Qapik Attagutsiak facts for kids

Qapik Attagutsiak (born June 11, 1920 – died December 2023) was an amazing Inuit woman from Canada. She helped a lot during World War II, especially by collecting animal bones. These bones were used to make important supplies for the Allied forces. She was the last known Inuit person who helped in this special way during the war.

Early Life and Family

Qapik Attagutsiak was born on June 11, 1920. Her birthplace was Siuraq, a place near Igluligaarjuk and Coral Harbour in Nunavut, Canada. Her father, Quliktalik, was a hunter. Her mother, Pakak, was a seamstress, someone who sews clothes.

When Qapik was 10 years old, she started learning how to be a midwife from her mother. A midwife helps women when they are having babies. By the time she was 18, Qapik became a midwife herself. She also worked as a seamstress, just like her mother.

Qapik married a man named Attagutsiak. He later became one of the first members of the Canadian Rangers in 1947. Qapik and her husband had 14 children together. Their first child was born in 1939. After her husband passed away in 1984, Qapik adopted two more children.

Helping During World War II

Qapik Attagutsiak was 20 years old when news of World War II reached her community in 1940. She was the last known person from the Inuit communities who helped with the war effort. During the war, the Canadian government asked everyone to collect waste materials. The goal was to turn things like metal, rubber, and paper into supplies for the war.

In the Canadian Arctic, these materials were not easy to find. So, Inuit communities started collecting animal bones and carcasses instead. These were then sent to big cities and ports in the south. There, the materials were processed. They were used to make things like ammunition, glue for airplanes, or fertilizer to help grow food for the war effort.

One important place for collecting bones was a hunting camp on an island called Qaipsunik. This island is near Igloolik in Nunavut today. From 1940 to 1945, the people at this camp collected about three bags of animal bones every day. Each bag weighed about 125 pounds (57 kg)! Older members of the community helped pack these heavy bags.

The bags were then shipped using the existing routes of the Hudson's Bay Company. They went to southern Canadian ports in cities like Montreal and Halifax. This amazing effort by Inuit communities helped Canada and its allies during the war.

Honors and Recognition

Qapik Attagutsiak received several awards for her important contributions. In 2012, she was given the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. This medal honors Canadians who have made important contributions and achievements.

In January 2020, a special ceremony was held in Gatineau. It was organized by Parks Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces. The event took place at the Canadian Museum of History. It was held to honor Qapik Attagutsiak. She was the only known person still alive who represented the wartime efforts of Inuit communities. Jonathan Wilkinson, who was a government minister, called her one of Parks Canada's Hometown Heroes.

Qapik Attagutsiak was also recognized for her work as a health professional. Parks Canada said she was very important in helping to create the Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team - Medical Centre in Ottawa. She helped with this center because of her experience as a midwife.

For several years, Qapik Attagutsiak was the oldest elder in Arctic Bay. An elder is a respected older person in the community. The Nunatsiaq News newspaper called her a "revered elder." In 2014, a photo of Qapik by Clare Kines was chosen as a finalist in a big photography competition. The photo showed her traditional way of life and was shown around the world.