Too-koo-li-too: An Arctic Legacy In Groton

Known in these parts as Hanna or Too-koo-li-too, the native Inuit along with husband Joe and adopted daughter Punna, made a short-lived home in Groton.  As an expedition interpreter, she made her way here from the Cumberland Inlet with Joe and Arctic explorer Charles Francis Hall, but not first without a staggering series of events, discovery and misfortune. 

Hanna was age 12 when she first met Captain S. O. Buddington of Groton on Kimicksuic Island.  Buddington’s introduction led others to seek her out, and in 1854, an Englishman offered to bring the curious twosome to London in which they met and dined with Queen Victoria.  They traveled Europe for two years before returning home to Cumberland Sound.   

Through Buddington, Hanna and Joe met Charles Francis Hall.  Hall was in search of Sir John Franklin’s vanishing expedition and traveled to the Davis Straight where he met Too-koo-li-too and Eiberbing, or Hanna and Joe.  She became a faithful servant of Hall, not only as an interpreter, but also as a teacher of Northern survival skills.

Hanna and Joe lead Hall to King William Island, following an exhaustive trail of clues provided by the local Inuit, where they triumphantly found artifacts and human remains from Franklin’s expedition.

During Hall’s correspondence with another ship captain, he credited Hanna and Joe with the success of his mission and in particular pointed out Hanna was his “superior interpreter.”

Hanna and Joe had two children over the years: Tuk-e-lik-e-ta, a baby boy who died of pneumonia, followed by King William born the following year.  King William died on a long, Arctic sledge journey due to Hall’s unwillingness to stop and care for the sick infant.  William was less than a year old when he died.  After, Hall purchased baby Punna while on expedition, to alleviate Hanna’s sadness.

The Franklin expedition was met with a subsequent and disastrous expedition on the Polaris, which employed Hanna and Joe with baby Punna in tow.  The Polaris, led by Hall, departed New London on July 3, 1871 with the goal of being the first explorers to reach the North Pole.  A disintegration in the chain of command aboard their steamer followed by Hall’s suspicious death and an ice-locked ship led many to abandon the expedition. 

The ship was overturned by the crushing ice and forced those onboard to flee and save any supplies possible.  Hanna, Joe and Punna were on an ice floe below the vessel which broke loose.  With 16 others, they were cast out to sea for 197 days and over 1,500 miles of rugged survival. 

In that time, Joe speared over 50 seals and one polar bear to feed the starving group.  Hanna and Joe built igloos that cracked in half as the ice floe disintegrated in warmer weather.  Eventually, the crew was rescued; starved and weather-beaten, but alive.

Hanna recalled the cracking of the ice as they floated mid sea, followed by huge chasms which swallowed Punna several times.  Hanna mentioned the baby was recovered due to the large musk ox skins which were easy to grab.

After reaching dry land, Hanna, Joe and Punna came to live on a farm near Buddington and eventually with his help, bought a house which still stands in Groton.

Hanna made money as a seamstress sewing furs for local women,  Joe picked up carpentry, and Punna was a student of the Old North Lane district school in Groton. 

According to Genealogist Michael Spellmon, who has given a presentation on the local Inuits, they were well-liked and had a rich social life with many friends.

In 1875 at the age of nine, Punna died from complications related to a weakened constitution because of the ice flow incident. 

Nine months later, at the age of 38, Hanna died of consumption and a broken heart for the loss of her third child.

“Joe was on an expedition when Hanna died.  After that, he wanted to leave, so he sold his house,” says Spellmon.   

Hanna, Punna and Tuk-e-lik-e-ta now reside in Starr Cemetery located on Lestertown Road, ending their triumphant and sad story here in Groton.