THE ADVENTURES OF OOLAKUK

by Robert A. Ruttan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 28, 1969

With implicit affection and without constraint these eight brief episodes in the life of a contemporary Canadian Eskimo boy of twelve communicate the ways and values of his people. The first caribou hunt symbolic of manhood, the encounter with a charlatan shaman, the bleak trapping season with Uncle Kukimut, the honor of serving as interpreter for a visitor--each of Oolakuk's experiences conveys the cooperation, respect, and intimacy that characterize the family unit. But Oolakuk's father also fosters responsibility and independence in him: he spends a year at a settlement school 100 miles from Big Hills Lake, and returns placidly accepting two worlds as his one. His interchange with the white teachers and pupils is as natural as the companionship and devotion of his older sister (and surrogate mother) at home; equally agreeable is the annual celebration of spring rites with dancing, story-telling, and the infectious spirit of well-being. The woodcuts of cerulean blue, black, and white evoke the dazzle of snowscapes while graphing Oolakuk's Adventures which go beyond the igloo stereotype--although the Saskatchewan biologist-author even details the procedure for building one.

Pub Date: Nov. 28, 1969

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Prentice-Hall

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1969

Categories: FICTION