Kenn Harper

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Kenn Harper (aka Ilisaijikutaaq, tall teacher [1] ) is a Canadian writer, historian and former businessman. He is the author of Give Me My Father's Body, an account of Greenland Inuk Minik Wallace, had a regular column on Arctic history in Nunatsiaq News and is a former landlord. [2]

Contents

Early life

Harper relocated to the Arctic in 1966 as a teacher at Broughton Island, now known as Qikiqtarjuaq. [3] He later lived in Padloping Island, Pangnirtung, Arctic Bay (all in the Canadian Eastern Arctic) and Qaanaaq, Greenland, [3] and worked at various times as a teacher, development officer, and entrepreneur. [4] He eventually settled in Iqaluit, Nunavut, where he bought the Arctic Ventures general store, which was previously owned by Bryan Pearson. He sold the company to Arctic Co-operatives Limited in 2012. [3] [5] [6] [7]

Harper became known as a historian of the Arctic. For ten years (2005-2015), he wrote "Taissumani", a regular column on Arctic history in Nunatsiaq News . [8] He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. [3] In 1986 he published Give Me My Father's Body: The Life of Minik, the New York Eskimo, which tells the story of Minik Wallace, a member of the Inughuit or "Polar Eskimo" tribe who was among a group taken by Robert Peary from his home in northwest Greenland to New York City. [9] It was republished under the same title in 2000 by Steerforth Press. In 2017 Steerforth Press published a much-expanded version, containing new information on Minik's life, under the title Minik, The New York Eskimo.

From 2005 to 2017, Harper was Honorary Danish Consul, an unpaid posting in Iqaluit. [10] On 9 June 2014, Harper was recognized by the Government of Denmark for his work with the presentation of the Order of the Dannebrog. The appointment of Ridder (Knight) had been made in April and was approved by the Government of Canada. [1]

Harper is also an enthusiastic wrestling fan, notable for bringing Maximum Pro Wrestling to Iqaluit as a charity show to raise money for youth sports. [11]

Harper is fluent in English, Inuktitut and conversational Danish.

Works

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inuit languages</span> Branch of the Eskaleut language family

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Kleinschmidt</span>

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George Michanowsky is known for his interpretation of rock art in Bolivia and Mesopotamian artefacts which he interpreted as referring to a supernova explosion in the Vela (constellation) which he dated to about 6000 years ago. He is described by Kenn Harper as a having "claimed to be a self-taught archaeologist, linguist, Egyptologist, epigrapher, and expert in Mesopotamian astronomy.

Aviaq Johnston is a Canadian Inuk writer from Igloolik, currently living in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Her debut young adult novel Those Who Run in the Sky won the inaugural Indigenous Voices Award for English Prose. The novel was also a shortlisted finalist for the Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature at the 2017 Governor General's Awards, and for the Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uqqurmiut Centre for Arts & Crafts</span> Arts centre

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John Amagoalik is an Inuit politician from Nunavik (Québec). He campaigned for Inuit rights and made a significant contribution to the founding of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. He was Chairman of the Nunavut Implementation Commission and is widely regarded as the "Father of Nunavut".

References

  1. 1 2 Nunavut historian, linguist, teacher, businessman becomes Danish knight
  2. ↑ Chavich, Cinda (11 February 2003). "Arctic hot for Northern Property". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Harper, Arctic historian, knighted by Denmark
  4. ↑ Give Me My Father's Body : The Life of Minik, The New York Eskimo, book jacket biography
  5. ↑ A Nunavut institution changes hands: ACL buys Arctic Ventures
  6. ↑ "Politics involved in Nutrition North: businessman". CBC News. 2 June 2011.
  7. ↑ Extreme shopping - Iqaluit
  8. ↑ Taissumanni, a weekly article of historical interest by Harper, published in the Nunatsiaq News
  9. ↑ Kenn Harper at Salon.com
  10. ↑ "Harper named Danish honorary consul". Nunatsiaq News . 7 October 2005. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  11. ↑ "Maximum Pro Wrestling in Iqaluit, Nunavut - Arctic Classic 2011". Maximum Pro Wrestling . Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "In Those Days: Tales of Arctic Whaling". Inhabit Media. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  13. ↑ "In Those Days: Shamans, Spirits, and Faith in the Inuit North". Inhabit Media. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  14. ↑ "In Those Days: Inuit and Explorers". Inhabit Media. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
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