Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Dec 07/01) - The days of herding reindeer in the Delta before the advent of snowmobiles are recalled in a book launched Friday at the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre.

Elisa Hart, with help from Inuvialuit researchers, wrote Reindeer Days Remembered, a book providing perspective from reindeer herders and their wives who were part of the Mackenzie River operation from the 1930s to the early 1960s. - Malcolm Gorrill/NNSL photo

Reindeer Days Remembered was written by Elisa Hart, with help from several Inuvialuit researchers.

Beginning in 1991, Hart, who was working in Yellowknife then, travelled to Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk and interviewed about 22 elders.

Hart conducted some archival research but said the book's focus is on the oral accounts provided by herders, and some of their wives, who took part in the Mackenzie reindeer operation from the 1930s to the early 1960s.

According to the book, the federal government delivered reindeer from Alaska to the eastern side of the Mackenzie Delta in 1935, as there were few caribou in the area by then. The government's hope was that reindeer herding could provide local people a way of supporting themselves.

Hart said she's amazed at the people who herded the reindeer on foot or with skis.

"That's just incredible to me, because these fellows, the herders, were out all day and sometimes doing night shifts as well, skiing around or walking around, carrying whatever gear they had on their back," Hart said.

"Sometimes they weren't even allowed to have a tent, and would just have to cover themselves with a blanket.

"To me I think they're amazingly strong individuals, and it seems that it was a pretty special time to them, because they talk about it with real fondness."

The Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre helped fund the book. Centre co-ordinator Pat Winfield explained that, working with the Beaufort Delta Education Council, next September the centre will arrange for all local high schools to receive copies.

A guide is also to be prepared so teachers can use the book for Northern or social studies.

Hart sees this as a positive step, saying this may make history more relevant for young people here.

"I really hope the kids get to know how really amazing their relatives were, who were involved in this, in terms of their toughness and endurance, and what an interesting life it was," she said.

A collective effort

Hart expressed appreciation to the assistant researchers who helped her, Laura Ettagiak Orchard, Charles Komeak and Naudia Lennie. Acting as interpreter-researchers were Agnes Gruben White, Lena Anikina, Lillian Elias, Agnes Felix and Noah Felix.

In the last two years the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre has published 11 children's books and the second edition of the Siglit Inuvialuit Eskimo Dictionary.

"What we're trying to do now is create a publishing fund so that we can help support some more projects for publishing," Winfield said.

With a laugh, she added, "And we have lots of ideas."