C Ihe Ladies c cu. V'VVAN - History and Classics, Department of

Notes to Pages 86-93 269ties that remind one rather more of the monastic tradition ofBuddhism, especially in terms of denial and negation; thequotation seems intended to regard the characteristics ofAklavik that re-emerged after the departure of the Distributor, asones that afforded the opportunity for reflection and spiritualgrowth.One of our visitors, a trader, told us a story of an IndianVyvyan is mistaken in attributing this tale to a "trader"; herfield note for 6 July states that she heard it from Anglicanmissionary William Archibald Geddes.Canon HesterBorn in England, Edward Hester (1882-1945) undertook laymissionary work in Manchester and then in U ngava as a deaconin the Church of England. Mter his ordination, he served asmissionary among the Inuit of the western Arctic from 1915 to1927, travelling extensively between Herschel Island andBathurst Inlet. In 1924, he met and travelled with Rasmussenduring the Dane's Fifth Thule Expedition, and was rememberedby him as "an energetic young man of 'the happy type',with a dominating laugh that comes just a little too often,otherwise a nice fellow of a practical turn of mind. Up here amissionary has to do everything himself-look after his dogs,procure dog-feed, tend his nets, build his own house, andknows nothing of the Kivfaks [servants] with which Danishmissionaries in Greenland surround themselves. Smallmeans-are glad of'Fote' from the natives to help them in theirwork-which is often misunderstood" (Ostermann 32-3). In1927, when he published his first book about the expedition,Rasmussen noted that, in 1924, Hester had had to move hismission work from Coronation Gulf nearer to the MackenzieDelta, "as the missionary society which sent him out could notafford to keep him so far afield. Having in mind the sums spenton punishing criminals here in the wilds," Rasmussen went on,referring to the hanging at Herschel Island two months earlierof Tatamagana and Aligoomiak, "it seems a pity that it shouldbe necessary to economize in a field of work which more thanall else helps to prevent the growth of criminal tendencies"(Across 297). In 1927, Hester returned to England and marriedhis fiancee, Hilda May Buckingham. He served in severalEnglish parishes until his death (Zealley, "Edward"). Hismission work was the envy of the redoubtable Alaskanmissionary, Archdeacon Hudson Stuck (Winter 326).Although his purchase of several of her watercoloursketches alone might have created a fine impression onDorrien Smith, her field note about Hester on 28 June is fullof admiration: "Was most interesting. He had been all alongthe coast to King Williams Island etc. living with the Eskimos,and had been to Hudson Bay also and worked round there.Been in four years, now going out. I believe a very fine man."an Irish friend named Tyrell who gave me daily lessons inhis 17-foot canoeJudge Dubuc's caption to the photograph of the Inuit trials in1924 lists "Sam C. Tyrell, Aklavik, trader" as a member of thejury panel (Photo Scrapbook).we went to an Eskimo service in the Church of EnglandchapelThe first Anglican presence in the Mackenzie River basinoccurred in 1858, when David Anderson, bishop of Rupert'sLand, and the Church Missionary Society sent ArchdeaconJames Hunter to investigate the feasibility of missions in thearea of Fort Simpson. The next year, Rev William West Kirkbywas directed to the Mackenzie and thus began a more or lesspermanent Anglican presence in the region. The first missionat Aklavik was established in 1919 by Bishop Lucas, andconstruction on All Saints Anglican Church began in 1920 (AllI). (Construction began on All Saints Cathedral in 1937, andit was consecrated in 1939; for many years, Lazarus Sittichinliworked as the caretaker there') In January 1924, Hesterreported to Bishop Lucas that "the Church looks really finenow, everything that you have recommended has been done,and the mission plant is the best set up in the place andattended to. Be prepared to take some good photographs whenyou corne" (Hester). From the beginning, separate serviceswere held in the Gwich'in and Inuvialuktun languages.We could not help thinking of that well-satisfied man whoprayed with hiInself while he declared that he fasted twice inthe week and gave tithes of all that he possessedVyvyan here alludes to Luke 18: 10-14, which rehearses the parabletold by Christ to his diSciples about the Pharisee's self-exaltedprayer, in contrast to the Publican's humble prayer for forgiveness.In her field note for 4 July, she clarifies that Whittaker'ssermon put her in mind of the "Pharisee." The picture generallypainted in the New Testament renders Pharisees, the strictest of