Franz Boas among the Inuit of Baffin Island, 1883-1884: Journals and Letters

by Ludger Muller-Wille (Editor), William Barr (Translator)

Overview

In the summer of 1883, Franz Boas, widely regarded as one of the fathers of Inuit anthropology, sailed from Germany to Baffin Island to spend a year among the Inuit of Cumberland Sound. This was his introduction to the Arctic and to anthropological fieldwork. This book presents, for the first time, his letters and journal entries from the year that he spent among the Inuit, providing not only an insightful background to his numerous scientific articles about Inuit culture, but a comprehensive and engaging narrative as well.

Using a Scottish whaling station as his base, Boas travelled widely with the Inuit, learning their language, living in their tents and snow houses, sharing their food, and experiencing their joys and sorrows. At the same time he was taking detailed notes and surveying and mapping the landscape and coastline. Ludger Müller-Wille has transcribed his journals and his letters to his parents and fiancé and woven these texts into a sequential narrative. The result is a fascinating study of one of the earliest and most successful examples of participatory observation among the Inuit. Originally published in German in 1994, the text has been translated into English by William Barr, who has also published translations of other important works on the history of the Arctic.

Illustrated with some of Boas's own photos and with maps of his field area, Franz Boas among the Inuit of Baffin Island, 1883-1884 is a valuable addition to the historical and anthropological literature on southern Baffin Island.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781487513290
Publisher:	University of Toronto Press
Publication date:	06/16/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	330
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

Ludger Müller-Wille is an associate professor of Geography at McGill University. His book Franz Boas. Bei den Inuit in Baffinland 1883-1884, Tagebücher und Briefe was first published in German by Reinhold Schletzer Verlag, Berlin, in1994.

William Barr is professor of Geography at the University of Saskatchewan, editor and translator of A Frenchman in Search of Franklin: De Bray's Arctic Journal, 1852-1854, and Overland to Starvation Cove: With the Inuit in Search of Franklin, 1878-1880.

Table of Contents

 Foreword

Preface to the Original German Edition

Preface to the English Edition

Introduction: Germans and Inuit on Baffin Island in the 1880s

The Simple Relationships between the Land and the People

Boas and German Polar Research in the Early 1880s

Human Environmental Relations in the Arctic: The Ecological Approach

Fieldwork Methods: T am now truly just like a typical Eskimo'

Journals and Letters, 1882-1884: The Source Material

Transcribing and Editing the Texts

Franz Boas and the Inuit Today

Abbreviations

JOURNALS AND LETTERS (MAY 1882 - SEPTEMBER 1884) 1884)

Period of Preparation in Germany, 1882-1883

Formulating and Securing the Research Plans

The Third German Geographers' Conference in Frankfurt a. M.

Logistical Preparations for the Sojourn in the Arctic

On Board the Germania from Hamburg to Baffin Island, June-July 1883

Across the North Sea and the Atlantic

Off Greenland

In the Drift and Pack Ice off Baffin Island, July-August 1883

Reaching K'exerten, Tinixdjuarbing: Meeting the Whalers and Inuit, August-September 1883

Winding Down the German Polar Station, K'ingua, September 1883

First Boat Trip with the Inuit to the North End of Tinixdjuarbing

The Last Days of the German Polar Station

At the Scottish Whaling Station at K'exerten and Germanids Departure

Late Fall Boat Trips in the Sound, September-October 1883

K'exerten

Journey to Kingnait Fiord

On Board the Catherine: The First Voyage to Naujateling and Milixdjuax

Trip to Pangnirtung Fiord

Trip to Ujarasugdjuling and Exaluaxdjuin

Investigations at K'exerten, October-December 1883

Science and Epidemics: Between the Environment and People

Geographical Names and Maps: Comprehending the Area

Tidal Observations in the Harbour at K'exerten

The Inuit's Fall Festival: The Sedna Ritual

Discontinuation of the Tidal Observations

Sickness and Death among the Inuit

Hikes across the Ice: Surveying the K'exerten Archipelago

By Dogsled across the Pack Ice

Inuit, Igloos, and Dogs: Journeys on the Ice of Tinixdjuarbing, December 1883 - May 1884

First Trip to Anarnitung and K'ingua

A Bitterly Cold March to K'ingua

The First Time in an Inuit Camp: Anarnitung

Second Trip to Anarnitung and K'ingua

K'exerten

Third Trip to Anarnitung and K'ingua

First Attempt at Crossing the Kingnait-Padli Pass

Fourth Trip to Anarnitung and K'ingua

Trip to Milixdjuax

Second Trip to Naujateling

Trip Southeastward to Saumia

The First 'White' among the Inuit of Ukiadliving

Return Trip to K'exerten

Trip to the Northwest to Nettilling Lake

Second Attempt at Crossing the Kingnait-Padli Pass

Trip to the West Coast of Tinixdjuarbing: Tarrionitung

The Last Trip on the Ice of Tinixdjuarbing: Nuvujen

K'exerten: Preparations for the Trip to Davis Strait

Overland to Davis Strait: From Kingnait to Padli, May 1884

Along the East Coast of Baffin Island: Survey Trips on the Sea Ice, May-July 1884

From Padli to Padloping

Northward: From Padloping to Tunirn

Establishing the Base Camp at K'ivitung

From K'ivitung to Siorartijung

The Inuit Settlement of Siorartijung: The Most Northerly Point

Southward: Excruciating Sledging on Late-Summer Ice

At K'ivitung: Waiting for the Whalers, July-August 1884

Completion of the Cartographic Work

Ethnographica, Dictionary, and Stories: Last Notes

Whalers in Sight

Leaving the Inuit and the Arctic, August-September 1884

With the Wolf to K'armaxdjuin and St John's

On Board the Ardandhu to New York

Appendix 1 Dog Names

Appendix 2 Names of Ships and Boats

Glossary

English Words

Inuktitut Words (Eastern Canadian Arctic)

References

Index

Illustrations and maps

Editorial Reviews

‘In every way, this book, so painstakingly and completely assembled by Ludger Müller-Wille and ably translated by William Barr from the original German edition (1994), satisfies both my personal and professional musings.’

—George Wenzel, Arctic

‘Professor Müller-Wille should be congratulated on this thorough piece of work, which makes a significant contribution to the history of the social sciences.’

—W. Gillis Ross, Arctic Anthropology

‘In bringing Boas's early work to a wider public, Müller-Wille performs a great service to the scientific community and to Arctic people. The engaging account documents a pivotal period in the development of research ethics and ethnographic method.’

—V. Alia, Choice Review

‘ Franz Boas among the Inuit offers  exciting and rewarding reading for both scholars of the ethnohistory of the Canadian Arctic Inuit and students of the "'intellectual history" of anthropology.’

—Igor Krupnik, Polar Record

From the Publisher

'In every way, this book, so painstakingly and completely assembled by Ludger Müller-Wille and ably translated by William Barr from the original German edition (1994), satisfies both my personal and professional musings.'

Arctic - George Wenzel

'Franz Boas among the Inuit offers exciting and rewarding reading for both scholars of the ethnohistory of the Canadian Arctic Inuit and students of the “'intellectual history” of anthropology.'

Polar Record - Igor Krupnik

'In bringing Boas's early work to a wider public, Müller-Wille performs a great service to the scientific community and to Arctic people. The engaging account documents a pivotal period in the development of research ethics and ethnographic method.'

Choice Review - V. Alia

'Professor Müller-Wille should be congratulated on this thorough piece of work, which makes a significant contribution to the history of the social sciences.'

Arctic Anthropology - W. Gillis Ross