Author hopes sharing father’s personal journey helps illuminate Nunavik history
“My father was a hunter, a pilot and a natural born leader,” Larry Watt told Eye on the Arctic in a phone interview. “He dealt with widespread famine and epidemics and went from learning hunting and fishing skills in early childhood to ship navigating and piloting, but his life also serves as a framework for the changes experienced by the region.
“[The book]is more than just a biography of him, it became an illustration of the history of the region and the community of Kuujjuaq.”
Larry describes the book, Johnny Watt, His Life, His world, His Ways, co-written with Robyn Bryant, as a labour of love.
“I started it over 10 years ago, and at one point, we, had a long break in the project because of other priorities,” Larry said. “But then I realized that all of the recordings that we’d done provided an important record of his life story and of the community. So, from there, I decided to try to complete the project. And when it finally came out (this fall), it was a relief.”
From hunter, to pilot, to mayor
Johnny Watt (1926-2021) grew up in Old Chimo, a settlement not far away from where the current town of Kuujjuaq is located.
He lived a traditional life but went on to become a ship pilot and mayor of Kuujjuaq amongst other important roles in the region, including participation in the process leading up to the landmark James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement land claims agreement.
“It shows how he developed over the years, and all the big changes that came to Nunavik in such a short period of time,” Watt said.
The book is based on 30 hours of interviews with Bryant, with Larry acting as translator.
He said even after growing up on this father’s stories, he kept learning new things about him while working on the book, something that made the process a particularly moving experience.
His father’s recollections of the dog slaughter by police in the 1960s was just one example, Larry said.
“I knew it had happened but not how much losing his dogs and traditional way of life impacted him,” Larry said.
Potential for schools
Larry Watt says he hopes this father’s experiences and accomplishment can inspire other Inuit and potentially be used in educational settings as well.
“[Me and co-author Robyn Bryant] wrote this book to appeal to a wide-range of audiences; Inuit and non-Inuit, young people and scholars. The book is organized into thematic chapters so that teachers could even use it in classrooms or discussion groups.”
The book is currently available in a split English/Inuktitut edition. An ebook version in French is also being planned.
Comments, tips or story ideas? Contact Eilís at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Celebrations begin Saturday to mark 50 years of Yukon land claims history, CBC News
Greenland: Danish PM apologizes to Greenlanders taken to Denmark as children in 1950s, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Norway truth commission details country’s dark history of assimilation, CBC News
