About the Book
In August 1880, when Norwegian Johan Adrian Jacobsen arrived in Labrador on board the EisbÄr, he was hoping to recruit 'Eskimos' willing to follow him to Europe to become the latest attraction in the ethnographic shows organized by Carl Hagenbeck, a menagerie owner and pioneer of 'human zoos.'
Two families accepted Jacobsen's offer. The eight individuals, aged from 9 months to 50 years old, were exhibited in Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Frankfurt, Darmstadt, Crefeld, and Paris. Unfortunately, none of them ever saw their homeland again. All eight died from smallpox less than four months after setting foot in Europe.
Johan Adrian Jacobsen kept a diary during his whole journey with the 'Eskimos.' His diary being an essential source for understanding the events that occurred over 133 years ago, we are presenting, in this book, its English translation.
Discover the moods, thoughts and qualms of this 27-year-old man; from his unsuccessful attempt to recruit 'Eskimos' in Greenland, his despair to see that Moravian missionaries in Labrador also opposed his project, his jubilation when Abraham agreed to accompany him with his family, to his shock of facing the first two deaths after doctors had told him there was no reason to be alarmed, the heartbreaking moment when Abraham had to hand over his three year old daughter to a hospital in Germany, and finally, the horror of being admitted to the smallpox unit of a Paris hospital where the 'Eskimos' as well as Europeans suffered and died around him.
"At 8 o'clock in the morning we awoke to the shout "Noggasak is dead!" You may well image our shock. The physician diagnosed a rapid stomach ulcer as having caused the death. The poor parents did not stop crying from morning until evening." (Johan Adrian Jacobsen, December 14, 1880)
"When I saw to Ulrike shortly after midnight, I noticed that she too would end her struggle soon. I tried to comfort her, but she waved me off with her hand, as if she did not want to see me at all. That was no surprise, because she knew that all the others had gone before her. I felt guilty to a certain degree for the death of these unfortunate people, even if unintentionally. Had I not come to Labrador, they would still be alive like all their relatives." (Johan Adrian Jacobsen, January 16, 1881)
Voyage with the Labrador Eskimos, 1880-1881 is published as a complement to the book entitled In the Footsteps of Abraham Ulrikab: The Events of 1880-1881.
Review :
..".Superstitions aside, it speaks to the power of the diary that the unrelenting sense of doom that hung over the voyage came through so clearly despite time and translation. 'Voyage With the Labrador Eskimos' is a reminder that there is still a great deal of work to do on the history of this province and a lot of fascinating material still to be found." - Dr. Robin McGrath, Labrador Inuit Exploited, The Telegram (May 17, 2014), St. John's, NL "I read the book 'Voyage With the Labrador Eskimos, 1880-1881' all in one go. What a sad story and all this because they neglected to administer a vaccine which was available. This book, a particular and a slightly repetitive journal, is a valuable addition to the Diary of Abraham Ulrikab. Both illustrate the Europeans' exploitation attitude for commercial purposes and the curiosity of the Inuit who want to see the wonders of a country they cannot imagine." (Translation of the original text in French) - Dr. Denis Saint-Onge, O.C., Emeritus Professor, Department of Geography, University of Ottawa, ON "WOW! What a great book. I read it in one go. It is really exciting and gives a wonderful view of the times." - Marianne Stenbaek, professor of Cultural Studies, English Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC "I loved it very much!!! Like Johan Adrian started his journey, I slowly began my reading then I really got into it, carefully following the events. I was moved and saddened by the death of the 'Eskimos.' This diary is like a thriller we know the ending to, but we seek to understand the circumstances that led to their death." (Translation of the original text in French) - Sylvie Pinsonneault, Montreal, QC "I devoured your book in two evenings! Such an impressive testimony and most poignant for the descendants!" (Translation of the original text in French) - Colette Monchablon, Epernay, France
