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Taqulittuq (often recorded as Tookoolito or Hannah), was an Inuit woman born in the early 1800s in what is now Nunavut, Canada.

Her name doesn’t appear in many history books, but she played a vital role in multiple 19th-century Arctic expeditions led by European and American explorers.

Without her guidance, many of them may not have returned at all.

A Guide, Translator, and Lifeline

Taqulittuq was fluent in English and Inuktitut and served as an interpreter between Inuit communities and foreign explorers. But her skills went far beyond translation—she was a navigator, a cultural bridge, and a survival expert. Alongside her husband, Ipirvik (also recorded as Ebierbing or 'Joe'), she joined expeditions with Charles Francis Hall, a determined American explorer searching for the lost Franklin expedition.

While Hall is often credited for covering thousands of miles in the Canadian Arctic, it was Taqulittuq and Ipirvik who taught him how to hunt, build snow shelters, and read the ice—skills that made the journey possible. Taqulittuq’s deep understanding of the land and seasons was born of a lifetime in the Arctic, something no outsider could replicate.

Left Out of the Story

Despite her essential role, Taqulittuq was rarely given proper credit. Expedition journals often mention her only in passing, and historical accounts focused on the exploits of the men she guided. Yet behind every successful Arctic crossing was someone like her—an Indigenous expert whose knowledge was the difference between success and disaster.

Taqulittuq died in 1876, just a few years after the final expedition she joined. Her contributions have been largely overlooked by mainstream history, but in recent years, Inuit communities and scholars have been working to reclaim her story.

The Arctic may be vast, but history is often told from narrow vantage points. Taqulittuq reminds us that some of the most critical explorers weren’t the ones planting flags—they were the ones making sure everyone stayed alive.

Until next time,

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