Mikak facts for kids
Mikak (born around 1740 – died October 1, 1795) was an important Inuit woman from Labrador, Canada. She is also known as Micock, Mycock, or Mecock. Mikak was one of the few Inuit people in the 1700s who traveled to Europe and then returned home to North America. Sadly, many Inuit who went to Europe got sick, often with smallpox, and didn't make it back.
Mikak was the daughter of an Inuit chief named Nerkingoak. She played a big role in helping European traders and the native people of Labrador become friends. She was also one of the first Inuit people to be written about in history books.
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Meeting Europeans
In 1764, a Danish man named Jens Haven, who was a Moravian missionary, came back to England. He had been in Greenland and learned to speak Inuktitut from the Inuit there. Haven learned that another missionary had been attacked by some Inuit in Labrador in 1752. This made Haven want to go to Labrador to share his beliefs.
He got permission from the Moravian Church to start a mission in Labrador. When he arrived at Chateau Bay, he and another missionary, Christian Drachardt, began talking to the Inuit. One stormy night, they had to stay in the tent of an angakkuq (an Inuit spiritual leader). Mikak, who was seen as a brave and legendary young woman, was also there.
Mikak first met these two Moravian missionaries, Jens Haven and Christian Drachart, in 1765.
Mikak was friendly towards the Europeans from the start. She even learned a prayer that Drachart taught her. In 1767, she met Europeans again, but this time she and others were taken prisoner. This happened when Francis Lucas of the Royal Navy and his men from Fort York captured them.
Journey to England
In 1767, there was an incident at a fishing station owned by Nicholas Darby. After a short fight, the Inuit took some boats. Men from Fort York chased the group. They captured the women and children, including Mikak and her son. Mikak and her son were held at Chateau Bay over the winter.
During this time, Mikak started talking with Francis Lucas, who was second-in-command. He helped her learn English, which she learned very quickly. In return, Mikak taught Lucas some Inuktitut words. This was likely to help with future trading between Europeans and the Inuit.
Meeting Royalty
In 1768, Governor Palliser ordered Francis Lucas to take Mikak, her son Tutuak, and another older boy named Karpik to England. The idea was to show them how advanced European society was. They hoped that when Mikak returned, she would encourage her people to be more welcoming to Europeans for trade.
In England, Mikak met many important people, including members of the royal family. The English aristocrats were curious about her. They were also impressed by her beauty and charm. A famous painter named John Russell painted her portrait. She wore fancy dresses and jewelry given to her by Augusta, the Dowager Princess of Wales. This painting was shown in London and is now in Germany.
Mikak became very fond of the Princess. They continued to have a relationship for many years after Mikak returned to Labrador, sometimes sending each other gifts. In 1769, partly because Mikak said the Moravians would be welcome, they were given land to build a mission in Labrador. Soon after, Mikak and her son Tutuac sailed back to Labrador. Karpik stayed in England with the Moravians.
Returning Home
Mikak and her son returned to Labrador in 1769. Sadly, Karpik, who stayed in England, died of smallpox shortly after they left. Mikak didn't find out about his death until a year later.
After she returned, Mikak told her people amazing stories about Europe. She spoke of the advanced technology and the large cities with stone buildings. These stories made the Inuit very curious. Mikak was a key reason why the Inuit allowed the Moravians to build a permanent settlement nearby.
In 1770, a year after Mikak's return, the Moravians finally arrived in Labrador to set up their mission. Mikak greeted them, wearing the dress the Princess of Wales had given her. This was a sign of friendship. Her new husband, Tuglavina, whom she had married that year, was with her.
The meeting went well, but the Moravians were unsure. They asked for proof that the Inuit would not rob or harm them. Mikak felt insulted. She insisted that the Moravians were welcome and would be safe. When the Moravians mentioned Europeans being killed or robbed, Mikak pointed out that Europeans were also known to kill and steal.
Founding of Nain
Mikak and Tuglavina agreed to help the Moravians find a good place for their settlement. During this trip, they stopped many times so the Moravians could talk to the Inuit. Mikak organized all these meetings. Without her, the Moravians would not have been accepted so well.
On August 4, 1771, the Moravians were getting ready to go back to England for the winter. Mikak gave them five fox furs to take to her friends in England. Two furs were for Princess Augusta, and two were for Governor Hugh Palliser. Haven agreed to deliver Mikak's gifts. Tuglavina then helped guide the Moravians to open water before returning to Mikak. He was worried another man from his camp might try to be with her.
In 1771, a group of 14 Moravians returned to Labrador for good. They decided to build their settlement in a different spot than they had planned before. The new location was closer to food sources and Inuit camps. The Moravians still relied on Mikak to help them stay friends with the Inuit. Soon, they chose a spot and began building. This is how the town of Nain, Labrador, was founded. During the building of Nain, Mikak's relationship with the Moravians became difficult, partly because of her husband Tuglavina's wild spirit.
Returning to Inuit Ways
After Mikak and the Moravians had some disagreements, she and her husband Tuglavina went back to living a traditional Inuit life. In the summer, they would travel inland to hunt migrating reindeer. In the winter, they would go to the coast to hunt seals, birds, and whales.
The way Inuit people settled changed a lot during this time. Many Inuit were drawn to good hunting grounds. But many also wanted to stay near the mission to trade and hear the Moravians preach. This was actually part of a plan by Hugh Palliser, the Governor of Newfoundland. He wanted the fishing businesses on the southern coast to make money. The Inuit had been interfering with the fisheries. Palliser thought that if the mission was built inland, it would draw the Inuit away from the coast. This helped both Palliser and the Moravians. The fisheries became profitable, and the Moravians got land to preach to the Inuit.
Until 1773, Mikak kept a friendly relationship with the Moravians. In 1773, she returned to them and told them that Tuglavina had treated her badly. Her husband had apparently taken another man's wife and left with her. This upset the Moravians because it went against what they had taught him. They also held Mikak responsible for Tuglavina's actions. For reasons not fully known, Mikak lost favor with the Moravians. However, Tuglavina managed to stay on good terms with them. Mikak wanted to be baptized as a Christian at the same time as Tuglavina. But she was not baptized until much later, even though she returned to Nain many times hoping for it.
Mikak's Later Years
In 1774, Mikak returned to Nain with Tuglavina and her new son. It's not clear if this second son was Tuglavina's child. Both Tuglavina and Mikak wanted to become Christians. However, Tuglavina left Mikak again for another man's wife in 1774, and then again in 1775. Even though the Moravians said they would have nothing more to do with Tuglavina after each time, he would always return, and they would accept him.
After Tuglavina left Mikak three times, she decided she had had enough. She formed a partnership with Pualo, the man whose wife Tuglavina had taken. For the next few years, Mikak and Pualo visited Nain sometimes. They lived a traditional life, hunting caribou in warm months and seals in cold months. Sometimes, Tuglavina and his new family would be with them.
A Winter Rescue
The next time we hear about Mikak is in the winter of 1779–1780. Mikak and the families with her decided not to move for the winter. They had gathered a good supply of meat. But wolves got into their food, leaving them with very little to survive on. In late January, an Inuk arrived at Nain and told the Moravians about the stranded families. The Moravians sent two sleds to rescue the families in early February 1780.
The following winter, Mikak and Pualo wanted to go to their usual hunting grounds. But the Moravians convinced them to stay. Mikak stayed, hoping her whole family would be baptized as Christians. Pualo and both of Mikak's sons were baptized that winter. For some unknown reason, Mikak was not baptized and was refused again. By February of that year, Mikak and her family decided to move away from Nain. This decision was likely because the Moravians refused to baptize Mikak again.
Trading South
After leaving Nain, Mikak moved even further away from the Moravians. She joined a group of Inuit who went south to trade with Europeans in Chateau Bay. This went against the Moravians' wishes. The Moravians strongly discouraged the Inuit from going south. They didn't want to lose trade, but also, contact with Europeans could be dangerous for the Inuit. They had no protection against European diseases like Smallpox.
Mikak and her family returned to Nain briefly a year later. Pualo asked the Moravians if they would baptize Mikak. He said he thought it would help them during trade talks in the south. This offended the Moravians, who were very clear about their feelings on the Inuit traveling south for trade. They refused his request, and Mikak and her family quickly left Nain again. In the summer of 1783, Mikak and her family went to Chateau Bay with 180 Inuit, against the Moravians' wishes. Many Inuit died during this trip from diseases, infections, or violence. Mikak's second partner, Pualo, was one of those who died, likely from an infection.
Final Years and Death
Not much was written about Mikak's last years. It is believed she spent most of her final years continuing to travel south to trade near Chateau Bay. Mikak returned to Nain one last time in late September 1795. She was very sick and could barely speak. She expressed her wish to be baptized as a Christian before she died. The Moravians finally agreed to baptize Mikak. On October 1, 1795, Mikak died while being cared for by the Moravian missionaries in Nain, Labrador. She was buried in the Nain cemetery.
