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Article: The great Canadian reindeer project: the Inuvialuit of the Mackenzie Delta faced desperation. Caribou had dwindled. But Alaskan reindeer held the promise of plenty. And so, in 1929, a few men and a huge herd began the long and arduous trek east. It was more than they bargained for.
- Article from:
- The Beaver: Exploring Canada's History
- Article date:
- December 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Canada's National History Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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On February 15, 1935, Andrew Bahr prepared to lead a bedraggled, scruffy herd of nearly 2,500 reindeer across the frozen, windswept channels of the Mackenzie River Delta. Departing from Alaska, he had been on the trail nearly five years. It was a venture that was supposed to have taken eighteen months, and this was the final push. "Reindeer Near End of Four-Year Trek" announced the New York Times on October 7, 1934, "Canada Grooms Alaskan Herd for 70-Mile Lap Over Delta Ice to Mackenzie Basin."
The previous fall had been cheerless, monotonous, and fraught with anxiety for Bahr and his small band of weary herders. As February approached, impatience and fear were ...