York Factory in Northern Manitoba. Norwegian hiker Steffen Skjottelvik, 29, went missing on Aug. 14 somewhere between Fort Severn First Nation in Ontario and York Factory.Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail
There’s a lesson in basic humanity and cultural understanding happening in real time right now, along the southern shores of Kitchi Weeneebayko, or Hudson Bay, as the search continues for a young Norwegian hiker.
On Aug. 14, 29-year-old Steffen Skjottelvik went missing somewhere between Fort Severn First Nation in Ontario and York Factory in Northern Manitoba along the banks of the Hayes River. It’s an area known for its fast-moving waters: tides that can move in quickly, and currents strong enough that they can swiftly push you down and pull you under.
Mr. Skjottelvik was on a journey with his two dogs, with his planned path taking him from James Bay to Alaska. He originally started his adventure in Moose Cree First Nation, along the James Bay coast, and he has made many friends along the way. Many have posted on social media about Mr. Skjottelvik’s kindness, and of how he also lived for a time in Weenusk First Nation.
Now, this is not a journey that anyone would recommend doing solo. He may be an experienced wilderness traveller, but it is dangerous to walk along the shores of the great inland sea, which is home to hungry polar bears and where a wrong step can lead to serious injury. But sometimes young people are called by adventure and a belief they can do anything. For Mr. Skjottelvik’s sake, I hope that’s still true.
On Friday, one of Mr. Skjottelvik’s dogs showed up at York Factory, Man. And while the RCMP said that the other dog may have been killed in a wolf attack, locals on Facebook – which remains a major communications tool for First Nations communities – posted an image of a husky matching its description in Fort Severn, Ont., about 300 kilometres away.
What’s remarkable is how quickly First Nations communities leapt into action to search for Mr. Skjottelvik. Fort Severn First Nation Chief Matthew Kakekaspan got a helicopter up and running along the route on Sunday, agreeing to pay the high costs of renting and fuelling a helicopter to look for the hiker, who’s been nicknamed Norway Man by locals on Facebook. Fort Albany First Nation joined in the effort and donated fuel for the aerial search, and many Ininiw, Ililiw and Anisininew community members have donated out of their own pockets. The costs were ultimately untenable, however, and Fort Severn First Nation‘s efforts were paused on Tuesday – but now, locals are taking on the search themselves, with a helicopter back in the air thanks to donations that are still coming in. Pages of handwritten names thanking the people who have helped are being shared on Facebook.
According to the CBC, the RCMP have looked for Mr. Skjottelvik, with one officer stationed in the York Factory area. They have also deployed a drone and have searched by boat.
Angus Miles, who is Mr. Skjottelvik’s main point of contact, last heard from the Norwegian last Thursday in the early afternoon, when he said that he was about a six-hour walk outside of York Factory. Mr. Miles tried messaging him again at 9 p.m. that night to get an update on his location; he never got a response.
Mr. Miles told me on Wednesday that so far, the Canadian government has yet to assist them. “I don’t know what to think anymore, this is exhausting,” Mr. Miles wrote on Facebook. “I can’t imagine what the parents are going through right now being so far away in another country, the bureaucracy behind this I find has been such BS, it’s a human life! I don’t care where he’s from, he reached out to me for this leg of his journey. There was no talking him out of it, so all I could do was support him as best as I could after he said I’d be his main contact.”
To be clear, this region is the same one where Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is hoping to fast-track major projects such as deep-sea ports, to ship out the precious minerals that companies hope to dig up from deep in the Earth.
But if nothing else, the search for Norway Man speaks to the community spirit of pulling together among First Nations people – and to the inherent sovereignty they have over the land. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or who you are: your life matters.
When I reached Mr. Miles, he was swamped with calls. He told me they were on their way back to York Factory and there was still no word from Canada.
“Donations are coming in from other communities – individuals,” he said. Because that is what one does when someone is in need – you come together and help – and ask questions later.