CA-K855Places & geography

Vilhjálmur Stefánsson, Arctic explorer

Vilhjálmur Stefánsson (Bain News Service). Vilhjalmur Stefansson · Unknown (Bain News Service, publisher) · Photo source · Photo licence: Public domain. Resized for display; item previews may be cropped. The image remains under the licence shown.

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Vilhjálmur Stefánsson, born at Arnes, Manitoba, in 1879 to an Icelandic family, made three expeditions to the Canadian Arctic between 1906 and 1918 and wrote widely about the land and its Indigenous Peoples. Inuit support was essential to his success; his Iñupiaq partner Panigavluk worked as informant, hunter and seamstress, yet he abandoned his family. A controversial figure, he promoted the idea of a “friendly Arctic”.

Scope & context

Stefánsson as described in his designation.

Sources behind this record

Vilhjálmur Stefánsson National Historic Person ↗

Parks Canada (Directory of Federal Heritage Designations)

Importance; plaque text