[Wedding of Wilfred and Beatrice Shiwak]. Original title: A wedding party, at Rigolet

Record Information – Brief
1
[Wedding of Wilfred and Beatrice Shiwak]. Original title: A wedding party, at Rigolet

Hierarchical level:

Item

Date:

26 August 1923.

Reference:

Box number: 6236

Type of material:

Photographs

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

3201934

Context of this record:

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Department of Justice fonds

Records of James White, Technical Advisor to the Minister

Tidal and Current Survey of Canada, by H.W. Jones; Correspondence; Maps

[Wedding of Wilfred and Beatrice Shiwak]. Original title: A wedding party, at Rigolet
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Record Information – Details
Date(s):

26 August 1923.

Place:

Rigolet (Labrador):

Place of creation:

Newfoundland and Labrador

Extent:

1 photograph ; 11.7 x 16.9 cm (image), 33.1 x 22.4 cm (mounted).
Positive Paper Silver - gelatine

Language of material:

no language

Scope and content:

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Depicts the wedding of Wilfred and Beatrice Shiwak. Many of the individuals in the wedding party are Inuit or Kablunângajuit (Inuit and European mixed ancestry from Nunatsiavut).

Wilfred Shiwak was the younger brother of Inuk WW1 soldier Lance Corporal John Shiwak of Rigolet, Newfoundland and Labrador. Sarah Suzanna Shiwak (second left from the groom) was their mother. Wilfred was a dog team driver who delivered mail and transported visitors such as ministers and doctors between Rigolet and Cartwright (a distance of approximately 110km) and between Rigolet and North West River (approximately 170km). Most notably, he travelled with Dr. Harry Paddon of the International Grenfell Association.

The woman who appears to be kneeling at the centre of the group is Kirkina Mucko (born Elizabeth Jeffries). When she was two years of age, she suffered severe frostbite and developed gangrene in both her legs. Due to lack of access to healthcare, her father had to amputate her legs below the knee using an axe. Dr. Wilfred Grenfell transferred her to an orphanage and raised funds for her to be fitted with artificial limbs. Jeffries travelled with Dr. Grenfell within the United States and Mexico, fundraising for the International Grenfell Association. She later went to school in New York and Mexico, then back to Labrador. Sometime during those early years, she was given the name Kirkina. She later married Adam Mucko and had children. After losing her husband and most of her children during the Spanish Influenza epidemic (varying reports note between three and six of her children died), she became a nurse and midwife, working for over 30 years in the Lake Melville area. There were a number of articles written about her, and numerous mentions of her in publications by the International Grenfell Association, many of which are in our library holdings.

Additional name(s):

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Photographer: Jones, H.W

Additional information:

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Source of title:

Title assigned by Library and Archives Canada.

Signatures and inscriptions note:

on mount in pen and ink: A wedding party, at Rigolet

Series added entry:

Hamilton Inlet Expedition
Subject heading:

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Weddings

Rigolet (Labrador)
Source:

Government

Other accession no.:

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1977-078 NPC
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Conditions of access:

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Graphic (photo)

[Consultation90 Open]
nil

Box [CANADA. DEPT. OF JUSTICE 1977-078] 6236

[Consultation 90 Open]

Copy negative [CANADA. DEPT. OF JUSTICE 1977-078] C-087382

[Consultation 90 Open]

Terms of use:

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Credit: H.W. Jones/Library and Archives Canada/C-87382
Restrictions on use: nil
Copyright: expired

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Date modified:: 2023-07-20

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[Wedding of Wilfred and Beatrice Shiwak]. Original title: A wedding party, at Rigolet

[Wedding of Wilfred and Beatrice Shiwak]. Original title: A wedding party, at Rigolet