The mysterious disappearance of an entire Native American village in the Arctic Circle continues to fascinate researchers and storytellers nearly a century later. In November 1930, trapper Joe Labelle made a chilling discovery when he arrived at an Inuit settlement on the shores of Anjikuni Lake to find it completely abandoned. What made the scene particularly disturbing were the signs of abrupt departure: food left in cooking pots, clothing with needles still attached, and valuable rifles abandoned despite their critical importance for survival in the harsh Arctic environment.

Perhaps most puzzling of all was the discovery of the village's sled dogs, tied up and starved to death, alongside an opened burial cairn with stones neatly stacked beside it. When Labelle reported his findings to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, their investigation confirmed his account but yielded few answers. Despite extensive research, no traces of the approximately 30 villagers were ever found, leaving behind one of the Arctic's most enduring mysteries that continues to generate theories ranging from practical explanations to supernatural phenomena.

Key Takeaways

A trapper discovered an abandoned Inuit village in 1930 with signs suggesting a sudden and unexplained departure of all inhabitants.
Valuable survival tools and starved sled dogs were left behind, deepening the mystery of what could have prompted such a hasty evacuation.
Despite official investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, no trace of the approximately 30 missing villagers was ever found.

Joe Labelle's Arctic Discovery

The Deserted Settlement

In November 1930, trapper Joe Labelle approached a familiar Inuit community on the shores of Anjikuni Lake and immediately sensed something was wrong. The typically bustling village of around 30 people stood completely silent. Despite his calls, no one responded to his arrival.

The shoreline kayaks made of sealskin showed significant damage from months of wave action. This indicated a long-term abandonment, yet provided no clear explanation for the villagers' departure.

The Mysterious Disappearance

Labelle investigated further by entering one of the caribou-skin huts, finding it completely empty. He called out again but received no response from any of the dwellings in the settlement.

Moving to another hut, he discovered children's sealskin clothing with an ivory needle still threaded through it, as if the seamstress had stopped working without warning. The scene suggested the inhabitants had left suddenly and unexpectedly.

Abandoned Belongings

Most puzzling to Labelle was the discovery of rifles left behind in the village - tools absolutely essential for survival in the harsh Arctic environment. No reasonable explanation existed for why the villagers would leave such vital equipment.

Food remained in cooking pots positioned over long-extinguished fire pits. Based on berry remnants found in these pots, experts later determined the village had been abandoned approximately two months before Labelle's arrival.

The personal belongings scattered throughout suggested whatever prompted their departure was immediate and urgent. No signs of struggle or violence were evident in any of the dwellings.

The Starved Sled Dogs

About a hundred yards from the main settlement, Labelle made another disturbing discovery. The village's Husky dogs were tied to tree stumps, all deceased from apparent starvation after their owners left.

These dogs weren't merely working animals to Inuit communities - they were considered family members. Huskies pulled sleds, assisted with hunting, and provided warmth during frigid nights. Their abandonment was particularly baffling.

The fact that these valuable animals had been left secured with no chance of escape represented perhaps the strongest evidence that something truly catastrophic had occurred.

The Opened Burial Structure

On the opposite side of the village, Labelle encountered one final unsettling sight - an Inuit burial cairn that had been opened. The stones were stacked neatly in two organized piles on either side.

While animal interference might explain a disturbed grave, the methodical arrangement of stones indicated human intervention. This organized disturbance suggested someone or something intelligent had visited the site before Labelle's arrival.

This final discovery proved too much for the trapper. Concerned for his friends, Labelle traveled approximately 300 miles south to Churchill to alert the Royal Canadian Mounted Police about his findings.

Examination and Theories

RCMP Investigation

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police launched a formal investigation after Joe Labelle reported his disturbing discovery at the Inuit settlement on Anjikuni Lake in November 1930. Officers traveled approximately 300 miles north from Churchill to verify Labelle's account. Their findings confirmed his description of the abandoned village containing roughly 30 dwellings. The mounted police documented several unusual aspects of the site, including damaged kayaks on the shoreline, cooking pots with partially prepared meals, and sewing work left unfinished with needles still in place. Most puzzling to the investigators was the discovery that all rifles—essential survival tools in the Arctic—had been left behind by the departing villagers.

Experts' Analysis

Specialists brought in by the RCMP spent two weeks examining the deserted settlement for evidence that might explain the mysterious disappearance. These experts focused on multiple unusual elements:

Food remnants: Analysis of berries found in cooking vessels
Burial site disturbance: The open grave with stones stacked neatly beside it
Absence of human remains: No bodies were discovered anywhere in the vicinity
Lack of violence indicators: No signs of struggle or conflict were identified

The specialists determined that based on the condition of certain food items, particularly berries found in cooking pots, the villagers had likely departed approximately two months before Labelle's arrival. However, despite thorough examination, they could not establish what prompted the sudden evacuation or where the inhabitants went.

The Two-Month Timeline

The experts' assessment of a two-month abandonment period creates a significant timeline puzzle. This places the disappearance sometime in September 1930, when:

Weather conditions would have been deteriorating but not yet at winter severity
Food supplies would typically be accumulating for the coming winter
The community would be preparing for the harsh season ahead

This timing makes the abandonment particularly perplexing. The villagers left behind crucial survival gear including rifles and sled dogs during a period when these resources would soon become essential. The deceased sled dogs, found tied to tree stumps and dead from starvation, present one of the most troubling aspects of the case. These animals represented both transportation and family companions for Inuit communities, making their abandonment culturally uncharacteristic and practically inexplicable.

Absence of Evidence

The most confounding element of the Anjikuni mystery is the complete lack of departure evidence. The RCMP investigation documented:

No footprints or tracks leading away from the settlement
No sign of water evacuation (the damaged kayaks remained onshore)
No indication of forced removal or violence
No communication or reports from other settlements about refugees arriving

The community of roughly 30 people seemingly vanished without trace. In the decades following the incident, various theories emerged, including speculation about UFO involvement, supernatural events, or mass migration due to unknown threats. Without conclusive evidence, the case of the missing Anjikuni Lake villagers remains one of the Arctic's most enduring mysteries, neither fully verified nor definitively debunked.

How a Native American Village's Disappearance Became Legend

Edwards' Publication and Initial Account

Frank Edwards first brought widespread attention to the Anjikuni village mystery in his 1959 book "Stranger Than Science". Edwards presented the tale as factual, claiming it had been "studied, documented, checked and double checked" yet still defied explanation. His account described how trapper Joe Labelle discovered an abandoned Inuit settlement in November 1930, where approximately 30 residents had vanished without explanation. Edwards detailed the eerie scene: damaged kayaks on the shore, clothing with sewing needles still in place, cold cooking pots with food, and abandoned rifles—items essential for Arctic survival. Perhaps most disturbing was Labelle's discovery of starved sled dogs still tied to posts and an opened burial site with stones neatly stacked nearby.

UFO Enthusiast Interpretations

The unexplained disappearance quickly attracted attention from UFO researchers and theorists. Many in this community expanded on the original account by suggesting extraterrestrial involvement. These interpretations typically include claims about:

Strange lights observed in the sky shortly before the disappearance
Unusual atmospheric phenomena distinct from the normal Northern Lights
Potential abduction scenarios explaining the complete absence of tracks or evidence

Some UFO researchers point to the organized nature of the opened burial site as evidence of methodical examination by non-human entities. The lack of panic or struggle signs has further fueled these theories, suggesting a rapid and coordinated removal of the villagers.

Narrative Expansions Over Time

As the story circulated through decades, numerous embellishments appeared:

Original Elements Added Details in Later Versions Silent, abandoned village Smoke rising from recently used fires No signs of struggle Claims of blood or other violence evidence RCMP investigation Elaborate government cover-up theories Missing villagers Reports of similar incidents in other Arctic locations

Some versions claim Labelle observed smoke still rising from campfires, suggesting the inhabitants had just departed—making the starved condition of the dogs even more perplexing. Others have added elements about strange weather conditions, mysterious illnesses, or even supernatural entities from Inuit folklore as potential explanations.

Historical Accuracy Controversies

The debate between legend and historical fact continues to surround the Anjikuni case. Historical researchers have raised several significant concerns:

Limited contemporary documentation from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Inconsistencies between newspaper accounts and later tellings
Questions about the village's precise location and even its existence
Lack of direct testimony from indigenous sources

Many historians suggest the story evolved from a kernel of truth—perhaps a seasonal migration or temporary abandonment—into a more sensational narrative through repeated tellings. The timing of Edwards' publication coincided with heightened public interest in unexplained phenomena and UFO sightings during the late 1950s, potentially influencing his presentation of events.

Research Developments

The exploration of the Anjikuni Lake incident continues to intrigue researchers decades after the reported disappearance. Various approaches have been taken to understand what might have happened to approximately 30 inhabitants who seemingly vanished without clear explanation from their Arctic settlement in November 1930.

Independent Exploration

Joe Lebel's discovery of the abandoned Inuit village raised numerous questions that remain unanswered. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police dispatched a team who confirmed Lebel's account but provided little additional clarity despite a two-week investigation. Experts determined from berries found in cooking pots that the abandonment occurred approximately two months before Lebel's arrival. The absence of footprints leading away from the settlement, combined with damaged kayaks indicating they hadn't departed by water, created a genuine puzzle.

Several unusual elements complicated understanding of the event. The villagers had left behind essential survival tools including rifles—items considered invaluable in the harsh Arctic environment. Perhaps most disturbing was the discovery of the tribe's sled dogs tied to tree stumps, deceased from apparent starvation. These animals weren't merely transportation but valued family members, making their abandonment particularly inexplicable.

The discovery of an opened burial site with stones neatly stacked in organized piles added another layer of mystery. This arrangement suggested deliberate human activity rather than animal interference.

Over time, the story has evolved through different retellings. Some accounts incorporate additional elements like strange lights in the sky or smoke rising from recent campfires. Frank Edwards included the incident in his 1959 book "Stranger Than Science," presenting it as thoroughly documented yet unexplainable.

The case demonstrates how historical mysteries can evolve through different interpretations, with facts sometimes becoming intertwined with speculation as investigations continue across generations.

The Anjikuni Lake Mystery: Did an Entire Inuit Village Vanish Under RCMP Investigation?