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Inuit demand input over division of Franklin expedition artifacts

This month, HMS Terror — one of the ships from the Franklin expedition — was found in an Arctic Bay. While many history buffs are excited by the news, it raises questions of sovereignty for Inuit people who want input over the division of the artifacts.
CBC Radio ·
Francis Rawdon Moira Crozier was a British naval officer and captain of HMS Terror. Both the Terror and HMS Erebus were lost in the doomed Franklin Expedition. (Wikipedia)
The Current9:31Inuit demand input over division of Franklin expedition artifacts

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On Sept 12, news broke that the wreck of a second ship from the Franklin expedition — HMS Terror — had been found in Nunavut's Terror Bay, off the south-west coast of King William Island.

Terror Bay, where it is reported HMS Terror was found, sits on the south shore of Nunavut's King William Island. The Terror was abandoned north of the island, according to correspondence recovered by the expedition's crew. (Google Maps)

The discovery was made thanks to information the crew received from a local Inuit hunter. And while many history buffs are excited by the news, it also raises questions of sovereignty for Inuit people.

Underwater video shows remains of HMS Terror

8 years ago
Duration 0:34
Ship was lost in 1845 in a Nunavut bay

Cathy Towtongie runs Nunavut Tunngavik, an organization that reinforces the land claim agreement put in place when Nunavut was created.

Towtongie tells The Current's Anna Maria Tremonti why she feels Inuit need to be a part of the discussions over what will happen to the found artifacts.

Listen to the full conversation at the top of this web post.

This segment was produced by The Current's Sujata Berry.

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