ᐅᑯᐊᖑᕗᑦ

Summer of 1903, Roald Amundsen set sailed in his ship, The Gjoa, 47 tons, 70 feet tall, 20 feet high, 18 sails, powered by a little petroleum engine that made the little ship go 5 miles per hour. He stopped in God Haven, Greenland to pack up his last supplies for his journey across the North West Passage. By late autumn, Amundsen had put the Gjoa in a natural harbour on King William Island – Gjoa Haven, as he called it – and let her freeze there for the winter, but while his time in Gjoa Haven, Amundsen had cultivated with the Netsilik Inuit. He wanted to learn the art of survival in such harsh climate, and in return Amundsen would showcase his ship, introduce his advance tools and instruments to the inuit, and offer some education. Exchange knowledge for knowledge. Amundsen had thought to stay in Gjoa Haven just for the winter but, grew fond of the Netsilik acquaintances and stayed for two years. Amundsen felt much melancholy when he said farewell to Gjoa Haven and its people, on the 13th of August, 1905, Amundsen sailed out of the harbour. When he talked about the Inuit, he would finish by saying, “They are wonderful people and the best wish i have for my friends is that, civilization never reaches them.