So today is Truth and Reconciliation Day here in Canada. I then see it is my 4x Great Uncle's Dr John Rae's 208th Birthday. Why is this important and life isn't just random fate? He was one of the few explorers who had deep respect of the First Nations People. They called him long strider.

There was a ceremony at his place of rest today, St Magnus Cathedral on the Orkney Islands. There is already a statue of him in the harbor and on his place of rest. He never had any Children, so I am one of his closest descendants.

He not only learned critical survival skills from the Cree and Inuit, he would walk miles to care for them as a Doctor. Our family to this day has respect for First Nations people, my Father especially thought a lot of them as a people.

One thing people don't realize there was a bitter rivalry between the HBC and the Royal Navy. Dr Rae called them "Self Sufficient Donkeys". He said they looked down on them for going "Native". The Franklin Expedition failed miserably because of this attitude. Dr Rae not only travelled light, with mostly necessary items, he did carry a copy of " A Midsummer Night's Dream. Mostly using First Nations survival methods, had them as guides, he blended European Technology like rifles and inflatable rafts with their techniques honed over thousands of years. Who else could Winter in the Arctic in mid 1800's? Pretty him and the Inuit.

He traveled 1200 miles on his custom design snow shoes to learn surveying.

When he found out the fate of the Franklin Expedition from the Inuit, he trusted their word. They were hesitant to go to the site due to bad spirits, at least 10 days away. He didn't particularly want to spend two Winter's in a row in the Arctic.

He returned to the British Navy Admiralty with their fate and revealed the last link of the Northwest Passage, Rae Straight. Rol Amundsen sailed through it to complete the passage a few years later. He didn't realize there was a reward for the proof of the Franklin Expedition, people unfairly saw him as greedy.

His report leaked to the London Times. He was too trusting that the truth was enough. Lady Franklin's pal, the author Charles Dickens in Household Words, called him wretched and the Inuits liars, covetous and treacherous savages. He rebutted in Household Words, it was well written defending the Inuit but public opinion didn't want his side. Victorian England didn't want to hear "Savage Lies" about their heroes. The Inuit Oral Tradition mentioned nothing of murder or cannibalism, they tried help to them. Forensic Evidence showed steel blades committed cuts consistent with cannibalism. Pretty sure a small family of Inuit didn't over power and eat 129 trained soldiers with guns. The fact is -60 is something few chose to live in. Ironically multiple sites named after my relative or he named have returned to their native name.

The people of the Orkney Islands are working hard to preserve this trail blazer's legacy, not only literally but in attitude as well. They are restoring my family home, The Hall of Celestrain. I plan on seeing it before I leave this World.

Happy 208th Birthday 4x Uncle Dr John Rae. Some of us will make sure you are not forgotten.
I hope the First Nations People find forgiveness, move forward, break the willing slavery of the treaty system and live good lives.

 

Interesting story and connection to History! Thanks for sharing.

 

Excellent history! 👍

Are we talking Scotland's Orkney Islands? Rae is a fine Scots name and along with MacRae is common in NC.

Glad you've got the history and bloodlines documented, and that it shows some Europeans were decent to Native peoples.

It's like I tell people when they bash me over my Southern heritage- 15 of my forebears fought for Southern independence but, unless the census records back to 1790 are wrong, not one of them ever owned another person. Many of them came to America as indentured servants themselves.

 

Well written. Your 4x Uncle was a fine man.

And thanks to people like you who keep our history alive by telling others what we know.

 

I am fascinated by History. Yes, we are part of the Clan Mcrae. Mom talked to my Grandfather in the late 50's or 60's, a very patient and kind man, lived to 95 smoking a pipe. He mentioned he was named after his Great Uncle, the Arctic Explorer, John Rae. His Cousins letter said the same thing about his relation to us. We assumed he was a minor explorer, unfornately buried by Victorian pride. We found an article in a magazine that really showed how he did everything with excerpts from his personal journals. I have read everything I have found on him including the written arguments between the Doctor and Charles Dickens in Household Words. You guys from the South have certain flair that we as Canadian's, especially as descendants of rigid Presbyterian Scots lack.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tKuWCp...ature=youtu.be

 

This is my Great Grandfather Peter Rae, another family name and his Wife Annie Finnie. My Grandfather John is the boy standing on the far right.

 

Thanks for that. I wish they had taught us more Indigenous history in school.

 

Such a great story. I love history and family history. I think it grounds us.
Puts us in a place within the world.

Happy Birthday!
0peter

 

My Grandfather was a fraternal twin, one lived in Scotland, the other Canada. They died a few days apart, both 95. I can't remember his Brother's name. He was the older twin, he was a 6'2" Police man and got the farm at Alva Banffshire. All the Brothers were tall and all Tradesmen. Alex was a 6' Blacksmith, my Grandfather a 6'2" Carpenter and his Brother Jim was a 6'4" Stone Mason. He was an alcoholic, big, not thin like my Grandfather, big and scary. My Grandfather lent him $1500 he never got back. My Grandfather was the first Postmaster of our community and ran the store. People owed him money who never paid him. He sold the store in 1936. He lost his car, very hard times on the Canadian Prairies. Dad's older brother climbed the trains, worked every job from Miner to a Log Driver. Then the call to war came, Uncle Frank and later Uncle Les answered.