Taqulittuq facts for kids
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Taqulittuq (also known as Tookoolito) was an amazing Inuk woman born around 1838. She was a skilled interpreter and guide. Taqulittuq and her husband, Ipirvik (also called Joe), worked with the Arctic explorer Charles Francis Hall. They helped him search for the lost Franklin expedition in the 1860s. They also joined the Polaris expedition on its journey to reach the North Pole.
Contents
Her Life Story
Growing Up in the Arctic
Taqulittuq was born near Cape Searle on Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region. This area is part of the Canadian Arctic. Her brother, Eenoolooapik, was also a traveler. He went to Aberdeen, Scotland, with a whaler in 1839. Taqulittuq started learning English in 1852 from a British whaler named William Barron.
Journeys to New Places
In 1853, a whaling captain named John Bowlby took Taqulittuq, Ipirvik, and a child named Akulukjuk to England. They were shown to people in different cities across the country. They even went to London and met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle. Taqulittuq and Ipirvik had dinner with the Queen and Prince Albert. Unlike some others, Captain Bowlby made sure they returned safely to the Arctic.
Working with Charles Francis Hall
In 1860, the explorer Charles Francis Hall met Taqulittuq and Ipirvik. He hired them as a translator and guide for his first trip. Hall wanted to find clues about the lost Franklin expedition. Instead, local people led him to remains from an older Frobisher expedition.
Taqulittuq and Ipirvik came back with Hall in 1862. They appeared with him at his talks. Later that year, Hall arranged for them to be shown at Barnum's American Museum in New York. Many people came to see them. They were advertised as the "first and only inhabitants of these frozen regions ever brought to" the United States.
They also went on Hall's lecture tour in 1863. Sadly, Taqulittuq's young son, Butterfly, became sick and died during this time.
Arctic Expeditions and Family Life
Taqulittuq and Ipirvik went back to the Arctic with Hall for his second land expedition. This trip lasted from 1864 to 1869. During this time, Taqulittuq had another son, King William, who also died as a baby. After this, they adopted a two-year-old Inuit girl. They called her Panik, which means "daughter" in Inuktitut.
Taqulittuq and Ipirvik also joined Hall on his last trip, the Polaris expedition. Their daughter Panik and another guide, Hans Hendrik, were with them. After Hall's death, the ship suddenly broke free from the ice. It left them behind. This group survived for six months on a shrinking ice floe. Ipirvik and Hans's hunting skills kept everyone alive. A sealing ship rescued them in April 1873.
Later, there was an investigation into Hall's death. Both Taqulittuq and Ipirvik gave their statements. They both believed Hall had been poisoned. However, their evidence was not fully accepted.
Later Life and Legacy
Taqulittuq and Ipirvik moved to Groton, Connecticut. Whaling captains Hall and Sidney O. Budington helped them set up a home there. Ipirvik went back to the Arctic several times to work as a guide. Taqulittuq stayed in Groton. She took care of Panik and worked as a seamstress.
Panik's health was poor after her time on the ice floe. She died at age nine. After Panik's death, Taqulittuq also became unwell. She passed away on December 31, 1876. Ipirvik was with her when she died. She was buried in the Starr Burying Ground in Groton.
Taqulittuq's legacy lives on. Tookoolito Inlet in Nunavut is named after her. Hannah Island in North Greenland also carries her name. In 1981, Taqulittuq and her husband were named Persons of National Historic Significance in Canada. This means they are recognized for their important contributions to Canadian history.
See also
In Spanish: Tookoolito para niños
