Woman's grave to be located and marked after 34 years
Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Apr 27/01) - Thirty-four years after her death, family members of Mary Snowshoe are about to locate and mark her grave.
Snowshoe died May 10, 1967 at the age of 87. She was from Fort McPherson, but the plane carrying her body could not set down there due to the ice being too thin, so she was buried in an unmarked grave in Inuvik.
Snowshoe's great-granddaughter, Bella Kay, said that since many people were out on the land at that time, and transportation was not as easy then as now, she does not believe any members of Snowshoe's family were at the funeral.
As a result, Kay said, family members either never found out, or forgot, exactly which grave was Snowshoe's.
Kay did not even know until a few years ago that Snowshoe's final resting spot is not in Fort McPherson. Kay said she asked about the gravesite in part because of a tradition in that community, where people get together and tidy up gravesites.
"I took it into my hands to find out information," Kay said.
As a result, soon Kay and as many family members as possible will meet at the graveyard, and a Town of Inuvik employee will point out Snowshoe's grave. The date picked is Mother's Day (May 13).
"She had a lot of love for children," Kay said in explaining why she chose Mother's Day.
Kay is a teacher who is upgrading her skills this year at the Inuvik campus of Aurora College. She said family trees are really being stressed in schools and elsewhere, and that Snowshoe's descendants need to know about her.
"I strongly believe the grandchildren should know where they really come from, and to be proud of it," Kay said.
"I'm lucky, and we're so happy."
Kay said a cross is being made so it can be placed on the grave, and a fence may also be erected. A picnic featuring traditional foods may take place afterwards.
Loved the land
Kay said Snowshoe was very fond of the land, and worked hard until she became crippled and had to be cared for by family members.
She recalls her great-grandmother from the summer of 1960: "I remember my cousin and I, we used to have to take her meals, dinner and supper. But she was old and she was crippled, and she was always sitting on her bed.
"Being young at the time, I was afraid of her," Kay said with a laugh.
So far Kay has been unable to locate a photograph of Mary Snowshoe, but she intends to keep looking, and would like anyone who has one to contact her.
