Between 1939 and 1963, the federal government embarked on a program of relocation and relief in the Eastern Arctic that would dramatically alter the lives of Inuit living there. This book documents how the development of the Canadian welfare state coincided with attempts to assimilate Inuit and organize their lives according to Western ideas about the family, work, and community. This policy resulted in many ‘tammarniit’ (mistakes) that led to social disruption and cultural disintegration, and even contributed to death among Inuit.The authors have made extensive use of archival documents, many of which have been unavailable to researchers before, among them the Alex Stevenson Collection, which was stored in the Archives of the Northwest Territories. They have also interviewed many key individuals who were involved with events during the period. The result is a compelling and sobering look at the evolution of Canadian policy in the North and its tragic effects on Inuit.Tammarniit is essential reading for anyone concerned with present-day debates about self-government for aboribinal people. By carefully exmaining the relationships among economic and social welfare considerations, Canadian cultural biases, as well as administrative and political concerns, Tammarniit provides a comprehensive overview of policymaking during this period as well as insight into the themes of resistance and renewal which have emerged among Inuit.

Tammarniit (Mistakes): Inuit Relocation in the Eastern Arctic, 1939-63

Politics & Social Sciences

Tester, Frank

Kulchyski, Peter

Social Sciences

UBC Press

Between 1939 and 1963, the federal government embarked on a program of relocation and relief in the Eastern Arctic that would dramatically alter the lives of Inuit living there. This book documents how the development of the Canadian welfare state coincided with attempts to assimilate Inuit and organize their lives according to Western ideas about the family, work, and community. This policy resulted in many ‘tammarniit’ (mistakes) that led to social disruption and cultural disintegration, and even contributed to death among Inuit. The authors have made extensive use of archival documents, many of which have been unavailable to researchers before, among them the Alex Stevenson Collection, which was stored in the Archives of the Northwest Territories. They have also interviewed many key individuals who were involved with events during the period. The result is a compelling and sobering look at the evolution of Canadian policy in the North and its tragic effects on Inuit. Tammarniit is essential reading for anyone concerned with present-day debates about self-government for aboribinal people. By carefully exmaining the relationships among economic and social welfare considerations, Canadian cultural biases, as well as administrative and political concerns, Tammarniit provides a comprehensive overview of policymaking during this period as well as insight into the themes of resistance and renewal which have emerged among Inuit.

History

Americas

University of Bristish Columbia Press

Kiumajut [Talking Back]: Game Management and Inuit Rights 1900-70 examines Inuit relations with the Canadian state, with a particular focus on two interrelated issues. The first is how a deeply flawed set of scientific practices for counting animal populations led policymakers to develop policies and laws intended to curtail the activities of Inuit hunters. Animal management informed by this knowledge became a justification for attempts to educate and, ultimately, to regulate Inuit hunters. The second issue is Inuit responses to the emerging regime of government intervention. The authors look closely at resulting court cases and rulings, as well as Inuit petitions. The activities of the first Inuit community council are also examined in exploring how Inuit began to “talk back” to the Canadian state. The authors’ award-winning previous collaboration, Tammarniit [Mistakes]: Inuit Relocation in the Eastern Arctic 1939-63, focused on government responsibility, social welfare, and relocation in Inuit relations with the state. Kiumajut is not a continuation of Tammarniit, but rather an interrelated, stand-alone study that examines a separate range of issues relevant to a historical understanding of community development in Nunavut. Kiumajut draws on new material compiled from archival sources and from an archive of oral interviews conducted by the authors with Inuit elders and others between 1997 and 1999. This volume provides the reader with new and important insights for understanding this critical period in the history of Inuit in Canada.

Kiumajut / Talking Back: Game Management and Inuit Rights, 1950-70

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