Jaelyn Jarrett recalls relocating from Nain, N.L., to Ontario at the age of eight when she first encountered the term ‘Puatugi.’ “I didn’t fully grasp the meaning of that word at the time, but I noticed people referring to my hair, so I assumed it meant black,” she explained. Through discussions with her grandmother, Jarrett learned that ‘Puatugi’ actually meant Portuguese. This revelation puzzled her as a Black-Inuk woman with Guyanese heritage, why she was being labeled as Portuguese.
This experience prompted the Carleton University graduate student to delve into the origins of the term, leading her to the book ‘Names We Call Each Other’ by Canadian historian Kenn Harper. The book reveals that many whalers in the Arctic were Black men from Cape Verde, islands colonized by Portugal off the African coast. Some of these Cape Verdeans migrated to the United States in the 1800s, settling in towns like New Bedford, Massachusetts, known for their bustling whaling ports. Subsequently, some Cape Verdean men joined whaling expeditions to Hudson’s Bay and Cumberland Sound.
Inuit referred to these Black whalers as ‘Puatugi,’ a term adapted from Portuguese to fit better in Inuktitut language. Despite seeking economic opportunities in the North, Jarrett believes these men faced distinct challenges compared to their white counterparts. “They had the chance to earn money in the North, but they were still subject to racism and colonialism,” she emphasized. Jarrett believes shedding light on this aspect of Nunavut’s history could offer insights into the enduring racial divide.
During that period, Inuit were often displaced, while fear-inducing narratives about Black men, who journeyed North primarily for fur trade, military activities, and whaling, circulated widely. The Qikiqtani Truth Commission recounted elders’ memories from 1947, recalling the arrival of around 200 African-American soldiers in Iqaluit as part of operations by the United States Air Force (USAF). In an era of segregation, the USAF relocated Inuit to Ukaliqtulik, an adjacent island, to keep them separated from the African-American troops, leading some Inuit to feel a loss of autonomy.
Jarrett’s research focuses on Brass Lopes, a Black man who had a daughter with an Inuk woman, nicknamed Ikualak due to her fiery hair. Ikualak raised eight children independently, sparking curiosity in one of her descendants, Noel Kaludjak, about his family heritage. Despite occasional remarks about his skin tone, Kaludjak and his family continue their traditional activities of hunting and fishing, reaffirming their Inuit identity.
Today, Jarrett maintains that Black Inuit are still impacted by historical colonial practices. Iima Arngaq, a 22-year-old with Jamaican and Inuit roots from Kangiqsujuaq, Quebec, shared her family’s ordeal of facing racism within their community. Arngaq disclosed instances of racist comments directed at her family, leading her to struggle with embracing her Black heritage and physical features.
When approached by Jarrett for her research on Black-Inuit history, Arngaq felt validated. She emphasized the importance of recognizing one’s Inuit identity regardless of blood quantum. Jarrett expressed concerns about racial tensions in contemporary times as demographics evolve in Northern Canada. She highlighted the shared history of colonization and displacement experienced by Black and Inuit communities, emphasizing the enduring socio-economic disparities rooted in racism that necessitate understanding and action for a more inclusive future.
