Abraham's Diary ‐ A European Ethnic Show from an Inuk Participant's Viewpoint

Abstract

Between 1874 and 1932, the Hamburg‐based German menagerie owner and founder of the still existing zoo, Carl Hagenbeck, organized ethnic shows – a common form of European and American show business of that time period. Troupes of people from locations considered to be ‘exotic' were recruited in order to perform in front of paying spectators what were considered to be “typical activities” of their homelands and cultures. The article describes the Hagenbeck Inuit show of 1880/81, which was comprised of Inuit who were recruited in Labrador, and focuses the diary written by Abraham who was one of the Inuk participants. Abraham's diary is compared with that written by Johan Adrian Jacobsen, who was the show impresario, as both cover the same events and stretch of time. Correspondence by Hagenbeck and other staff members involved in organizing the show and by the Moravian Brethren in Labrador, Germany and England as well as additional Moravian documents are used to contextualize further the material included in Abraham's diary. Thus, it is possible to some extent to reconstruct the events before, during, and after the show occurred. As well, the particular features of Abraham's diary are analyzed. As this diary seems to be the only source on a European‐organized ethnic show written by one of the non‐European participants, the diary is of special documentary value.