[The Diary of Abraham Ulrikab: Text and Context] (By: Hartmut Lutz) [published: September, 2005]

by Hartmut Lutz

"In August 1880, businessman Adrian Jakobsen convinced eight Inuit men, women, and children from Hebron and Nakvak, Labrador, to accompany him to Europe to be "exhibited" in zoos and Volkerschauen (ethnographic shows). Abraham, Maria, Noggasak, Paingo, Sara, Terrianiak, Tobias, and Ulrike agreed, partly for the money and partly out of curiosity to see the wonders of Europe, which they had heard about from the Moravian missionaries. By January 1881, all eight had died in Europe of smallpox." The story is told from several different perspectives - sometimes sympathetic, sometimes voyeuristic, sometimes crass - Moravian letters and reports, a scholarly article, newspaper pieces, and even advertising. Portraits of the Inuit visitors and photos of the now abandoned Moravian mission in Hebron are also included. The core of the book is Abraham Ulrikab's own diary of the trip, translated for the first time into English. It is the earliest known Inuit autobiography ever written.

Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

Reviews

[Ashley]

I think this is an important story and part of NL history that more people should be aware of. I only found out about this story by chance one day when I was reading Wikipedia.

[Lulu]

1880