MITTIMATALIK/POND INLET
He was relocated to Arctic Bay from Pangnirtung as a toddler, then to Grise Fiord as a teen, taught Junior Rangers the lay of the land, and has been a Canadian Ranger for 50 years. And yet, Ookookoo Quaraq is humble about his accomplishments. Including the fact that he's been to the North Pole twice, and missed it by 10 miles on a third try.

Ookookoo Quaraq, a Canadian Ranger from Pond Inlet, pulls a qamutik with his snowmobile as he heads out on patrol during Operation Nunalivut 11 in Resolute Bay in 2011. Ookookoo has been a Ranger for 50 years. - photo courtesy of Eric Jolin/Combat Camera

"It's just ice and no land around you. Just ice all around," his grandson Randy Quaraq interpreted for Nunavut News/North. "It was rough going up, rough ice. He had to move tonnes of ice to get the snowmobile through."

Despite his age, the 71-year-old is a valuable resource for the Canadian Rangers program, Tununiq MLA Joe Enook said in the legislature Nov. 3.

"I would like to pay tribute to Mr. Quaraq for his leadership of championing Inuit traditional knowledge and societal values and applying them to his important work with the Rangers," Enook said. "The Rangers are at the frontlines of asserting Canada's sovereignty over our Arctic lands, ice, and waters. The traditional knowledge and survival skills of Inuit members of the Rangers benefit the program immeasurably."

Quaraq especially enjoys working with the Junior Rangers.

"On the land, he teaches the young ones about surviving with what the land provides, and where the animals are," Randy said. "When he's out on the land, he enjoys it the most."

The MLA who represents Pond Inlet considers Quaraq's experiences epic.

"He doesn't consider himself better than others," Enook said. "Although many historians and authors have written about Northern expeditions after they have been up there, they do a lot of book writing. If Mr. Quaraq (were) to do the same, he would have three bestsellers."

If that's the path he chooses, Quaraq will have a couple more years to find material. As he approached his 50th year as a Ranger, his superiors asked if he would stay on.

"Last year he tried to retire, and they asked him if he can stay for another two years, and he agreed to that as well," Randy said.

However, he will not return to the North Pole, he says, preferring to remember it as the highlight of his life.

Instead, he stays closer to home, hunting and fishing near Pond Inlet, and spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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