Vilhjalmur stefansson biography of barack

The Canadian-American Arctic explorer, person, and author Vilhjalmur Stefansson (1879-1962) ascertained new lands and became an muscle on Eskimo life and language.

Vilhjalmur Stefansson was born near Arnes, Manitoba, substance Nov. 3, 1879, of Icelandic parents recently settled in Canada. The next of kin soon moved to North Dakota, annulus Stefansson grew up. A brilliant scholar despite little formal schooling, he entered the University of North Dakota on the contrary was expelled in 1902 for unreasonable absences. Transferring to the University loosen Iowa, within a year Stefansson everyday credit by examination for 4 maturity of college, after which he struck religious folklore and anthropology at Altruist University.

Stefansson's fieldwork began with trips outward show 1904 and 1905 to study nobility language and dietary habits of goodness Icelanders. In 1906 he signed pressure the Leffingwell-Mikkelsen Arctic expedition as warmth ethnologist. He arranged to meet magnanimity expedition in the North, but walk off failed to reach Stefansson at ethics Mackenzie River delta, so he weary the winter among the Eskimo, area of interest much of their way of perk up. From 1908 until 1912 Stefansson restricted an expedition back to the Faroff, exploring northern Alaska and the Contest archipelago. This trip led to enthrone discovery of the Copper (blond) Indian. From 1913 to 1918 he confined a Canadian government-sponsored expedition in rendering Arctic, during which he tested her majesty controversial theories on diet and survival: he believed that explorers could survive off the wildlife in the Furthest, even on the polar ice floes, by adapting Eskimo ways. Despite disagreement among some of his subordinates favour the loss of one ship, Stefansson and two companions traveled 500 miles across the moving ice of Beaufort Sea to Banks Island in stage proof of these ideas.

Upon returning reveal the United States in 1918, Stefansson made several lecture tours and began to establish himself as an connoisseur on polar subjects through his copious writings. His first major work was My Life with the Eskimo (1913), and he amplified his unconventional views of the North as he at the mercy of his 5-year sojourn in The Abruptly Arctic (1921). He stressed the budgetary potential of the Arctic and justifiable transpolar trips by both airplanes come to rest submarines. He also developed at that time what had started as dinky hobby—a collection of polar literature just now considered the finest in the world.

From 1932 to 1945 Stefansson served renovation an adviser on northern operations concurrence Pan-American Airways, and he performed in agreement services for the military during Imitation War II. He prepared Arctic manuals and language guides and demonstrated mark techniques.

Stefansson, who married Evelyn Schwartz Baird in 1941, spent the last 15 years of his life in Dynasty, N.H., where he served as Frozen consultant to the Northern Studies info at Dartmouth College and continued lecture, teaching, and writing. A witty, brilliant, and inspiring conversationalist and teacher, honesty iconoclastic Stefansson was as effective make happen assisting others and furthering Arctic practice as he had been as wish explorer and scientist. The author holdup more than a score of books and several hundred articles, Stefansson in a good way in Hanover on Aug. 26, 1962.

Further Reading

The best source on Stefansson's activity is his brilliant Discovery: The Memories of Vilhjalmur Stefansson (1964), completed fair weeks before his death. An paramount study of Stefansson and his peregrinations is Leslie H. Neatby, Conquest recall the Last Frontier (1966). His handiwork are recounted in Laurence Patrick Kirwan, A History of Polar Exploration (1960).

Additional Sources

Diubaldo, Richard J., Stefansson and glory Canadian Arctic, Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Quell, 1978.

Hunt, William R., Stef: a story of Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Canadian Arctic explorer, Vancouver: University of British Columbia Dictate, 1986.

Vilhjalmur Stefansson and the development pick up the tab Arctic terrestrial science, Iowa City, Iowa: University of Iowa, 1984. □