INUUNIRA

A vivid firsthand account of a hunting expedition that goes disastrously wrong.

Koonoo, from Pond Inlet in Nunavut, Canada, relates a page-turning story about a near-fatal caribou-hunting trip to Naujaat, 500 km to the southwest. A Parks Canada employee, he learned Inuit hunting and survival skills from his father, using them to provide for his wife and daughters. From shooting his first murre at age 3 to hunting hare, ptarmigan, seal, and caribou, Koonoo took pride in his ability to feed those he loved on a traditional, healthy diet. In 2015, when a shortage of caribou resulted in a hunting moratorium on Baffin Island, he set off alone for the Melville Peninsula. Despite careful preparations, a combination of bad weather, human error, and mechanical issues with his snowmobile led to his nearly perishing. This slim volume is rich in sensory details enhanced by beautiful, informative illustrations and photographs. Descriptions of family and community life, the landscape, and animal behavior are shared in straightforward but evocative prose. Even knowing that the author survives, readers will feel breathless anticipation as they follow his trek by foot through harsh conditions in search of help. He explains how to build an iglu, melt snow to create naturally filtered drinking water, shelter in a snow cave, and more. Speaking directly to Inuit readers in a way that instills pride in heritage, this work has broad appeal, especially for readers interested in wilderness survival narratives.

An unforgettable physical and emotional journey.