Joseph Idlout facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph Idlout
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Joseph Idlout (right) after spearing a seal near Pond Inlet
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| Born | 1912/1913 |
| Died | June 2, 1968 (aged 55–56) Resolute, Northwest Territories (now Nunavut
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Joseph Idlout (born around 1912 or 1913, died June 2, 1968) was an Inuk leader and hunter. He became well-known and was even featured on Canada's two-dollar bill for a time.
In 1959, many Inuit families had to move during the High Arctic relocation. Joseph Idlout played a big role in helping these families settle into their new homes in Resolute, which is now part of Nunavut.
Earlier, in 1954, there weren't enough foxes to hunt for their furs in the Pond Inlet area. Because of this, Idlout asked the government if he could move to Resolute. The government wasn't keen on the idea at first, but they eventually agreed. Joseph Idlout and his family moved to Resolute in 1955.
Joseph Idlout in Documentaries
Joseph Idlout first became famous after a documentary called Land of the Long Day was released in 1952. At that time, he lived in Pond Inlet. He was known as a very skilled hunter and a strong leader in his community. The film made him so well-known that people called him the "most famous Inuit" of his time.
Years later, in 1990, another film about his life was made. This documentary was called Between Two Worlds. It was directed by Barry Greenwald and produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). In this film, Idlout's son, Peter Paniloo, shares his father's life story. You can find this film in the NFB's collection of Inuit films, called Unikkausivut: Sharing Our Stories. Between Two Worlds tells more about Idlout's life after Land of the Long Day until he passed away in 1968.
Idlout's Family Connections
Joseph Idlout was the grandfather of the well-known rock singer Lucie Idlout. His daughter, Leah Idlout, shared that her father was the son of Joseph-Elzéar Bernier. It is believed that Joseph Idlout might have been Bernier's only son.
