Johnny May
Johnny May | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1945 (age 78–79)[1][2] Fort Severight, Quebec, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Bush pilot |
| Spouse | Louisa May |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Mary Simon (sister) |
Johnny May (born 1945) is a Canadian Inuk bush pilot living in Kuujjuaq, known as being the first Inuk pilot in eastern Canada. He is credited with saving the lives of many Inuit in search-and-rescue missions and operating medevac airplane services to transport sick Inuit to health centres. May is the older brother of Canadian Governor General, Mary Simon.
Family[edit]
His father was a non-Inuit manager of the Hudson's Bay Company trading post in Fort Severight (now Kangiqsualujjuaq), while his mother was a local Inuk.[3] Among his 7 siblings, his sister Mary Simon is a former president of Makivik Corporation, former diplomat and the current Governor General of Canada.
Career[edit]
May obtained his pilot's licence in 1962 after training in Pennsylvania. Through his company, Johnny May's Air Charters, he flew search-and-rescue missions in the Arctic tundra, as well as medevacs between Inuit villages and from Nunavik to hospitals in southern Canada.[2]
He is known for his annual Christmas candy drop, which occurred annually from 1965 until 2019.[4][5] On Christmas day, he would take his airplane and shower the village of Kuujjuaq with candy and gifts.[6][7]
Legacy[edit]
He was inducted into the Québec Air and Space Hall of Fame in 2010. A movie about his life and career entitled The Wings of Johnny May was released in 2014 in English, French and Inuktitut.[8] A children's book about his annual candy drop titled The Kuujjuaq Christmas Candy Drop by Linda Brand was released in 2015.[9] In 2017 a short animated film was produced by the CBC called The Great Northern Candy Drop.
References[edit]
- ^ "The Wings of Johnny May". Canada's Arctic Journal Above & Beyond. October 31, 2010. p. 43. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^ a b Mendes, Sonia (December 18, 2019). "A living legend: Museum honours Johnny May's final holiday flight". Ingenium Channel. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^ Qumaq, Taamusi (2010). Je veux que les Inuit soient libres du nouveau. Presses de l'Université du Québec. p. 64. ISBN 978-2-7605-2580-1.
- ^ "Il pleut des bonbons à Kuujjuaq | Objectif Nord | Télé-Québec". objectifnord.telequebec.tv.
- ^ Mendes, Sonia (December 17, 2020). "A living legend: Saying farewell to Johnny May's sweet tradition". The Ingenium Channel. Ingenium. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ Prince, David. "Des cadeaux tombent du ciel depuis 51 ans". Le Journal de Montréal.
- ^ MATIGNON, LOUIS DE GOUYON (January 29, 2019). Dictionnaire inuit: Dialecte du Nunavik (in French). Editions L'Harmattan. ISBN 978-2-14-011188-4.
- ^ News, Nunatsiaq (April 7, 2014). "Legendary Inuk pilot, Johnny May of Nunavik, celebrated in big new documentary". Nunatsiaq News.
{{cite web}}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^ "Children's book celebrates the Kuujjuaq Christmas Candy Drop". cbc.ca.