From the Editor Canadian Inuit Dogs I have owned, raised and trained: a photo essay; Part 3 Book review: Across Arctic America Book review: White Eskimo Interview with Author Stephen Bown The Thule Atlas Project March distemper outbreak in Ilulissat Okpik’s Dream/Harry Okpik still going strong IMHO: I’m “Neat” with Tarps Navigating This Site Index of articles by subject Index of back issues by volume number Search The Fan Hitch Articles to download and print Ordering Ken MacRury's Thesis Our comprehensive list of resources Defining the Inuit Dog Talk to The Fan Hitch The Fan Hitch home page
The Fan Hitch, Journal
of the Inuit Sled Dog, is published four
times a year. It is available at no cost
online at: https://thefanhitch.org.
The Fan Hitch welcomes your letters, stories, comments and suggestions. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit submissions used for publication. Contents of The Fan Hitch are protected by international copyright laws. No photo, drawing or text may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Webmasters please note: written consent is necessary before linking this site to yours! Please forward requests to Sue Hamilton, 55 Town Line Rd., Harwinton, Connecticut 06791, USA or mail@thefanhitch.org. This site is dedicated to the Inuit Dog as well as related Inuit culture and traditions. It is also home to The Fan Hitch, Journal of the Inuit Sled Dog. |
From the Editor....
"Do you know the
desire to see new lands?
Do you know the desire to see new people?
I have long admired Knud Rasmussen for who he was and what he accomplished, so very opposite of what I believe were the egotistical, geopolitical, religious, commercial goals of others who came to polar regions. Rasmussen’s achievements continue to have meaning for Inuit. The Kitikmeot Heritage Society’s (KHS) “Fifth Thule Expedition Atlas Project”, a digitization of the Fifth Thule Expedition’s accomplishments, is reconnecting today’s Inuit with their past from nearly one-hundred years ago: ancestors, places, traditions and elements of their culture. The world will also have an opportunity to venture into that long ago life as well. In pulling together the Knud Rasmussen features in this issue of The Fan Hitch, I have been faced with the matter of the use of the “E”-word; its use makes me uncomfortable. It is apparent that both Terrence Cole, University of Alaska, editor of this Classic Reprint Series edition of Rasmussen’s Across Arctic America, Narrative of the Fifth Thule Expedition and Stephen Bown, author of White Eskimo, Knud Rasmussen’s Fearless Journey into the Heart of the Arctic also felt the need to made a point of addressing terminology when speaking about people of Greenland, Arctic Canada and Alaska: From Across Arctic America, Narrative of the Fifth Thule Expedition, by Knud Rasmussen; Terrence Cole, Editor: Introduction to the 1999 Edition (page xi) From White Eskimo, Knud Rasmussen’s Fearless Journey into the Heart of the Arctic by Stephen R. Bown: A Note on Terminology (page vii): In addition to featuring Knud Rasmussen, June’s issue continues with the more recent history of the Inuit Dog, presenting part three of Bill Carpenter’s photo essay, “Canadian Inuit Dogs I have owned, raised and trained”. You will also read that Okpik’s Dream is still quite successful at screenings and festivals, reminding us of the important role aboriginal Inuit Dogs still play, that there is still a place for them in the north. And in his IMHO, Mark reflects on his time out on the ice and the importance of learning to be “neat”. Sue |