15 Facts About Abe Okpik

Abe Okpik was instrumental in helping Inuit obtain surnames rather than disc numbers as a form of government identification.

Abe Okpik was the first Inuk to sit on what is the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories and worked with Thomas Berger.

Abe Okpik selected Abraham, a biblical reference, as his first name and Okpik, a name used in his family over several generations meaning willow, as his surname.

Abe Okpik learned English as a student at All Saints Indian Residential School in Aklavik.

At the age of 16, Abe Okpik contracted tuberculosis and was sent to the Charles Camsell Hospital in Edmonton.

Abe Okpik remained in the hospital for three years where he further improved his English, which eventually led to a job as a translator with the Distant Early Warning Line.

Abe Okpik was working at Apex, the subdivision where most Inuit lived in the town's early days, at the rehabilitation centre.

Abe Okpik was later to work for Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development as an administrator.

In 1965 Abe Okpik was appointed to the Northwest Territories Council.

Abe Okpik attended his first council meeting on February 4,1966.

The government of Canada felt that Michael would serve Abe Okpik's intended role and gave his seat to Chief John Tetlichi, the first status Indian to serve on council.

From 1968 until 1971, Abe Okpik visited every community, as well as many traditional campsites, in the Northwest Territories and what is Nunavut and Nunavik in northern Quebec.

The inquiry lasted longer and travelled further than was expected, through 35 northern communities, and Abe Okpik accompanied Berger as both an interpreter and broadcaster.

Abe Okpik spent the rest of his life in Iqaluit and was an elected member of the town council on several occasions.

Abe Okpik died in Iqaluit 10 July 1997 after an illness and his funeral service was held in St Jude's Cathedral 15 July.