Nanilavut

From the 1940s to the 1960s, tuberculosis was an epidemic in Canada. The disease, also
known as consumption, affected many Inuit, including Inuvialuit living in the Inuvialuit
Settlement Region.

Evidence shows that during the 1950s, at least one-third of the Inuit population was infected
with tuberculosis. Many were taken from their communities to be treated in southern
sanitoriums or hospitals, staying for an average of two and a half years or longer. And many
never returned.

The Nanilavut Project was launched to help bring closure and healing to Inuit families
and communities who have been searching for family members lost during this difficult
time in our history.

In this book, you will find practical information about The Nanilavut Project and who
to contact if you require assistance to locate a lost loved one. But we also hope you come
away with increased knowledge about the Inuit experience during the tuberculosis epidemic,
how to prevent the spread of the disease today and how we plan to provide some closure
for families by properly commemorating those who were lost.