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Ullanaq (John Ell or John L.)

Ullanaq spent part of his childhood with his mother Nivisinaaq (Shoofly) and the whalers, more precisely, Captain Comer. He was named John L. after the famous boxer John L. Sullivan. Some hint that Ullanaq (John Ell) was Captain Comer's son, but Ullanaq's daughter disagreed:

"Yes, my grandmother had a captain friend", she [Okpik] said. In fact, she had pictures of the captain and used to receive presents of clothes and cheques. But it was after John Ell was born that Angakkuq was living with Shoofly. "My grandmother could bear no more children. She had to adopt them. John Ell had no Qallunaaq blood. He was true Inuk." (Eber 1989: 115)

When Captain Comer left the North, he offered all his photographic material and several photos to Nivisinaaq's son. Ullanaq was later recognized for participating in several expeditions as an interpreter.