Stephen R. Bown - White Eskimo

WHITE ESKIMO

Copyright 2015 by Stephen R. Bown

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bown, Stephen R.

White Eskimo: Knud Rasmussens fearless journey into the heart of the Arctic / by Stephen R. Bown. First Da Capo Press edition.

pages cm

A Merloyd Lawrence book.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-306-82283-4 (e-book) 1. Rasmussen, Knud, 18791933. 2. ExplorersDenmarkBiography. 3. AnthropologistsDenmarkBiography. 4. Racially mixed peopleDenmarkBiography. 5. Rasmussen, Knud, 18791933TravelArctic regions. 6. Arctic regionsDiscovery and explorationDanish. 7. GreenlandDiscovery and explorationDanish. 8. InuitSocial life and customs. I. Title.

G635.R3B68 2015

917.1904'2092dc23 2015019154

First Da Capo Press edition 2015

Published simultaneously in Canada by Douglas & McIntyre

Published as a Merloyd Lawrence Book by Da Capo Press

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www.dacapopress.com

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Igjugarjuk, who was not beyond flattering a guest, declared that I was the first white man he had ever seen who was also an Eskimo.

Knud Rasmussen, from Across Arctic America

A NOTE ON TERMINOLOGY

Eskimo, Inuit and Greenlander: Eskimo is the historical term for the culturally similar indigenous peoples who inhabit Greenland, northern Canada and Alaska. There are various possibilities for the meaning of Eskimo, such as people who speak a different language, people who make snowshoes and people who eat raw meat. None of these descriptions are universally accepted by linguists or the people themselves.

Although considered by many to be a slur today, Eskimo is not inherently a pejorative word and was originally how all Arctic peoples were known. Now, the term Inuit is generally preferred by the people of Arctic Canada. In Alaska, the preferred terms are Eskimo or Alaska Native, and in Greenland the common term is Greenlander or, among English speakers, Inuit. In academic literature, the word Inuit is now prevalent.

In this work, I have opted to use the word Inuit except when quoting from historical documents.

In his time, Rasmussen was sometimes called a white Eskimo.

Tribe: In his writings, Rasmussen referred to the various small nomadic and seminomadic groups of Inuit he encountered throughout the Arctic as tribes. Today the term is rarely used, the sense sometimes being captured by the words band and community. For the sake of clarity and continuity, I have opted to retain Rasmussens use of the word tribe to describe these groups of Inuit hunters as they existed a century ago.

CONTENTS

Route of Rasmussens journey from Danish Island to King William Island.

Route of Rasmussens journey from King William Island to Herschel Island.

Route of Rasmussens journey from Herschel Island to East Cape.

I N THE WINTER of 1921, Knud Rasmussen invited about one hundred of Copenhagens eminent citizenspoliticians, artists, journalists and business leadersto join him at the citys prestigious Palace Hotel for a special dinner. It was an honor to receive a personal invitation from Rasmussen, a national hero known for his Arctic expeditions and his books about the lives, myths and legends of the Inuit. His guests arrived in formal attire for the event, and the entertaining speeches, good conversation and fine food made for a superbly successful evening. Once the meal was finished, Rasmussen stood up and clinked his glass for attention.

Now I hope that everyone is well fed, that everyone is happy, and that everyone feels good! he declared. Since youve all eaten and drunk well, would you all be able to swear to just such a fact? Once there was a general murmur of agreement, Rasmussen continued: Well, theres only one question left... who will pay?

The room fell silent. After the shock had subsided, people began fumbling for their wallets, aware of the presence of the other dignitaries and concerned for their reputations. None wished to appear mean or stingy. Now that we have wallets at the ready, Rasmussen announced, Peter [Freuchen] and I have some plans for an expedition that we would have funded.

R ASMUSSEN WAS A living legend in an era when polar exploration was the height of fashion and public interestthe era when Roald Amundsen, Ernest Shackleton, Robert Falcon Scott, Robert Peary, Richard Byrd, Vilhjalmur Stefansson and Fridtjof Nansen made headlines, and when dangerous journeys to the remote regions of the planet were part sporting event and part scientific expedition, draped in a cloak of nationalism. But, unique among these adventurers, Rasmussen was as much an explorer of people as of place. During nearly three decades of travel by dogsled throughout the polar world, he visited every Inuit tribe then known to exist. In addition to writing the books describing his own journeys, Rasmussen published dozens of anthologies of Greenlandic and Inuit songs, stories, folk tales, legends and poemsmythology and philosophypainstakingly collected and translated into Danish and English. These were a priceless contribution to world culture that would otherwise have disappeared.

Rasmussen was enormously popular among the Greenlanders and Inuit, of course, as well as in Denmark and Europe. But he was also a celebrated public figure throughout North America. His books were best-sellers, crowds flocked to his public talks, and his opinions were sought on Arctic matters. His charismatic and forceful personality drew both people and institutions into his orbit, and he collected a diverse entourage when he traveled and appeared in public.