Long-lost siblings reunited for Christmas

MONTREAL — This year Santa Claus ended up bringing Annie Naluiyuk her heart’s desire — a reunion with her long-lost brother in Nunavut.

When the telephone rang Dec. 23 at Naluiyuk’s home near Montreal, she had no idea that her half-brother was on the line.

The Dec. 22 edition of Nunatsiaq News had reported that Naluiyuk, originally from Salluit, was trying to make contact with a brother she’d never met.

All she knew is that he could be living in Repulse Bay, Baker Lake, Igloolik, Pond Inlet or even Pangnirtung — communities where their common father, Ed Spracklin, had worked as a clerk and store manager with the Hudson Bay Co. in the 1950s.

As it turned out, her half-brother is David Haulli of Igloolik.

“He called me the day after the paper came out,” Naluiyuk said joyfully.

Naluiyuk said the unexpected call made her “ecstatic.”

Before his sister, Joanna Quassa, called him, Haulli, 44, had no idea he had a half-sister, although he had always known Spracklin was his natural father.

“My sister in Iqaluit called to tell me Annie was looking for me,” Haulli said.

The news caught him totally by surprise, and he hadn’t even seen a copy of the Nunatsiaq News edition that told her story, but he nonetheless decided to call Naluiyuk that day.

“I was quite nervous, to tell the truth,” Haulli said.

Haulli first asked Naluiyuk what she knew about Spracklin. Still trying to absorb the news that he had a half-sister from Nunavik, he didn’t come right out and say “I’m your brother!” recalled Naluiyuk.

“I had to get it out of him,” she said.

But once they established their close family tie, Naluiyuk was full of questions for Haulli. She wanted to know if he also had their father’s big nose, and whether he also had prematurely grey hair.

She learned she’d just missed a chance to meet Haulli in person, too. As director of public works for the municipality of Igloolik, Haulli had visited Montreal in November to buy playground equipment.

Naluiyuk was also able to fill in some blanks in Haulli’s knowledge of his family’s history. He learned he also has a half-brother and half-sister from Spracklin’s official marriage.

Naluiyuk said that during that first call she and Haulli were so nervous they forgot to wish each other “Merry Christmas.”

But as Naluiyuk was cooking her family’s turkey on Dec. 25, Haulli called her again, this time simply to wish her and her family a happy Christmas Day. Calling them as they were celebrating Christmas meant “he became part of it,” Annie said.

Naluiyuk’s family is eagerly awaiting photos of Haulli and his family.

“We’re thinking of giving the name David to my baby,” said Naluiyuk, who is seven months pregnant.

Flying back home to visit Salluit for New Year’s, Naluiyuk said even strangers on the First Air flight to Kuujjuaq came up to her asking her if she’d found her brother yet.

In Salluit, everyone was so curious to learn the end of the story that Naluiyuk finally went on the community radio station to talk about the reunion.

On Jan. 1, the two new-found siblings spoke to each other again, and discussed how and when they’ll be able to meet in the new year.

Both said were very grateful to the Nunatsiaq News for helping them find each other.