Archival Tracing for a Biography.

The article focuses on the archival investigation of Augustine Tataneuck, an Inuit youth employed by the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) at Fort Churchill from 1812 to 1834. Using HBC records and journals from British Naval officers involved in Northwest Passage expeditions, the research traces Augustine's roles as a servant, interpreter, hunter, and explorer, highlighting his contributions to Arctic exploration and his community. Despite the HBC's rigid employee hierarchy, Augustine earned respect from naval officers and Indigenous groups, playing a key role in facilitating relations and survival during expeditions. His life ended around 1834, reportedly found deceased on the ice near Great Slave Lake. This case exemplifies the value of archival sources in reconstructing Indigenous biographies within colonial and exploratory contexts.