the back, which can be used for kids to write their own names in Inuit.

There is also a guide to making your own Inuksuk in the back.

Not just for children
While hiking in the Canadian Rockies, we saw inuksuk along the trails.Their beauty and the fact that people had expressed themselves by creatingart out of rock, rather than defacing the area, added greatly to ourenjoyment of the outings.

When I found the book "Inuksuk," Iimmediately purchased it.After reading it, I purchased four more copies. "Inuksuk" can be read and looked at from many angles. It will bea perfect gift for friends with "soul" and for children who Ihope will grow up with an appreciation of nature and art. ... Read more

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In 1956 artist James Houston came to Cape Dorset as the northern service officer with the Canadian government's Department of Northern Affairs. One of his duties was to foster the production of carvings and other handicrafts by the Inuit residents. By 1959 the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative had been formed, laying the groundwork for a legendary printmaking tradition. Today the annual release of Cape Dorset prints, produced by the Co-operative's Kinngait Studios, is eagerly anticipated by collectors around the world. Cape Dorset Prints: A Retrospective is the first book to tell the full story of this historic printmaking community. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Cape Dorset Artists - Their Life and Work
This is by far the best book on Cape Dorset artists and art I have ever seen and I have a colection of over 100 books. A must have and well worth the price.

Retrospective of Cape Dorset Prints
This book gave me a lot of inside information and history surrounding the development of Inuit print making at Cape Dorset.It contains many color plates of the art work and information and photos of the most famous artists.I really enjoyed reading it. ... Read more