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 In 1913, two Roman Catholic priests disappeared into
the snow and ice of the Northwest Territories while undertaking a
missionary visit to the Coppermine Inuit.
A lengthy and arduous
investigation by the Royal North West Mounted Police revealed that the priests were killed by two Inuit hunters, Sinnisiak
and Uluksuk. The two men were arrested, charged and transported to
Edmonton, Alberta for trial, all under the curious gaze of the press and
the public.
With
the vast and harsh realities of the North, the culture shock of the
accused and the sensational and somewhat gruesome details of the crime,
the Coppermine case is a fascinating story. It also is a window in on early 20th century perceptions and the sentiments of
many Albertans toward Canada’s Inuit people, missionaries and murder.
All of these interwoven aspects, the unusual nature of the trial and the
startling outcome illustrate some of the larger debates that occurred in
Canadian society and bring to life an important period in Alberta’s
legal history.
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Heritage Community Foundation Presents
, Koeha, (witness), Sinnisiak, Uluksuk, Patsy Klenkenberg (interpreter).',1);)
