Minik Wallace

Minik Wallace (c1890 ? October 29, 1918) was an Inuit who was brought to the US from Greenland along with five other Inuit in 1897 by Robert Peary

The Move to the US

Minik was brought with his father, Qisuk, and four other members of his Northern Greenland band to the Museum of Natural History in New York by Robert Peary in 1897. Although not quite brought against their will, these six Inuit were only vaguely informed as to the purpose and meaning of their trip; some wanted to see strange places, others simply did not want to be parted from their relatives. Peary promised them all that they would be able to return. Yet on their arrival, it became clear that they, along with a meteorite that Peary thought of scientific value, were to be objects of study and exhibit, human zoo animals more or less, and that there were no plans for their care, let alone for their return.

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