Descendant of Arctic explorer seeks northern relatives

The grand niece of polar explorer Roald Amundsenarrived in Nunavut this week to search for long-lost relatives.

The Norwegian explorer, who led the first successful expedition through the Northwest Passage in the early 1900s,spent two winters in the High Arctic community of Gjoa Haven, locatedon King William Island, during his epic journey.

Anne-Christine Amundsen Jacobsen, 63,believes her great uncle mayhave fathered children during his stay there, and came from her home in Norway to find out,she told CBC News during a stop in Cambridge Bay on Tuesday.

"You know, I don't think there are many Europeans having Inuit cousins so I would be very proud if I find some,"she said.

At least one Inuk inGjoa Havenclaims to be related, Amundsen Jacobsen said, and she plans to meet with him after she arrives in the community Wednesday, accompanied by her husband and two children.

"Let's see from there —that's all I know at the moment —so we're going into the unknown in the explorer way,"Amundsen Jacobsen says.

Amundsen still admired

Cambridge Bay elder Steve Anavilok calls Amundsen one of the greatest explorers in history because he adopted the Inuit way of life and survived.

Amundsen and his crew of six completed the maiden voyage through the Northwest Passage in a 21-metre fishing vessel on Aug. 17, 1905.

He then travelled overland through the northern Yukon to the nearest telegraph station at Eagle, Alaska, to tell the world about his success.

He went on to lead the first successful expedition to the South Pole between 1910 and 1912.

Amundsen died in 1928 on an aerial rescue mission.