Kenn Harper

Kenn Harper (aka Ilisaijikutaaq, tall teacher

Early life Harper relocated to the Arctic in 1966 as a teacher at Broughton Island, now known as Qikiqtarjuaq. He later lived in Padloping Island, Pangnirtung, Arctic Bay (all in the Canadian Eastern Arctic) and Qaanaaq, Greenland, He eventually settled in Iqaluit, Nunavut, where he bought the Arctic Ventures general store, which was previously owned by Bryan Pearson. He sold the company to Arctic Co-operatives Limited in 2012.

Harper became known as a historian of the Arctic. For ten years (2005-2015), he wrote "Taissumani", a regular column on Arctic history in Nunatsiaq News. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. It was republished under the same title in 2000 by Steerforth Press. In 2017 Steerforth Press published a much-expanded version, containing new information on Minik's life, under the title Minik, The New York Eskimo.

From 2005 to 2017, Harper was Honorary Danish Consul, an unpaid posting in Iqaluit. On 9 June 2014, Harper was recognized by the Government of Denmark for his work with the presentation of the Order of the Dannebrog. The appointment of Ridder (Knight) had been made in April and was approved by the Government of Canada.

Harper is also an enthusiastic wrestling fan, notable for bringing Maximum Pro Wrestling to Iqaluit as a charity show to raise money for youth sports.

Harper is fluent in English, Inuktitut and conversational Danish.

Works Give Me My Father's Body: The Life of Minik, The New York Eskimo. Iqaluit: Blacklead Books, 1986, and South Royalton, Vermont: Steerforth Press, 2000. In Those Days: Collected Writings on Arctic History. Book 1: Inuit Lives. Iqaluit: Inhabit Media, 2014. In Those Days: Collected Writings on Arctic History. Book 2: Arctic Crime and Punishment. Iqaluit: Inhabit Media, 2015. Minik, The New York Eskimo. Hanover, New Hampshire: Steerforth Press, 2017. Thou Shalt Do No Murder: Inuit, Injustice and the Canadian Arctic. Iqaluit: Nunavut Arctic College Media, 2017. In Those Days: Collected Writings on Arctic History. Book 3: Tales of Arctic Whaling. Iqaluit: Inhabit Media, 2018. In Those Days: Collected Writings on Arctic History. Book 4: Shamans, Spirits, and Faith in the Inuit North. Iqaluit: Inhabit Media, 2019. In Those Days: Collected Writings on Arctic History. Book 5: Inuit and Explorers. Iqaluit: Inhabit Media, 2022.