3 decades later, survivor of Nunavut boating tragedy reflects on healing power of dialogue

Abraham Oolalaaq sheds a tear as he recites the hymn that got him through a boating tragedy more than three decades ago.

Oolalaaq was one of eight people on board a 24-foot freighter canoe, travelling from Igloolik to Sanirajak, Nunavut, on the morning of July 23, 1991.  It was a stormy day, and the canoe struck a large piece of ice.

"The canoe was upside down … my family was starting to sink, every one of them sank," he recalled, speaking in Inuktitut. 

 Oolalaaq managed to haul himself on top of a chunk of ice. That's when he said he saw angels who sang the hymn, Shall We Gather at the River, as he waited to be rescued. 

"Those feelings of worry and anxiety stopped [as we sang] … and I was able to think and I prayed to God," he said.

Oolalaaq was the only survivor. He lost seven of his family members to the incident, including his wife and three adopted children. 

To this day, the seven people are still considered missing by the RCMP's National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains. 

Oolalaaq said he was able to find an elder from Iqaluit who helped him process his grief. 

"He told me to shed tears and tell my story. That way you will heal. So I took his word, and I was able to heal," he said.

Now 75 years old, Oolalaaq himself has become an elder who other people seek guidance from in Sanirajak. 

In 2023 and 2024, he was given six awards, including from the Nunavut commissioner, and premier. Some of those awards recognize his bravery when rescuing three walrus hunters who were stranded on the ice. The others refer to him as a knowledge keeper for his commitment to counselling youth, sharing knowledge of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit on the radio, and promoting safe hunting practices. 

Teaching youth

Oolalaaq said his father, and other elders, raised him to be someone who serves his community.

"When my father had to go search and rescue patrol he would tell me to come with him so I can learn," he said.

"He would tell me, 'be kind to others and help them when you can, so you will have a good life.'"

Oolalaaq started volunteering with search and rescue as a youth, and continued to do so even after the boating accident. 

"I still want to continue to volunteer … while I am still capable," he said. 

He also took up a role as a counsellor. Youth nowadays, he said, face many challenges. 

As someone who knows firsthand the power that dialogue can have, Oolalaaq said he's proud of young people who choose to open up and talk to him.

"They know that I am able to help them. Once they open up, we talk, they get emotional and are able to talk more … and they're thankful."