The High Arctic is rich in history, some recent, some ancient. People have lived in this area for at least 3,500 years. There are those who believe the Vikings visited here, not so far fetched an idea given our proximity to Greenland. There was certainly trade with them as some of their textiles or yarn have been found near Pond Inlet. It was not that surprising to learn that a resident of Arctic Bay played a prominent role in Northern Justice history.
Isaac Shooyook is more commonly known just as Shooyook. He is a smaller man of slight build. It would probably be more accurate to describe him as wiry as I know of few people of his age with his strength. He is in his sixties and I’ve seen remarkable feats of strength by this quiet unassuming man. One of the Inuit games that is some times played is called the Airplane. Basically you lie face down on the floor with your arms outstretched. Three people pick you up off the ground, one at each wrist and another at your feet, and carry you at a walk until you can no longer hold yourself up. One Christmas games, when I was in a little better shape, I participated in the same game of Airplane as Shooyook. I lasted about 2/3’s the length of the gym. Shooyook on the other hand was carried up one length of the gym, back the same length, and more than 2/3’s of the length on the third one before he could no longer hold himself up. He was beaten only by a couple of young men in their twenties (one of which I don’t even think held his arms out straight the entire time and had I been a judge, would have disallowed it).
I know of several stories of Shooyook in his younger days. Once he was hunting with some others on the other side of the Brodeur Peninsula, in Prince Regent Sound. Some how the hunting party lost their dogs and were without transportation. Knowing of a group living in igluit in Admiralty Inlet most of the group began a long trek around the Brodeur Peninsula. But Shooyook reckoned that the group was almost directly across the peninsula from where they were and set out to cross it. This is mountainous country and there peninsula is probably 1500 to 2000 feet high at this point. But he crossed and found the iglu.
He didn’t however have the strength to push aside the snow block at the entrance and that is where they found him. When they brought him in his skin clothes were frozen around him and had to be cut off. A short time later though, with a borrowed dog team he set out and brought back the rest of his hunting party.
In 1965 Shooyook was a young man in his 20’s living near Fort Ross at the East end of the Bellot Strait. It was there that circumstances took him into Canada’s consciousness after his charge and subsequent trial for murder.
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Did you also know that he was the fastest runner. He was faster then caribou’s.
Hi Ida,
Yes I was familiar with the stories of him chasing down caribou, but they had slipped my mind, thank you.
There was also a story I had heard about him and a polar bear, however it sounded so much like the story of Oyukuluk that I was never sure whether the Qallunaaq that had told me was confusing the two.
Great cliff! Next part soon?
Real soon?????????
I’m not sure about Oyukuluk, I only know story of my late pernts friends but the Qallunaaq might be right. When is the second part 🙂
Correction on my part – I meant to write Parents not Pernts 🙂
This way, you keep coming back. 🙂