100th Anniversary of Okak

2018 marks the 100 anniversary of the Spanish Influenza Epidemic that devastated Labrador’s Inuit. Okak was hit particularly hard. On November 4, 1918 the Flu arrived aboard the ship Harmony which was dropping winter supplies. By November 8 people in Okak were very sick. As of December 1918, 204 of 263 residents of Okak had passed.

The years that followed were tough, but the resilience of the survivors is seen across Nunatsiavut today in generations of descendants that still return to the Okak area to fish, hunt and pick rhubarb in the village.

The Tradition and Transition Partnership between the Nunatsiavut Government and Memorial University would like community input for how to commemorate this anniversary. To gather your thoughts and ideas we have placed a post on Facebook, and shared posters with each community.

You can share your comments and ideas a number of ways:

  1. respond to the Facebook Post on the tradition and Transition: PiusituKaujuit Asianguvalliajuilla
  2. send a message by e-mail to traditionandtransition@mun.ca
  3. leave a phone message at 709-864-4808

We are currently developing a community-inclusive committee to evaluate the ideas we receive and hope to have several events and commemorations between fall of 2018 (marking the 100 years from when the flu began) to spring 2019 (marking 100 years from the end of the epidemic)

OK Radio will have more information once it becomes available.