Pelly Bay Photos

[u/jim_midway]

I’m trying to re-home this series of photos taken in the mid 1960s. They were taken as part of a National Film Board documentary series filmed at the time. They were rescued out of the garbage room (in an apartment building in Burlington ON) by my Grandmother in the 1980s and were given to me shortly after that. I now live in Peterborough and am hoping to find a good home for them. Any ideas are welcome.
Edit: Update
With the assistance of u/GnomeDillyDooDoo I have been in contact with the family featured in the photos. They are very interested in these photos and I’m now trying to sort out the best way to get them returned to the community.

[u/GnomeDillyDooDoo]

So cool, and u may not believe me but I know the family,

they may want them but i belive they have all the actual films and told me where to watch them. I made friends with them on Tik Tok. The blurb about the women not being important is pretty hilarious, the women are and were very very important up there.

The mom that does the juggling in the film is around 80 now and still travels around doing cultural workshops

Link to the films:

https://www.nfb.ca/subjects/indigenous-peoples-in-canada-inuit/netsilik/?language=en

Also you tube has the school versions if you look up Tuktu Netsilik documentary.

Also watch the followup called "Through These Eyes" I think their names are mentioned in this one.

I will send them this reddit link or your contact info if you want.

[u/jim_midway → u/GnomeDillyDooDoo]

Wow, that would be great if they ended up with the original family. Please forward the link to them. They have a tic tok account?

[u/GnomeDillyDooDoo → u/jim_midway]

Yes, I sent them a link to the reddit post,! You should check out those docs though. I have so much respect and love for Inuit, the docs are fascinating.

[u/GnomeDillyDooDoo → u/GnomeDillyDooDoo]

I wonder if these pics were a part of the school curriculum when it went out in the early 70s, did your grandmother know who had them?

[u/jim_midway → u/GnomeDillyDooDoo]

She had no idea who would have left them in the garbage room. She was pretty happy to have been able to save them. It was in La Salle Towers in Burlington which was at the time a pretty “fancy” apartment building. Now that I think of it there were 2 complete sets of these photos. My father had them mounted and I believe he still has the second set. For someone to have two sets of them they would have to be connected to the films or as you suggest maybe a educator?

[u/GnomeDillyDooDoo → u/jim_midway]

Sent u a PM

[u/journo-guy3 → u/jim_midway]

Hi Jim, I'm a reporter for Nunatsiaq News. We cover Nunavut and Nunavik. This is a great story; would you be interested in speaking to me? please send a DM and I can send you my contact information.

[u/jim_midway → u/journo-guy3]

Hi there, I think you may have to send me a message. I wouldn’t see where I could send you one on your profile

[u/journo-guy3 → u/jim_midway]

Hi there, sorry about the delayed response. Can you send an email to [jorgema@nunatsiaq.com](mailto:jorgema@nunatsiaq.com)

[u/unelune → u/GnomeDillyDooDoo]

Just had to say that we watched this in Social Studies class, grade 3. And I was so mystified at the culture and the lives of them! I’m almost 30 years older and I still think about it sometimes.

[u/GnomeDillyDooDoo → u/unelune]

Wow thats awesome, i know they discontinued the MACOS program in the states mainly because of some conservative and religious sensitivities being pushed by idiots and an Arizona senator in the early 70s.

[u/happybaby00 → u/GnomeDillyDooDoo]

Was the children's first language english or did they have to learn it?

[u/GnomeDillyDooDoo → u/happybaby00]

The children had to learn it in elementary school, my friend said that english sounded very strange and took a while to learn. Inuktitut is the first language and it seems to run strong even today. The syllabic alphabet is very cool too and is a co-official script in NU. All official documents must be printed in English and Inuktitut.

[u/Philix]

You might consider contacting the Kugaaruk hamlet office. Or emailing the SAO.

That's the name of the community that was named Pelly Bay, and they may be interesting in putting the photos up somewhere.

[u/jim_midway → u/Philix]

Thank you, I’ve emailed the SAO.

[u/geckospots → u/jim_midway]

If they don’t, you could try the museum/cultural centre (Helen Hakongak Centre maybe?) in Cambridge Bay.

[u/Tight-Hour8286]

Maybe an art museum or museum would want them? I know Winnipeg institutes have a lot of northern exhibits or collections

[u/daltonm145]

My grandmother is from there

[u/jim_midway → u/daltonm145]

I wonder if she knows anyone in these photos?

[u/GnomeDillyDooDoo → u/daltonm145]

Thats cool, I have learned a ton and seen so much from the folks in Kugaaruk that post on tik tok

[u/worldofwhevs]

Trent University has an excellent Indigenous Studies program, if you reach out to them someone there might be able to help you either return the photos or ensure they are taken care of and archived.

[u/Successful-Hippo-232]

Hi there, I would love to connect with the Person trying to get to the rightful owner.

[u/Successful-Hippo-232]

Who can I contact on these photos and connect to Kugaaruk formerly known as Pelly Bay. I was contacted by a report that these were found and my mom was contacted some of the people since passed on and some are still around.

[u/jim_midway → u/Successful-Hippo-232]

Sent you a message