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The Arctic has fascinated
generations of explorers. The search for the
Northwest Passage, fur, whales, gold, missions, and now
oil tempted the intrepid to the north. They brought with
them change - for the environment, for the people, for
the culture - change so profound that it has not yet been
fully understood. The Mackenzie River and delta and its diverse communities of Inuvik, Alkavik, Fort McPherson, Tshgehtchic (Arctic Red River), Fort Good Hope, Tulita (Fort Norman), Delina (Fort Franklin) among others, populated by Inuit, Dene, Metis and more recent settlers, is a Canadian natural wonder, and continues to attract adventurers from all over the world. They come to the far reaches of the Arctic coast - Tuktoyaktuk, Sachs Harbour on Banks Island. They come to dance with the ghosts of the whalers that worked and died in the frigid waters around Herschel Island. They follow the paths of the gold seekers through the Yukon, the R.C.M.P. and their trusted dogs, and the undaunted missionaries. The recorded history of the area is brief, dramatic, intriguing. The struggles of the past, the dilemmas of the present, and the promise of the future are detailed in this fascinating look at Canada's North by Malta born author, Alfred Aquilina.. |
