The Coolidge examiner., 1941-06-27
kABLOONA
by
CONTRAN de PONClNS
Reviewed by
Mrs. A. V. Wynne

all white men by the Eskimos and
is the title of GOntran de
Poncins' new book on his stay
among the primitive people of the
Arctic Circle This book was writ
ten, in collaboration with Lewis
Galantiere, from the diary nett
culously kept each day in spite of
extreme cold weather and frost
bitten fingers, while each scene
and impression was fresh in the
mind of this French Scientist and
Intellectual.
This is not a travelogue, nor a
scientific report on a primitive
people, but an intimate day by
day picture of man who was
seeking inner peace and happiness
and hoped to find it by living
among the Eskimos. The decision
was sudden and from the time he
stood at the door of the Oblate
Fathers in Paris, who made this
Journey possible. and until he re-
turned to civilization, he had
gone sixteen months. The first
part of the journey is recorded
briefly and in the first chapter
We are introduced to Paddy Glib
son, the only white man the year
round at the Hudson's Bay post,
and many Eskimo characters, be-
cause ii is here at Gjoa Haven
that the real trek began. The
purpose of this trip was not only
to study the Eskimo, but to learn
to live, think and feel as one Of
them. So well did de Poncins sue
ceed that when at last he came
back to civilization he had little
to say and nothing to ask of his
fellow white man for a while.
NJ de Poncins learned to love
the igloo and a diet of raw fish,
but it is not a rosy, lovable pic
ture he has drawn of these primi-
tive people. Even reading about
the domestic habits is somewhat
upsetting and it makes the read
ers wonder just what qualms this
fastidious Frenchman must have
experienced in his intimate con-
tact with them. In the Foreword,
which so many people do not read,
he explains his reason for pre-
senting this side of the Eskimo,
as we'll as their good points, with
this reference: A few pages Of
this book contain SCIENCES or
references that will offend the
sensibility of the delicate reader
| regret them as much as any
body does, but what, of this sort,
have allowed to stand seems to
me essential to the presentment
of the Eskimo"
There was no getting on with
the Eskimo except On his own
terms and de Poncins had to get
on with them if he was to live
with them for several months and
depend on them for food and shelf
er. In spite of the filth, the wife
trading, their casual disregard of
death and murder, the reader
finds himself like the writer, ad-
miring these people. Their whole
existence is one of fighting the
intense cold and hunger merely
to exist. Yet they were always
polite and generous. There was
no boarding of food. After each
hunt the whole community feast
ed. No one starves unless all
Starve.
There are brief sketches of
tragedy, as well as comedy. The
chaper of Father Henry, a French
Priest, who lives without COM
plant in an icehouse built for
seals in a temperature of 55 de-
grees below zero is almost beyond
comprehension and makes one
shiver as they turn the page. Be
fore the readers vision pass the
various Eskimo characters and
one learns to know each guide,
the old aristocrat, the small child
who rules the household and last
but not least the many wives,
and smile at the subtle way they
handle the men folks. When the
last page is read and the interest
ing group of photograps meet the
eye, the urge is to go back through
the book again read about each
character. The book is also pro-
fusely illustrated with the writer's
own sketches.
L note condensation of
kablOona is the Readers Digest