People of the Deer
Encyclopedia
People of the Deer is Canadian
author Farley Mowat
's first book, which brought him literary recognition.
The novel is based upon a series of travels the author undertook in the Barrens region, west of Hudson Bay
, out of which the most important one was in the winter of '47-'48. During this period he studied the lives of the Ihalmiut
, a small population of Inuit
people, whose existence heavily relied on the very large population of caribou
that lived there.
Besides fascinating descriptions of nature and life in the Arctic, Mowat's book tells a sad story of how this population, once prosperous and widely spread, slowly degraded to the brink of extinction due to unscrupulous economic interest and lack of understanding.
(then Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources) and the existence of the Ihalmiut was questioned.
by the Anisfield-Wolfe Foundation in 1953.
published a dismissive review on February 24, 1952. The Beaver was quite hostile in its first review. The second review, by A.E. Porsild
, was equally hostile, questioning the existence of the Ihalmiut.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
author Farley Mowat
Farley Mowat
Farley McGill Mowat, , born May 12, 1921 is a conservationist and one of Canada's most widely-read authors.His works have been translated into 52 languages and he has sold more than 14 million books. He achieved fame with the publication of his books on the Canadian North, such as People of the...
's first book, which brought him literary recognition.
The novel is based upon a series of travels the author undertook in the Barrens region, west of Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
, out of which the most important one was in the winter of '47-'48. During this period he studied the lives of the Ihalmiut
Ihalmiut
The Ihalmiut or Ahiarmiut are a group of inland Inuit who lived along the banks of the Kazan River, Ennadai Lake Little Dubawnt Lake , and north of Thlewiaza in northern Canada's Keewatin Region of the Northwest Territories, now the Kivalliq Region of present-day Nunavut...
, a small population of Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
people, whose existence heavily relied on the very large population of caribou
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
that lived there.
Besides fascinating descriptions of nature and life in the Arctic, Mowat's book tells a sad story of how this population, once prosperous and widely spread, slowly degraded to the brink of extinction due to unscrupulous economic interest and lack of understanding.
Criticism
The factuality of this book was debated in the House of Commons of Canada in 1953. Mowat was derided as a liar by Jean LesageJean Lesage
Jean Lesage, PC, CC, CD was a lawyer and politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 19th Premier of Quebec from 22 June 1960, to 16 August 1966...
(then Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources) and the existence of the Ihalmiut was questioned.
Awards
The book was awarded the Anisfield-Wolfe Book AwardAnisfield-Wolf Book Awards
The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards are United States literary awards dedicated to honoring written works that make important contributions to the understanding of racism and the appreciation of the rich diversity of human culture...
by the Anisfield-Wolfe Foundation in 1953.
Reviews
The New York Times Book ReviewThe New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
published a dismissive review on February 24, 1952. The Beaver was quite hostile in its first review. The second review, by A.E. Porsild
Erling Porsild
-Biography:He was born in Copenhagen as a son of the botanist M.P. Porsild. He grew up on the Arctic Station in Qeqertarsuaq, West Greenland, where he acted as assistant to his father. Between 1936-1945, he was curator at the National Museum of Canada, Ottawa, and from 1945 to 1967 he was head of...
, was equally hostile, questioning the existence of the Ihalmiut.