The Canadian government forced this woman — and many others — to move 2,000 km north in the '50s
'Our parents were taken to a place where there was nothing'
"They lied to my parents, telling them they'd be brought back after two years," said Elisapie Nutuara.
"They hadn't been told that there was no light during the day, that there were no houses, no schools."
In 1953 and 1955 — the middle of the Cold War — the Canadian government forcibly relocated more than 90 Inuit roughly 2,000 kilometres from their homes in northern Quebec to show that the High Arctic was occupied. They were brought to two virtually uninhabitable places: Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord, both in Nunavut.
Nutuara, who is Inuk from Inukjuak, was relocated to Grise Fiord with her parents. In the video above, she remembers the journey to the High Arctic, the hardships that greeted them upon arrival and how her parents never went home — they are buried in Grise Fiord.
Nutuara shared her memories in "Territory," the first episode of Telling Our Story, a four-part documentary series with an Indigenous perspective on the past, present and future from the 11 First Peoples whose homelands host Quebec, Labrador, New Brunswick and Ontario.
Transcript
Elisapie Nutuara (translated from Inuktitut): My name is Elisapie. I was born here [in Inukjuak] before we were relocated. I was born in an igloo, a long time before we had houses, in the winter, in March, when it was very cold.
Narrator: In the middle of the Cold War, Canada had to show that the High Arctic was occupied, so many Inuit families were forcibly relocated, battered with false promises.
They were brought to two almost uninhabitable places: Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord, located [roughly] 2,000 kilometres north of the [Inukjuak].
Nutuara: Here, we see the names of those who were relocated: Flaherty family — Jusipi, Rainy.
Woman: Maata, Mary Pita.
Nutuara: Is our name there? Novalinga family — Pilipusi, Annie, Paulusi, Elisapie.
I was only a child. I don't remember much. The big boat was called the C.D. Howe.
They lied to my parents, telling them they'd be brought back after two years. Our parents were taken to a place where there was nothing and they endured very difficult moments.
I seem to recall it was in July. I believe it took an entire month. I remember disembarking and noticing that it was already cold there in August.
I think my parents and the others from Resolute Bay thought they would be together. But once we arrived, we were separated. They brought us to the most far-off place, Grise Fiord, and left the others in Resolute Bay.
They hadn't been told that there was no light during the day, that there were no houses, no schools.
I recall that my mother was scared. She was crying because she was cold and hungry.
This man, he waits for his family. He's looking for them.
In my heart, I'm proud because I went through some difficult times and I survived. But I sometimes think of my parents and of what they endured.
They didn't come back. They're buried up there.
