Introduction-E

Were they taken along or left behind? The only method of travel was the dogteam, and
that probably made it even harder.
My grandmother’s father also died. She was raised by her uncle. Her uncle went
down south. Maybe you have heard about him from the books. He often killed people
who had tried to kill him first. He ended up killing them instead. At least two or three
people. He was taken down south as he was considered a hero. He came back an old
man. He’s buried somewhere around our community but I don’t know where exactly.
What was his name?
Elisapee: Iqilaarjuk
Was he a shaman?
Elisapee: Most likely. One had to have powers to be able to go forward. There was no
RCMP or Social Services to keep everybody in check. So they would be handled by the
elders as they saw fit. Some were probably hard to deal with, as some murders did take
place. When someone was considered dangerous, and the people started fearing him
[tillirijau-], he would be killed with a bow and arrow, or a knife.
What do you mean tillirijau-?
Elisapee: When one started thinking, “Maybe I’ll be approached soon,” or “Maybe he’ll
attack me.” Even today we tilliq- when we hear that somebody is drunk, out of concern
that something might happen to them.
So Iqilaarjuk was finally caught when the RCMP arrived after the 1920s?
Elisapee: He was never arrested by the police. He was considered a hero, so he was
taken down south. He was greatly admired, so they took him down to see the great
south. He did not murder anyone in cold blood. He just had the job of removing some
bad people.
When we heard that he was taken south, I thought it was because
he killed people.
Elisapee: He was not arrested; it was because he was a great man. He was the wisest
amongst the group of Inuit he was with. For example, we see cowboy movies where the
cowboy is sleeping or relaxing; yet when someone approaches him, he is aware of it
right away. That’s how this man was. They were camping where they were hunting for
seal. He went out of the tent, sat outside and napped. Now, he was an old man, and he
28 Introduction to the Oral Traditions