Maria Canton
Northern News Services

Baker Lake (Aug 16/00) - Agnes Turner wants to return to Garry Lake with her father. They have not been back in 42 years.

John Adjuak, 86, also wants to go back to Garry Lake to show his appreciation for the land where his children were born and where he hunted and lived.

"He wants to see it again before he passes away," said Turner, who lived at Garry Lake until she was 10 years old before going to school in Chesterfield Inlet.

"It will give him and us a sense of well-being to go back to our old homeland."

Garry Lake is located almost 200 kilometres northwest of Baker Lake, near the Queen Maud Migratory Bird Sanctuary.

An entire community lived at Garry Lake before poor hunting and starvation pushed the people, at least those fortunate enough to even survive the hardship, to Baker Lake and then to other Kivalliq communities between 1957-58.

Turner remembers being a young girl at school in Chesterfield Inlet when she heard of the starvation that was plaguing her family and friends.

"When the starvation happened it was in 1957 and 1958. We heard there were no caribou or wildlife and a lot of people were starving to death," said Turner.

"They moved us to Baker Lake to wait for people to come in off the land. I remember seeing my uncles and parents. It was so hard to recognize people because they were so haggard and skinny.

"It is very heartbreaking to even remember."

With help from the Kivalliq Inuit Association, which is in the process of finalizing dates and travel information, Turner will likely make her dad's wish come true.

She says they have heard from many members of the former nomadic community who are interested in returning.

One couple planning to make the trip is Thomas and Monica Udjuk of Rankin Inlet.

They lived around Garry Lake during the 1940s and '50s and left when the caribou stopped coming to the area.

Speaking with his grandson as an interpreter, Udjuk says they knew they had to leave before the dog teams became too weak to pull them out.

"There wasn't any caribou and there wasn't any food. We had to leave while the dogs were still in good condition," he said.

"When we lived there life was good. We traded fox furs instead of using money and everyone helped each other to make sure there was enough food."

The Udjuks haven't been back to the area since they left almost half a century ago, and are looking forward to seeing Garry Lake again.

"We tried to go last year, but I had a stroke and couldn't" said Udjuk, who is in his early 80s.

"I would be happiest if I could go to the area where I used to dog team the most, but I am looking forward to seeing people we lived with, like the Adjuaks."

Dates have tentatively been set for Aug. 25-Sept. 4. Almost 20 people will make their way back to what many say is their homeland.