Martha and Joseph Qilluniq: Interview
It was in 1957 when they first went out to Netsilik River/Lake area. When they first started going there, they only went there at the end of summer/fall when the fish was going up to collect them for dog food. At that time there were no large/permanent camps out there.
They chose that place because of the caribou and fish. It was a good place to put nets out. They like to fish during the summer too. They chose that spot for the camp because it was easy to go up and down the river from that spot. When they want to go into town in the Spring, it's easy to go by the ice and go to the stores and come back. When they started going there (back and forth) there were some elders camping in the area (not the exact spot) but they're all gone now.
Martha already had a child after she moved to Taloyoak from the Igloolik/Hall Beach area. She can see in her mind where she grew up. She doesn't really know the Netsilik area from before, but after moving here, she started knowing things in the Taloyoak/Netsilik area in her own way. She grew up in the Igloolik area and had a lot of fun, they were never hungry. She doesn't know about what others know about the Netsilik area. Where she grew up is different than here because the ice is open in the winter, but here, it's frozen all winter long. She heard stories from elders about this area but it seems that here most of the food during winter is seal and fish and not much caribou at all.
There were more dogs for the families in the Iglulik area because there was food all year around for the dogs. Joseph was raised in the Gjoa Haven area. He came here in 1957 also. He's from this area but was working at the DEW Line when he was 16.
Martha and Joseph met at the DEW Line. After they had a child together, they moved here to Taloyoak. They were finally trying to move over to Taloyoak area, and she slept in an igloo for the first time. She was so cold and slept with her kamiiks on. She didn't know how to cook with a qulliq. That month seemed so long for her.
In the Iglulik area they lived in qamaqs (sod houses). When there was 2 qulliqs in there it was really warm. Sod blocks were cut from the tundra, built up and then a top was put on. They can't build them here because there are too many rocks here.
Martha was born in July 1942 in Repulse Bay. Martha's grandpa was Captain George Cleveland (1871-1925) who spent time in the Repulse Bay area. Martha's moms 'E' number was E551(Iglulik area) Dad's E5386. Joseph was born in 1938 in Gjoa Haven.
They had 7 kids all together, 3 died, 1 was adopted out (Leah), the remaining are: Johnny (Vancouver), Fiona (Taloyoak) and Larry (Taloyoak).