People With No Name, W3-554 Traditional Cache
People With No Name, W3-554
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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An easy cache with a story hidden near an old graveyard in Edmonton's west end.
The graveyard this cache is located near has not been in use much lately; the latest marked grave was from the sixties. It came to our attention several years ago when we read a newspaper story about Charles Camsell hospital. In the 1940s, 50s, 60s Charles Camsell Hospital was where sick native people, many with TB, from across the west and Northern Canada were sent for treatment. Far from home and lonely some passed away. A few were buried here in unmarked graves. They were all but forgotten for many years untill the north opened up more and relatives began inquiring as to what happened to them.
In the earlier part of the century the natives of Northern Canada, known to us as Eskimos (now preferred term Inuvialuit, I think)were identified by the Federal Government with disk numbers- no names. One of the people who was a TB patient at Charles Camsell was W3-554, later to be known as Abe Okpik. Fortunatly Abe survived, he went on to become involved in the Territorial Government and was in charge of "Project Surname" - a project to replace the disk numbers with names. From 1968 to 1971 he visited every community in the NWT and Northern Quebec to record the chosen names of all the Eskimos. Abe worked with the Berger Commission on the Mackenzie valley Pipeline Inquiry in the 70's where he served as interpreter and broadcaster. He was also the first Eskimo appointed to the NWT Council.
He must have been a powerfull speaker, K remembers him giving a speech at her school in Yellowknife in the sixties. He passed away in 1997.
This cache is dedicated to Abe Okpik's memory and the memory of the Natives who passed away far from home and were forgotten in this place.
Cache is full of our "Domo Collection soapstone" carvings and a few other souveniers of our northern days.
Check out the graveyard while you are there. Lots if interesting mushrooms in the shady area along the south side.
Also found a white, waxy, flower in the bush that we have never seen before. We've added a picture, maybe somebody can identify it.
August 14, 07 - I was informed by Belfrypotters: "The white waxy flowers are Indian pipe plants - very appropriate to find them there given the theme and location. They aren't rare but not common either. The plants leaves are reduced to small scales along the stem, and the plant has no chlorophyll so doesn't photosynthesize like most plants. The plants are saprophytic, in this case absorbing nutrients from one plant to another. It's a mysterious world down under the soil!" .... Wow - my wife thinks I know everything but I still learn something every day!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Rnfl ohfu uvqr; ybbx ybj.
Treasures
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