Storytelling
Aglagiutuk
Shaman
Fear
Women
Travel
Seasonal camps
Hunting
Fishing
Food preparation
Food preservation
Wars
Dancing
Clothing
Caribou
Polar bear
Traditions
Work
Snaring
Whiteman
Fur Trade Store
Money
Transporation
Houses
Doctors
Government promises
Seal
Wildlife
Waterfowl
Culture
Elder Frank Kuptana is telling stories of a long time ago prior to Whiteman arrival. He then tells stories of when the White people arrived with stores and the government who encouraged Inuvialuit to move to a new town of Ulukhaktok, N.T. with the government telling them we’ll build you houses, and if you move to town then the doctors will care for you if you get sick, and so forth.
Kuptana, Frank
Inuvialuktun
Old Time Life Stories and Drum Songs with Frank Kuptana
Singing
Sewing
Mother
Travels
Homes
Drum Dancing
Drum Singing
Animals
Seals
Traditional Food
Drymeat
Drum Dances
Polar Bears
Dogs
Marriage
Frank Kuptana is storytelling from when he started remembering when he was young of his way of life and culture long ago of their travels, of traditional hunting methods, fishing, of traditional clothing, of traditional food, of the fun drum dances, followed by Frank drumming and singing.
Inuinnaqtun
Hiking
Trapping
Gatherings
Games
Dances
Qulliq (Traditional Lamp)
Traditional Food and Drinks
Bows and Arrows
Snow Houses
Christmas
Trading Post Store
Alcohol
Frank Kuptana is storytelling about his earliest memories of traveling alone with his mother who was packing him, of hard times and good times, of his mom remarrying, of the gatherings, games, visiting, and dances, of their homes built, of hunting, of the many people, traditional hunting methods, of his mom calling caribou during caribou hunts, of feeling like an orphan, people trapping for foxes with dog teams prior to skidoos, of returning to his birth place, then trapping with Agnavigak, Christmas gatherings, fishing, and more.
Dog Teams
Traditional Clothing
Bow and Arrows
Knives
Walking Stick
Family
Foxes
Ships
Various People
Schooners
Qulliq (Traditional Lamps)
Nunamiut
Boats
Backpacking
Spears
Parents
Christmas Gatherings
Frank Kuptana is storytelling about the way of life long ago with fishing, hunting seals, caribou, and polar bears, traditional clothing that was made, the clean snow houses that were made, the traditional food, homemade storage containers for the food such as drymeat and dryfish, etc., hunting and traveling with dog teams, hunting animals for their many uses, of how they hunted long ago prior to modern guns, of people being very capable at doing things even while backpacking their children. Frank also speaks of his parents and his family, of when he enjoyed trapping for foxes, the abundance of animals, of gathering eggs, of various families, of trapping and hunting stories, and of the traditional lamps (Qulliq). Frank then speaks of his own travels to various places, when he and his wife started living and doing things on their own, shares memories of when he was younger, of people always being busy, walking, backpacking, of the Christmas fun gatherings, dancing, and games, and ends with a short story.
More Lifestyle Stories from Long Ago with Frank Kuptana
Supply Ships
Store
Calico
Staples
Sunday Services
Death
.22 Gun
Boating
Christmas Activities
Illness
Shamanism
Medicine Men
Various Families
Frank Kuptana is storytelling of his younger days, of when people were arriving to Aggie Bolt’s land to purchase supplies from the store, of the Sunday services and games, of when they were unloading the trading supply ship that arrived, of possibly shells, food and other staple payments like that, of the women purchasing sewing materials and staples, of when using a .22 gun later on, of the good dogs, of the Christmas gatherings, fun games, dancing, and gifts, of getting gum for their Christmas present, of when the only language spoken was Iniunnaqtun and people lived the traditional lifestyle but now people have learned English and only speak that language and also speaks of the lifestyle changes, of more stories of dogs, illnesses, shamanism, medicine men, of fishing, of when his mom got really sick and passed away, of how people lived and did things long ago, of the ships that could be heard from far away like Patsy’s ship called Nauyaq, of people getting schooners and starting to hunt with them, and much more.
Inuvialuit Lifestyle then Lifestyle Changes After European Contact with Frank Kuptana
Lifestyle
Seasonal Camps
Fishing Areas
Traditional Hunting Methods
Customs
White People
Oil Explorations
Food
Lifestyle Changes
Land
Seal Uses
Transportation
Dog Feed
Fish
Traditional Dishes
Food Preservation
No Wastage
Sharing
Storebought Food
Independence
Environment Destruction
Police
Stores
Murder
Government
Frank Kuptana is telling more stories and describes the traditional lifestyle that people lived long ago, of how they lived long ago hunting and fishing and describes the geographical lay out of the land and rivers, of lifestyle differences of the Inuvialuit communal culture versus the Caucasian culture of individualism, of Inuvialuit becoming, thinking, and living like Caucasian people, as well as of loss of culture and land. Frank also speaks about of how nothing was wasted, of how animals were used for food, clothing, and tools, etc,. Frank also talks about the modern technology, the monetary high cost of material things such as shells, is also speaking of when the police and ministers arrived, of more changes such as employment, of the young going to school, money purchases that are spent quickly on anything and used unwisely, of warring long ago prior to European contact that he heard of, of the northland being taken over by Caucasian with the high cost of purchasing items from the stores, of the new government, of house rentals, with child family allowances, versus snow houses, traveling and hunting and living off the land, then purchasing staple food long ago, and more. Frank then speaks with unidentified speaker about a murder long ago and more stories from long ago.
Unidentified Speaker
Old Time Stories and Discussions with Frank Kuptana and an Unidentified Speaker
Canalaska Ship
Church Service
Ministers
Fathers
Residential School
Shamans
Stabbings
Deaths
Wives
Frank Kuptana and an unidentified speaker are continuing their discussions from the previous story and sharing memories and stories from the past.
Eggs
Water Fowl
Traditional Hunting Tools
Traditional Homes
Wood
Modern Skidoos
Abuse
Remarriage
Stepfather
Cigarettes
Fire
Employment
Smoke Pipe
Orphan
Murders
Payment
Frank Kuptana is telling old time stories of how people lived long ago of how people hunted, fished, and gathered for their food long ago, living a totally traditional lifestyle compared to today with help now a days from the government, with people looking only to money to purchase skidoos, etc, of when his mom left her biological father while backpacking him until they reached people and she remarried to her stepfather, and married into a good family, of how elders long ago made made fire without matches, of gathering together, of sewing traditional clothing, of the games, and dances, of lifestyle changes of people focusing more on working to make money and less hunting and living off the land today, making everything they needed to live with their customs and traditions, of people fighting over and stabbings and warring over women, and or killing their wives, of shamanism, and shares fond memories of his loving mother who passed away when he was young, and how he stayed with various people, then started trapping with Arnavigak, is always thankful for Aggie (sp) Bolt, and then got married and they started living on their own, traveling and hunting together and more.
More Lifestyle Memories with Frank Kuptana
Trading Post
Frank Kuptana is sharing more memories of his lifestyle after getting married, of when he and his wife’s travels and living on the the land, hunting, trapping, fishing, getting ice and wood, and tells stories of living the traditional life, traveling to various places such as the trading post and stocking up on shells and staples, and much more.
Ulukhaktok and Other Memories of Long Ago with Frank Kuptana
Father Bruyant
Easter Gatherings
Feasting
Westerners
Races
Stepdad
Mom
Frank Kuptana is storytelling about his lifestyle long ago, of his travels when he was a young man, of seal hunting, of fishing, of the very few people and houses at Ulukhaktok when he first went there, of the trading post, of Father Bruyant, of Christmas and or Easter Festivities, games, races, and dancing, of the Westerners that came and participated in the races and the festivities, and also shares memories of his stepdad, of church services, and more.
Philip Kuptana Interview and Life Stories
Oral History
Interview
Dewline
Murielle Nagy and Agnes White interview Philip Kuptana about his lifestyle long ago and his travels.
This recording is from the Aulavik Oral History Project undertaken by the Inuvialuit Social Development Program.
Nagy, Murielle
White, Agnes
Kuptana, Philip
English
Lifestyle Long Ago Interview with Elder William Kuptana
Inukshuit
Handcrafted Traditional Hunting and Fishing Tools
Traditional Fishing Methods
Traditional Shelter Homes
Food Storage
William Kuptana is interviewed by his daughter Rosemary Kuptana about how he and others lived long ago when he was younger, about their hunting and fishing methods, about their traditional hunting and fishing handcrafted tools, about their shelters, of when he also hunted prior to guns and fishnets, and much more regarding their lifestyle prior to contact with White people. Note: The beginning part of the story is repeated from he previous lifestyle interview and after the interview around the last minute mark is a muffled interview with an unidentified woman.
Kuptana, William
Kuptana, Rosemary
Memories of Childhood Interview with Bessie Lennie Part 1
Traveling
Arranged Marriage
Birthday
Siblings
Memories
Traditional Knowledge
Traditional Tools
Food Caches
Visiting
Rosemary Kuptana interviews Bessie Lennie about her memories of her lifestyle long ago such as her birth place, age, family, lifestyle including life on the land, of when she first started to remember things as a young child, traditional lifeskills she learned how to do, tools they used, places they traveled, games they played, things she really enjoyed doing, things that scared her, and some life threatening experiences, and much more. To be continued.
Lennie, Bessie
Memories of Childhood Interview with Bessie Lennie Part 1 Continued
Hard Times
Food Shortage
Survival
Rosemary Kuptana is completing the interview with Bessie Lennie about her memories of her lifestyle long ago when as living off off the land when she and her husband were returning and traveling back home while running short of food including running short of dogfeed.
Adult Memories and Lifestyles Past and Present Interview with Bessie Lennie
Education
Working
Parenting
Children
Disrespectful
Wasteful
Church
Laziness
Rosemary Kuptana continues to interview Bessie Lennie about her lifestyle as a young adult, of a dog team trip with her husband that almost cost them their lives, then of having to raise her children on her own when her husband passed away, of the many changes she has witnessed in a short few years, such as loss of language, community living, modern day school education, young people being disrespectful to parents, of modern transportation replacing traditional ways of traveling, seemingly useless purchases, and the very different way of life that they now live, and more.
Genealogy
Food Cache
Agnes White is interviewing Sarah Kuptana about where and how she and her family lived at various places, such as Kangikhualuk (De Salis Bay), and at Kangikhuakyuk (Jesse Bay), and towards Naqhaaluk, and more, long ago.
Kuptana, Sarah
Elders Sarah Kuptana and Elmira Soupay Send Greetings
Greetings
Friends
Elders
Elders Sarah Kuptana and Elmira Soupay speak to family and friends and send greetings on the A Long Time Ago program.
Soupay, Elmira
Iñupiatun
Sarah Kuptana’s Stories of her Younger Days, Part 1
Inuit Gathering
Bitten
Polar Bear Scare
Relatives
Whitemen
Nomadic
Eastern Arctic Inuit
Abandonment
Puivlirmiut (Inland People)
God
Jesus
Hunger
Sarah Kuptana is sharing her first memories of of their travels, of huntng, of their lifestyle, of large Inuit gatherings, of abandonment, illnesses, deaths, and more when she was a young girl, when they lived a nomadic lifestyle. Part 1. To be continued.
Sarah Kuptana’s Stories of her Younger Days, Part 2
Hudson Bay Trading Post
Ration
Ice Fishing
Fishnet Fishing
Visitors
Sarah Kuptana continues storytelling about a good life, of the Hudson Bay Store, of her dad’s job, of getting a monthly rashion, of their travels, her parents illnesses, of various families, of fishing, hunting, and her first experiences of what was now Christmas Celebrations, and more. Part 2. To be continued.
Sarah Kuptana’s Stories of her Younger Days, Part 3
Shelters
Dryfish
Stone Houses
Food Abundance
Staple Food
Healthy
Sarah Kuptana shares more memories of her younger days, of a very good life, of so much wildlife, fish, and the occasional staple food from the Hudson Bay, that no one would go hungry, and more, part 3. To be continued.
Sarah Kuptana’s Stories of her Younger Days, Part 4
Dog Deaths
Whiteman Food
Birth
TB (tuberculosis)
Paralyzed
RC (Roman Catholic) Ship
Noah Elias' Boat - Blue Fox
Hospitalized
Prayer
Camsell Hospital
Suffering
Faith
RCMP
Sarah Kuptana continues to share more memories of her younger days of happy times, hard times, fearful times, then suffering with sickness that she did not know was TB (tuberculosis). She shares about how she was eventually transported by boat to finally reach the Aklavik hosptial only to have to leave for the Campsell Hospital in the South, and more. Part 4. To be continued.
Sarah Kuptana’s Stories of her Younger Days, Part 5
Reunited
Igloos
Easter
Starvation
Rich Visitors
Sarah Kuptana continues to tell more stories of when she was a young woman with her young family, their struggles after she and her husband survive tb (tuberculosis), in trying to re-establish a new life and trying to find their place in a harsh cold environment, and more. Part 5. To be continued.
Sarah Kuptana’s Stories of her Younger Days, Part 6
DOT (Department of Transportation)
Sarah Kuptana continues her storytelling of when they travelled to Ikahuuk (Sachs Harbour), of the hard times they went through including starvation, of her family gaining employment with the department of transporation, of making a new start in an unfamiliar land, and initially not knowing the hunting areas which made it all that more difficult, and the joy of harvesting caribou, and more. Part 6. To be continued.
Sarah Kuptana’s Stories of her Younger Days, Part 7
Stove heater
House
Government Housing
Poor
Rich
Change
School
Lonely
Airplanes
Ice House
Food Supply
Skidoos
Dogteam
Flu Sickness
Ptarmigans
Fish Netting
Sarah Kuptana continues her life stories of when she and her family overcame starvation and hard times, finding employment and selling her sewing to make money, and continuing to improve their lifestyle and feeling like a milionaire, such as when acquiring an oil heater in their tent, then adjusting to changes such as moving into a government house, making the switch to modern transportation, from dog teams to skidoos, to airplanes, and then her children leaving for school, and more. Part 7. To be continued.
Sarah Kuptana’s Stories of her Younger Days, Final Part 8
Fun
Learning
Plane
Northern Games
Inupiat
Inupiaq Lifestyle
First Nations Church
Sick
Skidooing
Sarah Kuptana is completing the final part 8 of this series of stories of her younger days when they first returned to Sachs Harbour, of her children leaving for school, of their travels by plane including a trip to Alaska and learning about the Inupiaq lifestyle and being amazed by their land claims, their self governance, their leadership with Inupiaq staff, and community infrastructure, and more.