Histoire de notre coopérative / ᑯᐊᐸᑦᑕ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᕕᓂᖓ / Our Co-op History
where it was off loaded. Since it was imperative to have accommodation for the Ennadai
Lake and Garry Lake people when they were
brought from their homeland, it was decided
to use the materials, which had been delivered, to Rankin Inlet, to create a temporary
community in an area close to the Rankin
Settlement. With the help of the mining company administration and staff the new community was begun and was completed before
the end of the year.
Prior to my agreeing to assume responsibility for overseeing this project I had asked
for and received assurances that I would be
allocated two assistants. I chose two Inuit
from Puvirnituq, Tamusi Qumak and Daniel Qumaluk. After their arrival with their
families we began the task of assisting the new
residents in adapting to an economy based on
sea mammals rather than on caribou.
Daniel began a program to teach the inland
people new hunting techniques, and to use the
local soapstone for the creation of sculpture.
Tamusi took over the training of retail store
workers, Tamusi’s and Daniel’s wives gave
training in the use of sealskin and imported
fabrics and my wife Lucille managed the day
school that had been set up for the children.
Early in 1959 a decision was made in Ottawa, that the temporary camp would become
a permanent solution to problems of this
group and that they should become absorbed
into the general population which depended
on the mine for their income. I decided that
I was no longer needed so returned to Ottawa
with my family leaving Daniel and Tamusi
to provide what help they could. They stayed
there until the Ennadai and Garry lake people
moved to Whale Cove.
Tamusi Qumak et Lizzie Qumaluk Nowyakadlak à Puvirnituq, 1963 ᑖᒧᓯ ᖁᒪᕐᓗ ᓕᓯ ᖁᒫᓗᒃ ᓇᐅᔭᑲᓪᓚᓗ ᐳᕕᕐᓂᑐᕐᒥ 1963 Tamusi Qumak and Lizzie Qumaluk
Nowyakadlak in Puvirnituq, 1963
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