Lecture 7 HIST 382

This lecture begins with the creation of Nunavut, the Inuit homeland territory, 1 April 1999. Then it backs up to consider how this reflects a change in traditional Euro-Canadian thought about the North, a reconsideration of the northern mystique. Then it backs up further, chronologically, to consider several salient chapters of the North as frontier--the Klondike Gold Rush, the explorations and writings of Vilhjalmur Stefansson, the rise of Farley Mowat as a legendary chronicler of the North, and the Northern Vision of PM John Diefenbaker. It closes with the ironic question, Strong or Free? Which is to say, which vision of the North is more likely to distinguish the Canadian identity?

Introduction	We have touched on the subject of the Canadian North already in regard to two subjects: the Arctic as a First Nations culture region, and the North as a frontier of exploration. Now we not only sketch in additional elements of the history of the North but also consider what this region means to Canada.
Nunavut	The territory of Nunavut was created in 1999 as a homeland for the Inuit. Autonomy is an important thing, but what is to be the economic base of this territory? First, natural resources are to be governed and exploited by the joint authority of the territory and the government of Canada. Second, with the creation of new national parks, nature (through tourism) is a resource for development.
Homeland or Frontier?	The North may be a homeland to the Inuit, but to Euro-Canadians it has been a frontier from which physical resources might be extracted and spiritual strength be taken. The Klondike gold rush and the creation of the Yukon Territory were examples of resource exploitation and its effects. Be considering the adventures and writings of Vilhjalmur Stefansson and Farley Mowat we learn of some of the odd ways in which people may think about the North as a place of spiritual strength. John G. Diefenbaker’s Northern Vision combined these elements in an attempt to inspire a new nationhood.

Resources for Lecture 6
WWW	Canadian Profile: Farley Mowat – A good, general sketch of the man and his writings
	Northern Exposure – Discussion of the expose on Mowat’s writings
	Nunavut Parks – Beautiful site
	Government of Nunavut – Government and administration of the territory
	Nunavut Planning Commission – Governance board for environmental and resource issues
	The legacy of Vilhjalmur Stefansson - Splendid survey of his life and career
	Writing on Ice – The juicy stuff from Stefansson’s ethnological notebooks
Film	Nanook of the North
	Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
	White Thunder
Reading	Stefansson, The Northern Course of Empire
	Zaslow, The Opening of the Canadian North
	Smith, Rogue Tory
	Mowat, Never Cry Wolf

HIST 382