Arctic Xmas Trees

In the days before 1956 Xmas in the Arctic was celebrated by only a few Christians who had some form of a church. Around this time the USA and Canada began building the DEW line to protect us from Russia during the Cold War. At this time Inuit lived in extended family groups and had their own spiritual conventions. Shamans were the main holder of spiritual power and were called to help when problems arose.

After the grouping of the Inuit into hamlets to provide education and medical care christian missionaries came to teach the Inuit about our great God who would watch over them.There were about 60 thousand pure Inuit who were forced into 40 hamlets usually near a radar base.This was often done with the use of force.

At Xmas time some trees were brought in by the air for the white people living at the Radar stationed and a few were given to the churches. Many of the decorations were made by the skilled Inuit children and adults and sometimes lights were also present. This captured the imagination of the Inuit and many converted to Christianity.Roman Catholic, United Church and Anglican Churches brought most into the fold.

Regional schools were established in various locations and the children were forced to leave their hamlets to attend these institutions.This was supposed to be a good thing but turned out to be one of the blackest marks in Canadian history in the treatment of its aboriginal peoples. The children were forced to speak English only and to cut their hair and to forget their culture. Physical abuse and sexual abuse was rampant and even today the Inuit suffer from the scars of these Christian institutions. The government contracted out these responsibilities and never monitored them properly. There has been many attempts to rectify these outrages.

At these schools Xmas traditions were taught but the memories of these schools was so bad that churches in general fell in popularity. Very few Inuit continued the church tradition after this tragic experiment.

Today with artificial trees readily available Inuit are able to have a traditional Christmas with the decorations. Christmas music is popular and I attended the Inuit tree lighting at the church and it is beautiful to hear Inuit people singing Xmas carols in their own language. There is a new tradition in the Arctic which embraces the old and the new. The scars from past wrongs are fading and the impact of TV and new ministries has brought some sense of healing. The one tradition which prevailed was the Xmas tree.

One family that I knew well used to weave Arctic Willow over a tent ridge pole and placed it in the center of their room. It was adorned by children's art and on Xmas, treats were placed in handmade bags for the children. It was priceless.