Ipirvik facts for kids
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Ipirvik (Inuktitut: ᐃᐱᕐᕕᒃ), also known as Ebierbing, was an Inuk guide and explorer. He was born around 1837 and passed away around 1881. Ipirvik helped many Arctic explorers, including Charles Francis Hall and Frederick Schwatka. He and his wife, Taqulittuq, were very well-known. They were among the most widely traveled Inuit people in the 1860s and 1870s.
Contents
The Life of Ipirvik
Early Adventures in England
Whalers in Cumberland Sound gave Ipirvik the nickname "Joe." In 1852, a whaler named Thomas Bowlby took Joe, his wife Taqulittuq (known as "Hannah"), and another young Inuk to England. They went to the whaling port of Hull.
Bowlby showed them at different places. He always made sure people knew that Joe and Hannah were married. He also told everyone they had become Christians. Bowlby even arranged for them to meet Queen Victoria. They seemed to make a very good impression on her. Unlike some others, Bowlby made sure all three Inuit returned safely to the Arctic.
Working with Charles Francis Hall
In 1860, Ipirvik and Taqulittuq met Charles Francis Hall. They worked closely with him. Hall wanted to find out about the 16th-century trip of Martin Frobisher. He learned about it from Inuit oral traditions. Taqulittuq was Hall's main translator. Ipirvik was his guide and hunter.
They found the original place where Frobisher tried to build a settlement. Hall then went back to the United States in 1862. He brought Ipirvik, Taqulittuq, and their baby son, Tukerliktu, with him.
Hall had the Inuit family appear with him when he gave talks. He spoke about the things found from Frobisher's trip at the American Geographical Society. People were very interested in them. Hall arranged for them to be shown at P. T. Barnum's American Museum.
Hall also arranged for them to appear at the Boston Aquarial Gardens. But when he didn't get paid for this second show, he decided not to work with "Show Establishments" anymore.
Still, Ipirvik, Taqulittuq, and little Tukerliktu appeared with Hall. This was during his lecture tour along the east coast in 1863. The long tour made both "Hannah" and her son sick. A few weeks later, their son, nicknamed "Butterfly," passed away.
Ipirvik and Taqulittuq went with Hall on his last journey. This was the Polaris expedition, which was looking for the North Pole. After Hall passed away, Ipirvik was part of a group left behind. Their ship broke free from the ice and did not come back.
The group drifted on a shrinking ice floe for six months. During this time, Ipirvik and Hans Hendrik were able to find food for everyone. A sealing ship finally rescued them in April 1873. There was an investigation into how Hall died. Both Ipirvik and Taqulittuq said Hall believed he had been poisoned. However, their statements were not accepted.
Later Life and Legacy
After the expedition, the couple returned to Groton, Connecticut. Ipirvik went back to the Arctic sometimes to work as a guide. Taqulittuq stayed behind. She cared for their daughter, Panik, and worked as a seamstress.
Panik's health had been poor since her time on the ice floe. She passed away at nine years old. After Panik's death, Hannah's health also got worse. Joe was with her when she died on December 31, 1876. She was buried in the Starr Burying Ground.
Ipirvik passed away in the Arctic sometime in 1881. The exact details of his death are not known. Joe Island is named after him. This island is near Petermann Fjord in Kennedy Channel. Hannah Island is named after his wife. It is in the mouth of Bessels Fjord.
In 1981, Ipirvik and his wife were recognized as Persons of National Historic Significance.
See also
In Spanish: Ebierbing para niños
