Tammarniit (Mistakes): Inuit Relocation in the Eastern Arctic, 1939-63

Between 1939 and 1963, the federal government embarked on a program of relocation and relief in the Eastern Arctic that would dramatically alter the lives of Inuit living there. This book documents how the development of the Canadian welfare state coincided with attempts to assimilate Inuit and organize their lives according to Western ideas about the family, work, and community. This policy resulted in many ‘tammarniit’ (mistakes) that led to social disruption and cultural disintegration, and even contributed to death among Inuit.

The authors have made extensive use of archival documents, many of which have been unavailable to researchers before, among them the Alex Stevenson Collection, which was stored in the Archives of the Northwest Territories. They have also interviewed many key individuals who were involved with events during the period. The result is a compelling and sobering look at the evolution of Canadian policy in the North and its tragic effects on Inuit.

Tammarniit is essential reading for anyone concerned with present-day debates about self-government for aboribinal people. By carefully exmaining the relationships among economic and social welfare considerations, Canadian cultural biases, as well as administrative and political concerns, Tammarniit provides a comprehensive overview of policymaking during this period as well as insight into the themes of resistance and renewal which have emerged among Inuit.

Frank Tester is a professor in the School of Social Work at the University of British Columbia. Peter Kulchyski is a professor in the Department of Native Studies at Trent University.