When I began researching this project, I struggled with which photos to post, which names to share. I didn’t want to re-traumatize anyone or be voyeuristic or trespass on someone’s experience. But in the past few days, northerners have been sending me messages asking if their loved one’s name is on the cairn. Even the Elders at the Kitikmeot Heritage Society in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut are apparently reading along and wanted to ask about some names.
I also noticed in my research that magazines like Inuktitut published in 1990 the names of Inuit buried in Woodland Cemetery in Hamilton, Ontario (Mountain Sanatorium used to operate there. According to this site, between 1958 and 1962, 1272 Inuit were treated there for tuberculosis).
So I will share this list with all of you, and hope that it helps to solve some mysteries and possibly, in the words of one woman who contacted me, provide closure.
The list in the archives was divided by the quadrant in the cemetery (or face of the cairn) but I have alphabetized them by first name. Hopefully this makes it easier to find your loved one. If you have any information to correct or add (spellings could be quite creative), please get in touch. If you would like to share any stories or photos about these people, I would be honoured to receive them.
*April 2016 update: I was told by some Elders from Cambridge Bay recently that many of the Inuit names are spelled incorrectly. We are working on creating a list of corrections/alternate spellings which will hopefully make it easier to track down names.*
| Adam Toologak | Spence Bay | June 12 1961 | 17 | M |
| Agnes Komeg | Coppermine | Jan 5 1953 | 4 | F |
| Algeeak | Cambridge Bay | June 11 1953 | 35 | F |
| Alice Angevrana | Bathurst Inlet | May 16 1955 | 55 | F |
| Andre Crate | July 4 1957 | 49 | M | |
| Anna Avivitok | Cambridge Bay | Nov 28 1962 | 32 | F |
| Annie Moyah | North Battleford, SK | July 15 1953 | 12 months | F |
| Annie Takpalok | Gjoa Haven | Sept 28 1962 | 22 days | F |
| Anty Matomiak | Cambridge Bay | March 21 1957 | 2 months | |
| Baby Dickson | Whitehorse | Jan 25 1959 | Newborn | F |
| Ben Ashatak | Spence Bay | May 12 1956 | 69 | M |
| Bertha Stevens | Yukon | Feb 23 1952 | 21 | F |
| Bessie (Betsy?) Blackjack | Whitehorse | Nov 9 1952 | 52 | F |
| Bessie Kakagon | Coppermine | 04-May-58 | 44 | F |
| Bessie Optiak | Cambridge Bay | April 28 1958 | 12 days | F |
| Bessie Tithak | Cambridge Bay | Sept 19 1966 | 31 | F |
| Bob Kadlum | Cambridge Bay | Feb 28 1965 | 5 | M |
| Brian Wayne Gordon | Inuvik | May-65 | 3 months | M |
| Clara Moses | Whitehorse | June 27 1950 | 14 | F |
| Daniel Kangatok | Cambridge Bay | April 3 1950 | 4 | M |
| Danny Johnny | Pelly River | Dec 21 1953 | 42 | M |
| David McLeod | Whitehorse | June 5 1947 | 2 months | M |
| Derrick Andrew Black | Gleichen, AB | July 23 1957 | 45 days | M |
| Dolphus Stoney | Alberta | 29-May-48 | 19 | M |
| Donald Isaac | Alberta | March 13 1947 | 46 | M |
| Edith Betty Sudlavenick | Resolute Bay | Nov 29 1963 | F | |
| Eileen Jackson | Whitehorse | March 24 1964 | 48 | F |
| Elizabeth Kodwat | Whitehorse | June 4 1961 | 31 | F |
| Elmer Michael Oar | Wabasca, AB | August 7 1965 | 25 days | M |
| Enok Egoona | Gjoa Haven | Feb 23 1953 | 50 | M |
| Eva Napayok | Coppermine | Sept 21 1951 | 27 | F |
| Foster Allen (Achuk) | Aklavik | Oct 29 1957 | 47 | M |
| Hank Laboucan | Oct 16 1960 | 8 months | M | |
| Hazel Charlie | Carmacks | July 10 1951 | 4 | F |
| Ida Palugayak | Cambridge Bay | Nov 12 1958 | 37 | F |
| Illinuk | Cambridge Bay | 29-Apr-55 | 74 | M |
| Isaac Malla | Arctic Bay | July 1 1951 | 48 | |
| Isoarataik Qonak | Spence Bay | 23-Jul-61 | 4 | M |
| Jackie Ehomatak | Cambridge Bay | July 22 1954 | 3 | M |
| Jacob Kodlak | Bathurst Inlet | Jan 22 1966 | 52 | M |
| Jacob Nipalayok | Holman Island | May 25 1960 | 51 | M |
| Jacolyn Ehometak | Cambridge Bay | May 31 950 | 14 | F |
| James Blake | Ft. McPherson | October 11 1950 | 25 | F |
| James Jonathan Wood | Dawson City | Sept 16 1956 | 58 | M |
| James Sam Alaluk | May 24 1955 | 20 | M | |
| Jane Fredson | Old Crow | March 4 1951 | 25 | F |
| Jane Kongotakok | Cambridge Bay | July 17 1960 | 1 month | F |
| Jennie Haugoon | Cambridge Bay | July 12 1965 | 44 | F |
| Joan Mikigok | Coppermine | June 24 1957 | 8 | F |
| Joe Owen | Yukon | Jan 13 1949 | 17 | M |
| John Dickie | April 23 1954 | 34 | M | |
| John Johnson | Mayo | June 1 1951 | 72 | M |
| John Kalinek | Aklavik | June 25 1959 | 18 | M |
| John Lucas | Mayo | April 16 1958 | 15 | M |
| John Smith | Aklavik | March 18 1964 | 72 | M |
| John William Kunn | Fort Norman | July 7 1947 | 10 days | M |
| Josie Papik | Aklavik | Jan 25 1961 | 53 | M |
| Katahjook | Spence Bay | September 25 1959 | 37 | M |
| Kidlak | Resolute Bay | Oct 6 1965 | 59 | F |
| Kipomee | Arctic Bay | July 7 1966 | 5 | M |
| Kitty Agoahiot | Cambridge Bay | Nov 6 1962 | 49 | F |
| Koe (baby) | Nov 26 1963 | Newborn | F | |
| Lake Kadlut | Cambridge Bay | Feb 8 1957 | 22 | M |
| Lena Naikak | Bathurst Inlet | May 29 1954 | 49 | F |
| Marley Williams | 10-Oct-60 | M | ||
| Martha Kowata | Bathurst Inlet | Oct 26 1957 | 11 | F |
| Mary Avakanna | Coppermine | April 9 1952 | 55 | F |
| Mary Dickson | Whitehorse | Oct 21 1955 | 1 day | F |
| Mary Shorty | Yukon | Dec 30 1951 | 26 | F |
| Molly Bullcalf | Alberta | June 7 1956 | 35 | F |
| Moses Hupok | Coppermine | Nov 8 1946 | 8 | M |
| Nancy Eskagon | Wabasca | Feb 5 1951 | 18 | F |
| Nina Poohana | Cambridge Bay | Feb 18 1955 | 63 | F |
| Ootak Kakeeanook | Spence Bay | 02-May-60 | 37 | F |
| Peter Kinmuik | Cambridge Bay | Dec 4 1961 | 43 | M |
| Peter Kootahoo | Thom Bay | June 25 1961 | Newborn | M |
| Peter Sope | Aklavik | Aug 22 1964 | 51 | M |
| Peter Talek | Bathurst Inlet | March 27 1961 | 59 | M |
| Polly Hataweena | Cambridge Bay | 21-Apr-61 | 62 | F |
| Pooakeeyoo Iwee | Thom Bay | Jan 15 1961 | 65 | F |
| Ralph Carlick | Cassiar Rd, BC | Jan 7 1962 | 4 months | M |
| Rebecca Ookpik | Spence Bay | June 28 1966 | 32 | F |
| Ricky Don Nelson Kayotuk | Reindeer Station | July 8 1961 | 10 months | M |
| Roland Ototagoklok | June 9 1949 | 55 | M | |
| Sarah Jane Vanelti | Aklavik | Nov 28 1963 | 2 | F |
| Susie Igeearahkjuak | King William Island | March 13 1957 | 36 | F |
| Susie Oviluk | Bathurst Inlet | Nov-59 | 3 | F |
| Terry Havagon | Coppermine | 28-Feb-60 | 1 | M |
| Thunderspirit | Wabasca, AB | Dec 4 1958 | Newborn | F |
| Tom Nanitoak | Arctic Sound | April 25 1962 | 61 | M |
| Tommy Analvik | Coppermine | Aug 15 1950 | 24 | M |
| Tooglaoak | Spence Bay | Oct 11 1957 | 3 | M |
| Wendell Melvin Tonka | Ft. Simpson | Sept 25 1960 | 1 month | M |
| William Charlie | Whitehorse | July 27 1953 | 1 | M |
| William Kamincook | Coppermine | June 7 1950 | 16 | M |
| William Yellowknee | Wabasca, AB | March 5 1962 | 70 | M |
| Willie Pamiadluk | Head Island, NWT | Oct 14 1961 | 54 | M |
| Winnifred “Winnie” Anna Lyall | Spence Bay | March 31 1956 | 1 | F |