Missionaries: From Alaska to Patagonia · Episode 2 of 10 · 37 min
A Race for Souls: How Two Churches Divided the Canadian Arctic
In the Canadian Arctic there was no treaty, only a race between Anglican ministers and Catholic Oblate priests to reach each Inuit and Dene family first. Both promoted literacy in syllabics, and both ran the residential hostels that cut children off from the land, which Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission called cultural genocide. The episode centers Inuit and Dene voices.
Who's who
- James EvansMethodist missionary credited with codifying Cree syllabics around 1840
- Calling BadgerCree spiritual man credited with bringing syllabics from the spirit world
- Edmund PeckAnglican who promoted syllabics in the Eastern Arctic
- John HordenAnglican who adapted syllabics to Inuktitut
- Émile PetitotOblate who built separate scripts for Dene languages
- Piita IrniqInuk survivor; Commissioner of Nunavut; gave Pope Francis his drum
- Pope Francis+1 more episodeApologized to Inuit survivors in Iqaluit in 2022
- Johannes RivoireOblate priest accused of abuse; died in France untried in 2024
Where it happens
- Inuvik, Northwest TerritoriesTown split by Stringer Hall and Grollier Hall hostels
- Chesterfield Inlet, NunavutSite of Turquetil Hall and documented abuse
- Iqaluit, NunavutSite of the 2022 papal apology
- Norway House, ManitobaWhere Cree syllabics were codified
Timeline
- c. 1840Evans codifies Cree syllabics at Norway House
- 1894Peck establishes a mission at Blacklead Island
- 1954Catholic residence opens at Chesterfield Inlet
- 2015Truth and Reconciliation Commission concludes, calling the system cultural genocide
- July 29, 2022Pope Francis apologizes in Iqaluit
- April 2024Rivoire dies in France, never tried
Still debated
The origin of syllabics is argued: the standard account credits Evans, Cree oral tradition credits Calling Badger, and many scholars favor a collaborative origin. The allegations against Rivoire were never proven in court, and survivors say many records remain unreleased.
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