Tusaayaksat – Spring 2020

SPRING 2020 SANAUYAT / ART

ON THE COVERS

Maureen Gruben explores the vast landscape around Tuktoyaktuk, NT in search of her next photoshoot location for her project, Stitching My Landscape (Photos by Kyra Kordoski)

Publisher Inuvialuit Communications Society

Editor-in-Chief Jason Lau

Guest Editor Brian Kowikchuk

Collaborator The Artists Hub —

Authentically Indigenous

ICS Manager Tamara Voudrach

Ofce Administrator Roseanne Rogers

EDITORIAL

Storytellers and Artists Kyle Natkusiak

Aleekuk, Dennis Allen, Shayna Allen, Willow Allen, Renie Arey, Charles Arnold, Topsy Banksland, Jeanie Bennett, Darcie Bernhardt, Dana Bowen, Ashlea Burgess, Noe Cockney, Noel-Leigh Cockney, Crystal Dillon, Ruth

Elanik, Ashley Emaghok, Billy Goose, Karis Gruben, Maureen Gruben, Veryl Gruben, Lisa Hodgetts, Cheryl Kaglik, Lena Kotokak, Brian Kowikchuk, Mishelle Lavoie, Natasha Lyons, Lexis McDonald, Kohlton McKinnon, Tom McLeod, Sheree McLeod, Jimmy Memogana, Tifany Nigiyok, Inung Nuyaviak, Lindsey

Payne, Anna Pingo, Freda Raddi, Gailann Raddi, Alberta Rose W, Kuninaan Ruben, Logan Ruben, Shirley Steenberg, Pauline

Tardif, John Taylor, Derrald Taylor, Charity Thrasher Gruben, Agnes White, Brenda Wolki

Proofreader Deanna Marie Jacobson

SPECIAL THANKS TO

All the bookstores supporting our work and bringing our stories across Canada! Matthew Dares/ACTMC, Brittany Delgaty/Iowísto team, Patrick Gall/Aurora College, Kyra Kordoski, Inuvialuit Pitqusiit Inuuniarutait/ Inuvialuit Living History Project, Kirstie Macleod/Red Dress, Project Atigi/Canada Goose

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President, Inuvik Lucy Kuptana

Vice President, Tuktoyaktuk Debbie Raddi

Treasurer, Ulukhaktok Joseph Haluksit

Aklavik Director Colin Gordon

Paulatuk Director Denise Wolki

Sachs Harbour Director Jean Harry

BUSINESS OFFICE

Inuvialuit Communications Society

292 Mackenzie Rd. / P.O. Box 1704

Inuvik, NT X0E 0T0

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Contact icsfnance@northwestel.net or phone

+1 (867) 777-2320 to subscribe or renew. As of this issue, our prices are: $20 CAD (1 year) and $36 CAD (2 years).

TUSAAYAKSAT IS FUNDED BY:

Inuvialuit Regional Corporation

GNWT (Education, Culture and Employment)

Letters From the Board

ICS IS PLEASED to introduce this quarterly edition of Tusaayaksat as the “Art” issue.

Edited by both Brian Kowikchuk and Jason Lau, this edition will display various forms of artistic creations and their methods.

Growing up in Aklavik, I saw art displayed in many forms at the Churches and at Moose Kerr School. I recall the beautiful painting Our Lady of Snows behind the altar at the old Anglican Church. Many families expressed their artistic abilities through music and sewing for their children and families. Tere was always music in our household. I admired the many pieces of beautiful artwork that people took such care in sewing properly so items could last a long winter. I remember the Christmas and Easter seasons, going to Church and seeing many people display new moccasins, or mukluks, or a new parka.

Whenever I think of art in Aklavik, I remember as a child walking past an old house located by the airstrip with its rust-coloured logs. It had no windows, so you could look directly into it and see all these paintings that the former residents painted directly on the walls. I thought it was absolutely fantastic.

Leaving home and going to Grollier Hall in Inuvik, I was in awe. As a child I thought the chapel was amazing in its height and with its art. Te Igloo Church was overwhelming with all the beautiful art of Father Adam and his ice sculptures, as well as Mona Trasher and her beautiful paintings. One thing I did appreciate about living in Grollier Hall was that we were all taught how to embroider pieces of art for various craft fairs and Church fundraisers—between athletics, homework, and embroidering, those filled our days.

Now, as I write this from home, I look around and see family photos intermingled with pieces of art on my walls in many splashes of colour. Art brightens our days and lifts our spirits—especially through a long, dark winter.

Let’s support our local artists. I encourage you to buy from your local online craft stores, and through your local artists' social media channels. Happy Easter, everyone!

ANAQANAALLU—SEE YOU AGAIN,

LUCY KUPTANA PRESIDENT, INUVIALUIT COMMUNICATIONS SOCIETY

We always enjoy [the] publication. The articles, the art, the story and the land. Keep[s] my wife grounded being so far from home. Back when we used to get the magazine, [it] was always a favorite of our friends that would stop by.

LARRY KINCER, NASHVILLE, IL

[The] latest magazine is a huge improvement; good stories related to benefciaries and local content. Keep it up, excellent work. Tusaayaksat is improving for the better, good to see that it is hearing the benefciaries on the magazine's content, thank you.

— HERMAN R KAGLIK, WHITEHORSE, YT

I just loved the last issue, it was so great with so many friends in the last issue from back home in Tuktoyaktuk. I am so proud of where I’m from and where I grew up, as it really made me who I am today.

— BRENDA WOLKI, PENTICTON, BC

WE ARE VERY EXCITED about this issue. Te mandate of the Inuvialuit Communications Society is to preserve and promote Inuvialuit culture and language. What better way to preserve moments in time and culture than through art?

What does it mean to be Inuvialuit? What is my purpose as an Inuvialuk—a person? Tese are questions we've been trying to answer since time immemorial— long before our collective and ancestral memory.

Inuvialuit have always tried to answer these questions through our art. We angayu (sing and

dance), we miquq (sew), we ulimaruq (carve) stone and bone, we mark our flesh, and we pierce our skin. We've weathered storms and acts of cultural genocide. When we practice our traditions and spend time on the land, we are free. And when we create, we remind the world that we remain. We adapt; we survive.

For our young people, the need to express what is inside of them is strong. It is a lifeline that must be protected, nurtured, and encouraged at every stage of life. How do we reach our youth? We remind them that in each of them there is Creation—the part of them they need to sit with and listen to for guidance and courage. Ataa!

Remember that our Elders are the deepest source of self we will find. Sitting with Elders, learning to speak your language so that you can go on to write poetry or

sing in Inuvialuktun; the memory of your Naanak rocking you as a child while she sings, and the sun catches her silver hair; the time spent sitting quietly with your father waiting for geese to fly low enough… Tese are moments and memories that will fill deep wells from which you will draw love and inspiration forever.

You do not need to be “good” at art to create. You just need to allow yourself the time and space to release what is desperate to enter the physical world—whether it be a song, a story, a drawing, or simply an embroidered flower... Art has no limits. It is everlasting and is always there to guide you. Ataa!

TAMARA VOUDRACH MANAGER, INUVIALUIT COMMUNICATIONS SOCIETY

Yvonne Pokiak Stephanie Koadloak

ART ISSUE

ISSUE

It is their dance that brings inspiration to the heart and soul when those moonlike days surround us. And with that strong belief, we connect our inner selves with the sky. We create.

Our traditional arts in song, dance, clothing, language, food, carving, painting, and many other forms, are our ways of keeping the qullik (lamp) inside us alive. Our culture and our spirits have sufered from the plague that tore our parents away; the residential schools took our song, our language, our way of life, and most of all, our children. It is art and language that can connect us with our greater past. It is in our DNA to listen for the whispers of our people. It is the hands of time that have created masterpieces for our people—our artists—to interpret.

Some of us were born warriors, some seamstresses, and others hunters or providers. We have survived as Indigenous people in our desolate land, our unforgiving weather, and our dangerous waters. We are resilient. Together, near and far, we are living. But we need more to thrive. We are tasked from our previous lives to ensure the safety and song of our people. We need to bring back the understanding of the language in our stitches and our brush strokes, and of the right amount of pressure needed for our carved pieces. We need to understand the process our ancestors created.

With strong belief, I see that the art of love amongst us is unlike other cultures. It is visible in the way we dance with each other, sing together, laugh together, sew together, tell stories, and prepare food. With our eyebrows, we are able to confirm a yes or no: eyebrows up for yes, scrunching our nose for no. We use this facial language to answer—answer in peace. We used it to point where the dog team should go, when we were not always able to hear. Our freedom for each other, all one direction, moves us forward.

In this edition of Tusaayaksat Magazine, you will read and witness transformations amongst our talented Inuvialuit, whether coastal, islandic, inlanders, or far from home.

In a world where we sit amongst giants, it is a strong voice that is needed. Privilege it is—to be able to send advice, inspiration, courage, and awareness of how strong our unity is.

Sending you all prosperity and joy from this Tuktuyaaqtuuqmiut,

SANAUYAT

Brian Kowikchuk Guest Editor

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS ARE NATURE'S WAY OF LETTING US KNOW THAT OUR ANCESTORS ARE STILL WITH US.

ART CONTEST

Lindsey Payne

I have been creating paintings for a charity group called 'Dreams Take Flight' in Calgary for the past 5 years. Tey have inspired me to try new things. Tese paintings can be seen on my website and Facebook page. I have always loved to draw and do any kind of art as far back as I can remember. Art class was always my favorite subject in school. I took art in high school and was planning to attend art college in Calgary. I ended up moving up North, where I lived and worked for 11 years. During this time, I got to know and learn about my Mother’s side of the family, and loved to paint animals and images of the North. I have sold paintings for years through IRC and my Aunt who runs a craft shop in Inuvik.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PIECE.

Te title of this piece is A Mothers Love, it is acrylic on wood. What inspired me to make this piece was my friend Holly Norris and her twin sister Meghan (originally from Inuvik), who had a birthday coming up, about 2 years ago now. Tis was going to be their first birthday without their mother who had just passed away from cancer earlier that year. I made 2 paintings that were identical—one with a black background and one with the teal blue. So, this is a painting of their Mom holding her twin girls. Tis piece is actually on a small piece of wood at 4 x 6 inches. It seemed easy to make at the time, but I have not been able to replicate it since! I just remember seeing the image I wanted in my head and it turned out very nicely.

Because this is such an emotional time right now with COVID-19, I just want to say that many of us can relate to this painting because we all have a mother figure in our lives— whether it be a Grandma, Stepmom, Aunt, or just Mom—who loved us and did what they could for us. Tat connection will never end.

HOW DID IT FEEL TO BE IN THE TOP 4 ?

I felt very honoured to be chosen in the Top 4 for this contest. I almost missed the deadline and it was hard to choose what type of painting I wanted to put in. My usual style is very different from this, but I love painting Northern animals. Tis is one of my favourite pieces, so I am so happy that others like it as well!

WHAT DOES 'ART' MEAN TO YOU?

Art to me is the freedom to put what makes you special out there for the world to see. Not everyone can be ‘book smart’ or 'the same' as what people expect you to be. You can be as vibrant and open and just as interesting as anyone with what you express with your artwork.

ANY ADVICE FOR INUVIALUIT ARTISTS?

My advice to other Inuvialuit artists is not to be shy about your artwork because there is no bad art. Never compare your artwork to anyone else's. I often hear people say ‘I could never do that.’ But there are so many forms of art; you should try something else until you find something you love!

ART CONTEST

Noe Cockney

My parents are Bill and Lucy Cockney. Tey always told me whatever you want to do, do it and do the best you can. If it doesn't work, then try something else or keep practising.

I was born and raised in Inuvik, but when I was 11 years old, my parents moved to Tuk. When my son Noel was 11, I moved back to Inuvik for work. I retired in 2011 and moved back to Tuk to take care of my parents. I always loved the ocean and Tuk, which is my home. I worked at the RCMP ofce as the secretary for 5 years, then became a regular member of the RCMP in 1996. I worked 5 years in Tuk and 11 years in Inuvik; combined with my previous job, I had 21 years of service to retire with minimum pension. I also got disability pension, as being an RCMP member was a rough job and I got hurt many times.

I always loved art as I was growing up. I watched my mom doing her sewing and making her own designs on the diferent mukluks and delta braid for the parkas. I thought that was amazing. But, my older brother Billy was the one that may have inspired me to do my drawing. I always tried to watch him when he drew pictures or was carving the beluga whale teeth into animals that he has hunted over the years. He also told me: you need to see the animal in person and understand the way they live and how they provide for our people. Billy also told me: look at the picture you are drawing carefully, especially in the details that make it a great picture. Another person who was a big influence in me drawing was my teacher Mr. Murphy in high school. He always gave me great pictures to draw and showed me how to draw using shading. Probably the last person I can think of who helped me out, was my godmother Margaret Brown and her husband Bern

Brown; they gave me books and always called whenever they had a chance. My family, every once in a while, would get me a sketch pad, as they know I love to draw. But for some reason, I only draw with a regular pencil. I have tried in school to use colour, but I never really liked it. I just use shading to show the diferent colours of the drawing.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PIECE.

I named my piece Nolerbear, after my son, Noel. When I saw the photograph of this bear, I loved this picture right from the first time. I knew I wanted to draw it and it took me quite a while to get all the detail and shading right. I could have kept going but thought not to. I also love polar bears—they are one of my favourite animals. I would never ever want to see one in real life, other than from a far, safe distance away. My younger brother, who is a hunter, told me about a bear he was tracking, and he told me the bear was walking exactly like the way the picture was showing. I just love the picture of this polar bear.

HOW DID IT FEEL TO BE IN THE TOP 4 ?

I was honoured to hear I was in the Top 4. I was just happy to send in my drawing.

WHAT DOES 'ART' MEAN TO YOU?

Art is very relaxing to me. I love to draw and the more I draw, the more I can see the detail in a picture.

ANY ADVICE FOR INUVIALUIT ARTISTS?

I can give you the advice my parents gave me: you can do what ever you like in life, but always practice, as this will always improve on what you want to achieve in life.

ART CONTEST

Crystal Dillon

I am from Inuvik, but was raised in Newfoundland, and currently live in Edmonton. I manage and am the owner of Northern Spirit and Nature Designs—a small business here in Edmonton. I draw with charcoal in a realist style, paint with oil in contemporary styles, and sculpt in bronze. I have been working on my art for 18 years and went to Red Deer College from September 2014 to April 2016, majoring in sculpture. I was in the Great Northern Arts Festival in July 2016 and started selling art from there.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PIECE.

My art piece is named Delta Girl (2017) and it is an oil painting on canvas, 4 ft by 4 ft. Te inspiration came from the land when I was in Inuvik. Te woman is the life-giver and her voice from a young girl is powerful. Te blue iceberg represents the beauty and power of the young girl’s voice. Te story is of a young girl drum dancing on her spirit animal—an old polar bear that is very wise. Te old polar bear is telling the young girl that her spirit is strong, and her voice is powerful. I painted this for 5 days, layering colors for vibrancy and the piece just came together naturally with oil paint. It was fun.

HOW DID IT FEEL TO BE IN THE TOP 4 ?

I was very excited and honored to be picked as the Top 4. I had never been in a magazine before and I was proud to have been picked. Tank you.

WHAT DOES 'ART' MEAN TO YOU?

Art is an expression of our soul as well as a universal language.

ANY ADVICE FOR INUVIALUIT ARTISTS?

Practice, love what you do, hold your head up strong, and never give up.

ART CONTEST

Cheryl Kaglik

My name is Cheryl Kaglik. I am an Inuvialuk. I live in Inuvik and work for the government, but my hobby is art. I have been immersed in art my whole life. My paternal naanak was a master seamstress and made beautiful clothing. My maternal granny is also an amazing seamstress. My mother follows in their footsteps. Te medium of my art is drawing and painting. I always remember having something toted around to keep me busy as a young girl. I love experimenting with diferent mediums and trying new forms and techniques.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PIECE.

Te title of my art piece is Standing Still; it is acrylic on canvas. I created it on July 11, 2007 in Ivvavik National Park with Parks Canada, in a program called Artists in the Park. As an avid rock collector, I was in heaven at the Park! Pictured in the painting was a handful of rocks I hunted in my moccasins one evening by Sheep Creek (Imniarvik), that inspired this piece. I started by sketching rocks I collected around my moccasins, then painted it using flicks of paint to look like the ground, adding shadows and making the fur look realistic.

HOW DID IT FEEL TO BE IN THE TOP 4 ?

I was surprised and happy when I found out I got picked for the Top 4.

WHAT DOES 'ART' MEAN TO YOU?

Art means happiness to me. It creates joy in me when I make something, even if it is just a doodle.

ANY ADVICE FOR INUVIALUIT ARTISTS?

Practice makes perfect.

ABOVE : Cheryl participating in Artists in the Park, at Sheep Creek (Imniarvik), Ivvavik National Park, where her painting was created.

Alberta Rose W

I’m an Inuvialuk from a small dusty town named Black Diamond, in southern Alberta. Our house, by all outward appearances, was mayhem. It was not unusual to see a broken-down vehicle somewhere in the yard, and I’m sure a great manner of other junk lying around that would certainly vex our more afuent neighbours. My dad worked in the city; he had an hour’s commute each way and would often leave well before we woke up. In the evening, he’d come home to dinner and fall into exhaustion in front of the television.

KEEPING CALM AND CARRYING ON THROUGH THE JOURNEY OF ART

@ ALBERTAROSEW

My mother was a small, mighty Inuvialuk woman—a survivor of the residential school system and of other unspoken traumas. Tose past experiences weighed heavily on her. Regardless, she did her best to raise us with kindness and love, and hoped to shield us from the same experiences that she had had growing up. Having left school at the tender age of 12, she always emphasized the importance of education. She ordered us books through Reader’s Digest as often as she could and read quite often herself.

I was the youngest of five children and had early on been labelled ‘the artist’ in the family, but it wasn’t until high school that I had the chance to actually try painting. I was lucky enough to have had a supportive teacher there who helped me in my pursuit of art. I started out by staying after school, sometimes as late as 9:00 p.m. to practice. Once he got word that I had stayed so late, he suggested that I bring some small jars of paint home with me so that I could practice there.

My early drawings and paintings weren’t very good, but I kept at it. I had also developed a love of reading, which fueled my imagination and desire for adventure. I had already lived through traumas of my own by that time, including being bullied, dealing with racism and living in poverty (to name a few), so books and art were like safe, reliable friends.

Around this time, a new kid moved to town, a Dené boy the same age as me. We were instant friends. His brother and sister-in-law were

both artists and she worked at the Boys and Girls Club in town, another space where I could sometimes make art and receive some encouragement.

I left school when I was 17. I moved to the city with a friend and tried to make it work, but I eventually went back and finished high school before moving around for a while. I was still doing art somewhat, but it was unfocused and sporadic at best. I wasn’t growing or being challenged.

was no Indigenous ‘students centre’ or ‘students club’ at the college that I was aware of. I had no support system and was often the only Indigenous student in my classes.

I failed…a few times. My financial situation was dire, and I was nearly kicked out, but once I got my bearings and found a balance in my workload, it got better.

I had taken out student loans to go to school and worked on the side. I

It wasn’t until I was 26 that I finally felt fed up and applied to college. I ended up studying at the Alberta College of Art and Design (now called Alberta University of the Arts). Before college, I was unsure and unconfident. I thought that it would be too difcult to do—that I would be better of just working and paying bills. But not following my passion wasn’t enough, so I took the chance. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in that small, dusty town without seeing more of the world and having any real adventures.

I was accepted to attend the Alberta College of Art and Design in 2010. It had been several years since I finished high school, so being back in an academic setting was quite difcult, to say the least. At that time, there

moved around a lot, and anytime my parents could help with a few dollars here or there, they would. My mother was in the midst of the Truth and Reconciliation process at that time and wanted to help me pay for college if she ever was given reparations. She passed away unexpectedly a couple of days before her hearing. We were all devastated. She was the glue that held our family together.

I was in my third year of college when it happened and had involved her in a photo project only three weeks earlier.

I continued school, because I knew that was what she would have wanted me to do. But being unable to face the grief of losing her, I kept myself busy. It was already pretty common for me to be at school all day and

I thought that it would be too difcult to do—that I would be better of just working and paying bills. But not following my passion wasn’t enough, so I took the chance.

“Sadness has a season, and it will pass.”

night, but I also joined a progressive leadership-training program to further expand my knowledge of social activism, and the newly formed Indigenous Students Club at ACAD.

During my fourth year of school, the former president of the club had graduated and, to keep it going, I took her place. It was such an important support system within the institution, and I made friends there that I am still in contact with today.

At the end of my collegiate career, I consciously worked towards facing the grief that I felt in losing my mother. It had been a year and a half at that point since she passed, and we all felt the sting of it each day. Tat is when I created a series of paintings called Blood (pictured below), five portraits on canvas that were stretched to look like Inuit Drums. Te portraits consisted of my siblings, my father, and myself.

I’ve been blessed and cursed, as we all are on this journey—but when things are rough, I often remember my mother and it helps me get through the tough times. It is also good to remember the friends and family that I have met along the way, to remember what I have survived already, and the words from a book that I read once: “Sadness has a season, and it will pass.”

MOHKINSTSIS (CALGARY ) BASED ARTIST, ALBERTA ROSE W obtained her BFA with distinction from the Alberta University of the Arts (formerly ACAD). She acted as the president of the Indigenous Student’s club during fourth year as a way to create a supportive, inclusive environment within the Institution. She was also a member of Next Up, a Canada-wide leadership group for progressive young people, has worked in politics, been an Indigenous youth mentor, chef de partie, and practicum at the Banf Centre for Arts and Creativity. She is currently a liaison for Inuit Art Foundation and practicing artist.

Logan Ruben

I spent a lot of my childhood surrounded by various family members, with a preference of the fly-on-the-wall experience. While not all too artistically active at a young age, my imagination and trains of thought were leaps and bounds ahead of my time. I started looking at art a little more seriously towards the end of high school, but with no formal teachings, it had been more an explorative stage in my life. Art, to me, is a means of both expressing and discovering one's soul and its journey along the path of life. My family is very supportive of my art, and I will be forever thankful for their patience. My oldest daughter is always excited to paint or draw, so to see this is always endearing. As an artist, I am constantly reflecting on what it is that separates me from the crowd, but I'm afraid I haven't quite found what that is yet. My painting Happy was inspired by the overwhelming sense of understanding of my place in time, wherein my wife and I were expecting our first daughter (Adaline). To my fellow Inuvialuit artists: never forget where you have come from, never forget the wisdom of our Elders, and never forget why you first started creating.

FINDING HAPPINESS IN PAINTING

Derrald Taylor

Te Eastern Arctic—they're so far ahead in publicity and all the work that they do. But, there's been hardly any presentation of the Western Arctic carvers. Now, there's so many of us that are into it, growing up here and getting so good at what we do! Now, we're trying to get more into the Southern markets; there's few carvers that are in the Southern market already from the Mackenzie Delta region. For example: Bill Nasogaluak, David and Abraham Ruben… those are the three main carvers I know. And us, we're stuck in the Arctic and the NWT, but one day we'd like to go on—go down South and just represent our work down there.

Over the years, I've been on Facebook, and I let people know about my page (Derrald Taylor Inuvialuit Artist). If they want to see my work, they'll just put my name in—'the Inuvialuit artist’. Tey go through it, look through it, and make orders. From making that order, they'll show their friends and everything. Promotion really helps us out, even through books or online. With all the online sales we do now, that really helps us out. Like, people from way down South making orders—some from the UK, Germany, South America, Japan, some sales from China… even Russia! Not major pieces, but still, it really helps us out.

On the larger pieces, we have stories, or we hear and listen to some of the stories from Elders or someone. And, those are all about them; we'll try to do a carving that'll fit the story, ah? Tat's a little more challenging, 'cause you gotta interpret the story out of the carving, so you gotta make the carving like the story. It also depends on the story. Say there's…spirits or animals, or animals with spirits, things like that. It's more challenging so you gotta really focus your piece on the story. Tere's some of us that carve mythical things like dancing bears, Sedna—but

what we do is we tell a story. Say I do northern lights—oh we believe what brought northern lights is our ancestors watching over us.

A lot of animals that we do, we live of the land before we start carving. And just few days ago, we just went out caribou hunting, so we see the animals. We see the polar bears; we see the belugas. So that's where we get most of our images from.

Trough my carvings, I want to let people know: where we're from, where we live, what we do, what we used to do, and that we're from Tuk, even though me and Inung were recently living in YK. But we really wanna promote our work down South. I keep planning one day that I wanna go South and find a place to work—carve and work—and really show my work more. We got some galleries in Vancouver, Calgary, Quebec, Montreal, and Edmonton

that wanna present us, but we're not putting out enough yet. We got festivals that's hopefully coming up this summer; it's supposed to be a huge gathering this summer. 'Cause before that we've got the Adaka Festival in Whitehorse, then the following two weeks after, the GNAF, where we might be gathering as well.

Over the last 10-15 years, I've been taking students on and of. Like I know lots of them—they wanna carve, and they think that we'll be charging them, ah? Tey think about the money… Te last few years, I just invite them in. I tell them, ‘come sit down’ and we'll give them a piece of stone, then we'll sit them down and teach them to carve and that don't cost, 'cause most of them are students and they can't aford money, so we just give them that chance to show them what tools to use, what stone to use. Ten they get to bring home a piece and they're happy.

Trough my carvings, I want to let people know: where we're from, where we live, what we do, and what we used to do… I keep planning one day that I wanna go South and find a place to work—carve and work—and really show my work more.

A master of depicting animal movements— especially the wolf— John Taylor poses with his carving Ways of the Wild before the sanding process, at the Great Northern Arts festival in 2016.

FB : JOHN TAYLOR CARVINGS

Inung Nuyaviak

CHAMPIONING INUVIALUIT REPRESENTATION IN THE WORLD OF INUIT CARVING

I'm a mechanic by trade. But also, throughout my youth, I was promoting the Inuvialuit culture. My mom owned Nautchiaq Fur Shop. About 35 years ago, the Inuvialuit leaders told the youth that it's a dying culture we have. At the time we didn't really understood what the ‘dying culture’ meant. Te ‘dying culture’ they meant was the hunting, trapping, and fishing— and our art. About 15 of us—the youth—took on that challenge.

Myself, over the years, I've traveled across Canada. I've never been over the seas, but across Canada promoting and introducing handicraft like my ‘parkis’ and my mitts and that. But my art was the big thing. And it was pushed through my mother first. And then from there it just kept going, kept going…she kept encouraging me—do this, do this.

Nellie Cournoyea played a big part in my life. She bought a lot of my artwork through the IRC; it was just a bit of promotion and that really encouraged me. And then we went to

look at and talked to the Canada Arts Council over the years. Tey've been telling us, in [Inuit] carving, they don't have any representation of the Western division. ‘Western division’ is Inuvialuit carvers, Gwich'in, and a number of diferent other people.

Me and Derrald, we rent a shop in Yellowknife, and it's part of Danny Hudson's gallery. He's got a jade gallery there. He's originally from Aklavik, and he owns this gallery, him and his wife. In the middle, we have Martin Goodlife jewelry doing jewelry for lot of diferent people. And in the back, we have me, Derald and Eli working as Inuvialuit carvers—and we do a lot of carvings, me and Derrald.

All the animals that we carve today are things that we hunt over the years. And then we somewhat learn how the shape and movement are, just from picturing it. And then picturing that same movement as they're running or getting away from us.

Promoting the Inuvialuit art—for us, anyways—it's a struggle, but we're artists and that's what we do for a living. For myself, however, I also have to go and work and find a job. Derrald has taken carving on full-time, that's how he does it. And for myself, I got a mechanic job so I do a lot of diferent things. And I find odd jobs. Tat's just art—sometimes

art's hard to sell. I don't know as many people as Derrald does, so my substitute is to go and work. But the Inuvialuit history—we had no representation for a lot of years. And now that we're starting to get recognized more and more…we're trying to push the art in there. Representation is really important.

Word of mouth is the best advertising that we have. Derrald just got me into Instagram and a number of diferent places. He's been promoting in the art galleries.

Advice for up and coming artists…I would encourage them to look at the art, just look around, watch people… the art is all about seeing people. In

my view, anyway. When I look at art, it's just the things that I find…the stories, the Inuvialuit drum dancers that you see. It’s the story that really brings out the art because that's how they told their stories, their hunts, their travels, how hard it was, how good it was—doesn't matter if it was shown in the dance. And my art is little diferent, I use all my hunting; I travel. I use every movement and I like my animals big because I've always seen them in the wintertime. [laughs] It's really, really amazing— the things that we've done over the years, just promoting. Like me and Derrald, we just started teaching students at the shop and trying to keep the Inuvialuit culture. So, we're just doing whatever we can.

Art to me is [bringing] the past to the present in any form, whether it's telling stories or being creative with the hands or showing a kind smile. As a young child, [seeing] art in the form of love from my parents was amazing because they have shown the respect for one another. How my mom would work with us kids (we were a handful); she would sit and sew clothes for us to wear. My dad would leave early in the morning either to get wood or to work, but most times it was for trapping and hunting and the chores were left for us kids. So, to me, the form of art [is] to be creative with what you have in life.

WHAT IS 'ART'?

Dennis Allen

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, BUT STAY WITHIN THE FRAME

Backin the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, there was a lot of oil activity going on around the Beaufort Delta. Several big oil companies were in full swing and they were screaming for workers. All the guys my age dropped out of high school to work on the rigs where we could pull in a thousand bucks every two weeks. Tat was a lot of money in them days. You have to keep in mind that a ‘Grade 10’ was big education at that time.

After years of working two weeks in and two weeks out, I got tired of it and wanted to do something diferent. My sisters Yvonne and Judy worked at CBC and I kind of liked being around cameras and microphones. I was also getting into playing music with my band, the Rat Trapping Biscuit Eaters. We played the old Trading Post upstairs. So, I was kind of into the entertainment arts.

I didn’t really know what I wanted to do until I watched my mother con-

vocate from a program called Native Communications at Grant McEwan Community College in Edmonton. It was a one-year program that introduced students to the fields of journalism, photography, writing, television production, and advertising. When I saw my mom walk across the stage in a cap and gown to receive that certificate, I knew I wanted to do post-secondary too. But, with my education, the only thing I’d be doing at a college or university was handling a mop pail.

Since I dropped out of high school, the first order of business was to go back to “upgrading” as we called it. It was a sure sign of a drop-out. At any rate, I screwed up my courage and walked into the Arctic College campus to inquire about “upgrading”. Te secretary (who was actually the janitor cause the secretary was “sick”) made me fill out a form with six skill-testing questions to see what level I was at. After he checked them

of, he said I would be put into Grade 6 math and Grade 5 language arts! I didn’t believe him and attacked him verbally. “You’re the (expletive) janitor, what the (expletive) do you know about upgrading?”

Mr. Kelly, who was the upgrading teacher, just happened to be coming down the hall when he heard me yelling. He remembered me from high school and the look on his face was, “oh, you.” He looked at the score sheet and gave ‘what’s-his-name’ hell.

“Six times six is not sixty-six. It’s thirty-six, you dork,” he said, as he fixed my score. “Be here at nine tomorrow morning, and not a minute later,” he then barked at me. Te next morning I was the first one sitting on the steps at eight-thirty.

Long story short, I did one year of ‘upgrading’ in Inuvik, one year of Native Communications and another year of University and College Prep at Concordia College (both in Edmonton), and two years at SAIT in Calgary. I came out with a diploma in Film Studies. And so began a twenty-year career as a filmmaker.

Being a filmmaker has been a very rewarding career. From my first music video with my Arnaqan (cousin) Pete Smith, to walking the red carpet at the Sundance Film Festival, it’s all been very exciting. I’ve travelled all over the North making films about people and their lives. I’ve filmed a

group of Dene from Colville Lake to Fort Good Hope, walking eighty miles through the bush with pack dogs carrying my camera gear. I’ve been up the Keele River to film people from Tulita make a moose-skin boat. I’ve been to Taloyoak and Gjoa Haven filming the Canadian Rangers as they went on a rescue mission. I’ve dug up the Mad Trapper of Rat River. I’ve been to Norway to film reindeer herders, and I’ve worked on North of 60 as an intern editor. I’ve been to film festivals across Canada and won a handful of awards for my work.

My proudest moment was winning a best documentary award in Toronto for CBQM, Te Biggest Little Radio Station in the North. CBC did a list of best top ten Canadian documentaries to watch, and CBQM is on the list. I’ve tackled really difcult topics, like alcoholism among our people, in my film Crazywater. It scared the living heck out of me ‘cause I was uncover-

One of my biggest achievements is giving southern viewers a glimpse of what it’s like to be a Native person living in the North.

BELOW, TOP - BOTTOM : Backing up legendary Tuk fddler Emmanuel Felix; Mooseskin boat at Keele River; Opening for Buf y St. Marie in Whitehorse; Shooting a scene with fellow musician Kevin Barr in Whitehorse for my flm 'Crazywater'.

BELOW, TOP - BOTTOM : Shooting 'Rangers of the North' for APTN in Taloyoak; With my dad and mentor Victor Allen; With fellow Gwich'in Musicians Boyd Benjamin and Wilbert Jack Kendi at the Moosehide Music Festival in 2014.

ing something that we as Native people don’t like to talk about. But when people saw it, they broke down and cried ‘cause they too had problems with alcohol. Tere are so many rewards I’ve received from filmmaking over the years—but the best reward is to make a diference in someone’s life.

One of my biggest achievements is giving southern viewers a glimpse of what it’s like to be a Native person living in the North. You see people from down South come up here and do movies about Native people, but you never see Native people do movies about themselves. When we do, it gives the viewer a diferent perspective—one that they are not used to. When a viewer sees it from our perspective, they have a greater appreciation for our opinions, our outlook, and our values. When I first started making films, 'old-timers' like the late Willie Carpenter from Tuk used to laugh like hell and say, “Hey Dennis, tell ‘em who we are.” I always remember that. People like Willie inspire me to stand up and be counted.

I remember one time when I was producing Suangaan for ICS: this old German couple were watching me film an old Inuk carver at the Great Northern Arts Festival. Tey asked me in really broken English: Why does the carver create? What spirits is he trying to summon? Since the old timer didn’t speak English, I had

to ask the interpreter to ask him in Inuktitut. When he did, the carver replied with a short answer.

“What did he say?” I asked the carver. He said, “Cause he’s broke.” Te old couple didn’t understand the word “broke” so I told them he does it to feed the shamans. Tey were so happy with that answer, they even took a picture of me and them together.

So, if you want to try something diferent, take a chance, take a risk. Tink outside the box. Just because everybody you know is going to be a mechanic or a nurse, doesn’t mean you have to. How will you know what’s over the mountain if you don’t walk over and look for yourself?

Kuninaan Ruben

I was originally born in Cambridge Bay but moved to Paulatuk as a young child with my parents. I always remember—I would go travelling out in the land with my father. I might have been 5-7 years old. One time, we were out camping in a tent, out in the land. Tat same evening, we had a big blizzard, so we couldn't go out of the tent! My father found a whole piece of paper and a small pencil and started drawing that night. I was watching him— that's what kind of got me interested in artwork. I took interest from there.

My father and grandfather were never really into art, though. Just out there, being on the land, you gotta find something to do. I guess that night, he found a piece of paper and thought of drawing something—just to pass time. Tat's how I got interested. It gave me the inspiration to start of from there and I just continued on from that day! From there, I've always been self-taught with my artwork, right from when I was a young boy.

In my 20s, painting was pretty much my favourite thing to work with, until I started trying diferent things like charcoal sketches. Ten, I started getting a bit into carvings—making pendants, rings and small stuf like that. It depends on how I feel, you know? Tere's times when I want to take a break from painting so I move to charcoal work. If not charcoal, I'll do a little bit of carving—switch it up, which is good! Take a break from this and that, then you come up with diferent ideas for whatever you're working on later.

I'll be 50 years old in June—so I will have been doing art for close to 45 years, pretty much! I've always loved doing art. I found that it helps when you got nothing to do. It keeps me busy and I enjoy it. Today, I still do it and look at it as a hobby most times. It also helps me with my bills and groceries, and people love my artwork. It always makes a good gift.

TEACHING & LEADING THROUGH ART

I've taught a class or two in the past at the school. Te principal and teachers had known about my art and asked me one day if I'd like to go and teach the students. I did one class at the Paulatuk Community Corporation boardroom once; I had a good group that came in. Still today, I get teachers and principals asking me if I'd like to go in and teach. It just depends on how busy I am! I love teaching younger children and I love watching them do their own work. I always like to give them a little advice, teach them little tricks about artwork, and tell them: it helps with your mind and soul, and it helps with the bills.

I get a few students, every now and then, who come to visit when I'm working. Tey come and visit for a couple minutes—next thing they're here for an hour, just watching me do my art! Ten they start asking me questions, like who taught me, and how I do this and that. I try to show them what to do with charcoal, painting, or whatever medium—even carving. I give them the best advice I can, if they're really into the artwork.

But now, I notice—youth and young children are getting into art. Tat's what I like to see. You can tell they have so much talent already! Trough social media, I notice youth and children—their parents like to show their children's artwork. I make little comments: very nice job, well done, awesome work! I tell the parents to tell their children to keep it up! It's a nice thing to have in your life—this kind of talent. Some people call it a hobby. Other people take it as a business as they grow up. It's a nice thing to have. I just tell them to keep it up, as much as they can. It helps in many ways. People love to see artwork from all over.

ART ON THE LAND

I think you have to live up in the North pretty much your whole life to really capture things like northern lights in paintings. To me, that's the way I look at it. I have been living here pretty much my whole life. It just amazes me—the colours, the shapes that come out. Te same goes for sunset paintings and other paintings I do. You get that being out in the land, you know? You can't get that down in the city life. When you live in a city, there's so much light all over, you can't see things like northern lights out there! When you live in a remote community, being out in the land at night—boy, it's like you can almost touch them out there. While I do most of my work at home, in the house—there's a lot of times I use a nice Fuji camera to take pictures. I'd have that to look at and capture those colours and scenes through my pictures.

I've done so many pieces that it's hard to look at all of them and choose just a few favourites!

I love working on Polar Bears, sunsets, charcoal work, sketching young babies—they just show how innocent they are when you do a portrait of them. Every day is a diferent day. I learn things every day, it's like nonstop as an artist. I've been doing it for almost 45 years! I'm still learning as days go on. I get new images in my head every day. When I'm working on a piece, I still get things in my mind I want to pop out, and I like to bring them out in my artwork. With social media, stuf like the Great Northern Arts Festival—you learn diferent styles of work from diferent artists, too.

LISTENING TO ELDERS

I've got a few favourite artists: a few cousins and uncles who have been pretty much carving their entire lives, as well as using oil paints. I used to see them working when I was growing up. Tere's a lot of female artists that do tapestry work and storytelling as well. To me, there's lots of carvers. I'm pretty much the only artist who likes to work with paints and charcoal!

I find some nice work from our Elders in Paulatuk. Right now, our Elders are—like every community—we're losing a lot of them. Growing up, I got a lot of compliments when I first started from my Elders! Tey just told me to keep up my work, good work—it gave me more motivation and inspiration and kept me going! Te only time I'll ever stop is if I ever lose my fingers! [laughs] I pretty much learn most of my living from my Elders—the stories they tell me and the advice they give. You listen to them, and good things happen when you start growing up. You follow their footsteps. I think the words from Elders and the stories they taught us will inspire a lot of younger youth and generations coming up.

Art is a huge thing—in diferent ways—it's just beautiful, you know?

I pretty much learn most of my living from my Elders— the stories they tell me and the advice they give. You listen to them, and good things happen when you start growing up.

Kyle Natkusiak Aleekuk

Growing up on the prairies of Alberta, I always wondered, “What does it means to be Inuvialuit?” In fact, it was rarely discussed in my house. My late father, Billy Aleekuk, was a survivor of residential schools and was a quiet man by nature. He didn’t talk much about his upbringing until later on in his life before he passed away. My father was adopted by the Aleekuk family after his experience at residential school and took on their last name as he continued his life raising a family and pursuing a successful career in aviation. When I was young, my father would sometimes tell me of his biological family, the Bankslands.

“Tat’s where your name was passed down from, Natkusiak. Your great grand-dad’s name was Natkusiak and people would call him Billy Banksland.”

In my twenties, I started to become really interested in my family history because of my name and who I was named after. Natkusiak, or Billy Banksland, was a guide for the Stefansson expeditions of the early 1900s and later settled on Victoria Island with his family. One of his children is the highly noted artist Agnes Nanogak Goose and her brother, Alec Aliknak Banksland—another noted artist—who was a founding member of the Holman Printmaking Co-op.

Aliknak, my grandfather, has become an endless inspiration for my art and my worldview. His works, along with Nanogak’s illustrations and prints, have given me a sense of culture as well as identity. I have, on my forearms, tattooed images of Aliknak’s works in honour of my grandfather and the life he lived. On the walls in my home, I have his prints bringing life to my living spaces. His images tell a story of how people lived in his lifetime. His prints give me insight into who he was, which is very important to me because we never met—he died when I was young.

HUNTING FOR ADVENTURE AND FISHING FOR DREAMS

One of his prints is forever in my memory. It depicts two fish swirling and circling around a line and hook. Te perspective is as though the viewer is the one holding the line and waiting for a bite. Tis image left a powerful impression on me when I first saw it at my aunt’s house in Ulukhaktok.

My sister and I took a trip to Ulukhaktok in the following years after my father’s passing. His wish was for some of his cremated ashes to be brought back to his birthplace, to where

I started to grip the line and pull up the fish. I caught it. As it danced on the ice, I could only think of my grand-dad’s print of the two fish that I had saw earlier. I experienced a moment which he expressed through his art, which was a depiction of what he experienced. In a way, I felt like it was his way of showing me what fishing is all about, and also what art is all about.

his father is buried. We arrived in June 2017 when the Kingalik Jamboree was also underway. It was our first time in the community and we were welcomed with smiles, food and laughter. On June 21st, my Uncle Gary and Uncle Andrew both took me on a fishing trip to a lake inland from the hamlet. With ice still partially covering the lake, we walked out onto the ice and each found a crack to drop a line through. Never having jigged before, I dropped my line into the water without question and hesitation. Silently bobbing the spoon up and down while staring into the bright green water made for a very peaceful afternoon, until two formidable land-locked char came swirling and circling around my spoon. My heart raced as one of them took my bait; I set the hook with a yank and, with my free hand,

For me, art has always been an expression of one’s self and a reflection of perception. I try to reflect my worldview, my experiences and dreams through art. I’ve experimented with different mediums in the past such as pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, and acrylic paints, but I’ve found myself drawn to liquid watercolor ink. Te brightness and the smooth quality of the ink makes it very desirable to work with, yet its permanent nature makes it challenging. To lay this ink down, you have to have made up your mind about your design and you have to be focused, as mistakes aren’t easily fixed in this medium. I take much inspiration from Americana and Japanese tattoo art and the mediums used by tattooists to create “flash art”. Tattoo flash refers to handdrawn or painted illustrations on paper usually hung in shops so a customer could choose the design to be put onto their body. For practice, tattooists would paint or draw these designs with the same approach as they would with tattoos as to hone their skill and craft. When it comes to tattoos, you’d better have your mind made up.

Discovering my family history through art has had a meaningful impact on me as an Inuvialuk. Te visual representation of my culture in images depicting hunting and fishing has also inspired me to have my own hunting and fishing experiences. Engaging in food

Discovering my family history through art has had a meaningful impact on me as an Inuvialuk.

also for adventure—I cast a net for fish but also for a dream.

As I’ve grown older, the same question still lingers around in my head, “What does it mean to be Inuvialuit?”

I think it means being real.

I hunt for meat but also for adventure— I cast a net for fish but also for a dream.

Kohlton McKinnon

WORDS BY MISHELLE LAVOIE

I wanted to introduce art to Kohlton at a young age and have him explore the textures and colours of diferent art mediums. Being a creative person, and an artist myself, it was important that he experience art. Painting, I thought, would be a great introduction since it’s so accessible and can be inexpensive, and also because children love to get messy. He seems to love to use his hands rather than brushes and loves to glob it on the canvas. Kohlton probably paints a new piece at least every week or two and definitely enjoys getting messy, and leaving paint everywhere I allow him.

Kohlton McKinnon is a 4-year-old born to Inuvialuit, Shutoatine Dene, and Métis parents. He is in Junior Kindergarten and is currently living in Yellowknife. He enjoys anything related to firefighting, Curious George, and of course, painting. As a young toddler, he would grab a pen or a marker and scribble all over any piece of paper he could find, so it seemed natural to let him try painting. When asked why he likes to paint he replied, "Well, I just like to paint. It’s messy and fun. And I get to paint fire trucks!" Kohlton's style is more abstract and he likes to mix colours rather than make distinct images. His preferred medium is acrylic on canvas but he likes to colour with his mom's good markers when she’s not looking.

Kohlton's style is more abstract and he likes to mix colours rather than make distinct images.

PHOTO BY CHRIS BLECHERT

Well, I just like to paint. It’s messy and fun. And I get to paint fire trucks!

—Kohlton McKinnon

Hello, my name is BILLY GOOSE

I am 15 YEARS OLD and I'm from Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories. I have 3 sisters, 1 niece, and 3 nephews whom I love unconditionally. Photography is one of my favourite hobbies besides many others that I love to do. I do photography because I like to tell people through photography that we can see the world in a diferent perspective in a good way, to show that there's always something beautiful to look at. @photosby_billy

My name is Brenda Wolki. I am an Inuvialuk beneficiary from Tuktoyaktuk, but I live in Penticton, BC. I submitted my 14 year-old daughter Ashlea Burgess' artwork for the Art Contest. She is an artist much like our Indigenous people. Right now she is totally into creating Japanese Anime drawings. Japanese Anime and Manga comic books are really popular right now (Big Brother Canada has dedicated two rooms with Manga characters, it’s so impressive!). Tis is just one of her many creations. She starts of with a freehand sketch. Ten, she draws in the fine line, and when she completes the fine line, she erases the rough draft. After all that is done, she colours in her drawing. As her mom, I am so very proud of her. I believe in her creativity and artwork!

We as Inuit don’t get much of the sun, but we love when it comes back. So, when it comes back, I love to take advantage of it and take photos. It’s winter and I love the mix of having the sun as well as a little bit of winter in one photo. And I was thinking about it—I thought it would a great idea if I looked for a frosty window and a sunset where it would shine through.

It’s late summer and I'm spending some time alone. I felt like I needed some time to myself because we need to love our self before anyone else. As I was walking on the beautiful landscape of the three hills of my hometown, which is Ulukhaktok, I thought that it would be such a great photo to shoot. Sunsets always remind me that when the sun is down, it will always show itself in some way. Sunset With the Hills

Jimmy Memogana is 7 years old. He is in Grade 2 and goes to Helen Kalvak School. He loves the land and the sea. He is

JIMMY MEMOGANA, 7 YEARS OLD

always helpful in any way. Jimmy has been drawing and painting since he was very young, inspired by his great grandmother Mabel Nigiyok. He used to always watch her when she was doing her printmaking. His favorite color is blue. On his free time, Jimmy likes to paint, play his PS4 game console, or play out in the snow and dirt.

(BY TIFFANI NIGIYOK)

ASHLEA BURGESS, 14 YEARS OLD @meoowmers

THE FACE IS THE CANVAS

My name is CHARITY THRASHER GRUBEN I’ve loved makeup for as long as I can remember, and I post makeup tutorials showing how to apply makeup and learn how and what’s new in makeup. My channel is a way to show my art in all its ways, and just to make people smile show that life is beautiful. I’ve had the greatest support from my husband and son. My family and I would like to thank the people that sent my photos to Tusaayaksat Magazine. I hope to show more of what I can do!

YouTube: Charity Thrasher Gruben

Project Atigi

TWO RESPECTED INUVIALUIT DESIGNERS CHOSEN FOR CANADA GOOSE PROJECT

Freda Raddi

A returning designer to Project Atigi, the parka that Freda made this year is a traditional design called a “Mother Hubbard”.

“In our culture, only women and girls would wear this style,” she says. Freda’s own mother taught her to sew, and she says she’s her inspiration to this day. She didn’t take up Delta braiding—the distinctive embellishment you see on her Project Atigi parka—until her twenties. “My mother’s way of teaching was to tell me to watch her,” Freda remembers. “But she would keep getting up to go do things, which I think she knew would annoy me, and force me to learn to do it myself.”

WORDS BY PROJECT ATIGI/CANADA GOOSE

Lena Kotokak

HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT PROJECT ATIGI?

First, it came out on Facebook; people were asking me to apply. I know I missed the project last year, and Elizabeth Kolb (from IRC) was really advocating for me to try to get involved with it. So once I did, I got all the information and all they needed was a letter of interest. I wrote the letter, and from there, they accepted it! I was excited when I found out, 'cause I wanted to do this the previous year, but I had just started my job at ICRC and I just wanted to focus on work then.

WHY DID YOU APPLY?

Project Atigi interested me because it would promote us, Inuvialuit. We had just one Inuvialuk in the whole group last year, and there's mainly people from the Eastern Arctic. I know there's lots of really good Inuvialuk seamstresses who could do it as well. I'm hoping that they get more interested so they can promote our sewing and knowledge. A lot of the parkas that we make are traditional, ah?

HOW IS OUR DESIGN DIFFERENT FROM EAST?

Ours has its own identity because of the ‘symbolics’ of the design. For us, we've been known to wear the walrus tusks forever! You look at the old pictures—there, you can see it's really detailed because they used caribou skin. Te white part, they used from the belly, so you could really see it in the pictures.

WHAT OR WHO WERE YOU INSPIRED BY?

My naanak Lena Kuptana—she's wearing a parka like that in a photo. So, that's what made me think of the design, as the inspiration. My inspiration is my family, right? And she is part of my family. My husband, he's a hunter and trapped a bit when he was young—he always needed clothes to go hunting, and his mother did a lot of his sewing at the time. I just observed. From there, I started sewing for my own kids while she was still alive. She’s passed on since then. My son was five when I really started sewing for him. Just keep sewing and sewing, and you just keep getting better—that's what you do! My family is really my inspiration.

a

WHAT WAS THE PROJECT'S PROCESS?

I had to design a parka, and mine were all men's! Tere wasn't a chance for me to make a women's one. For me, I rarely ever do men's parkas—my focus is mainly on women's parkas. Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to showcase that, so that was one of the downsides of the experience. I guess it's just because of the sales, and you need to have all the diferent sizes; I had to make one small, two mediums, a large, and an extra-large.

Tey all had to be the same design, but a little diferent. Like I said, the tusk design refers to my naanak's parka. Delta braid used to be so popular here, many years ago. I just started learning how to do that, so I decided to put that delta braid in because it's like a dying art. But there's lots of ladies here who are really interested in learning how to do that. Tey had a program couple years ago, and there are quite a few who caught on right away. Tere's lots of people who are learning now, and a few experts out there, like Molly Goose from Tuk. She used to work for Christina Felix Parkas. She does

really nice work! Tere's also Annie Felix, who does her unique way of doing the delta braid— it's just beautiful. Freda Raddi, too!

I felt a little overwhelmed at the start of the process, because there was a lot of work—like a lot of work! But when it was all done, I just felt good to be done! Tey were done right on time and sent to Toronto, then I think it went around Canada, the States, and Paris. Apparently, my parkas sold in one day, right?! People were telling me they sold in one day! I felt good because I thought—gee—maybe people won't even try to buy them since they were so expensive! Tey sold them for $2,500 CAD…for one! Tey said that they would give proceeds to Inuit organizations—like ITK (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami).

WOULD YOU DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN?

I would do it again—but I would also encourage other people to apply, because we only have a few people who have had the opportunity to showcase their sewing, and we have so much people that can do that as well. I would really encourage others to apply next year!

For us, we've been known to wear the walrus tusks forever! My naanak Lena Kuptana—she's wearing

parka like that in a photo. So, that's what made me think of the design, as the inspiration… It's really detailed because they used caribou skin. Te white part, they used from the belly.

The Red Dress

} My name is Shirley Steenberg, I’m originally from a small town called Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada. I’m an Inuvialuk, (also known as an Inuk) from an Indigenous group of people that live along the coast of the Beaufort Sea. I was invited to participate in a 10-year art project created by Kirstie Macleod of the UK. My good friend Shelley Tulloch from Ontario connected me with Kirstie. Ms. Macleod created an embroidery of a Red Dress which includes over 130 embroiderers. Each sewed a panel from 27 diferent countries around the world, and all panels were sewn together to create a magnificent, brilliant Red Dress. For my panel, I chose the maple leaf, Indigenous medicine wheel, polar bear, inukshuk, and “Strong and Free” from our Canadian National anthem. >>

PHOTO BY DAVE WATTS

I have chosen the Medicine Wheel to be the center of my panel of the Red Dress; this is sometimes known as the Sacred Hoop. It has been used by generations of various Native American groups for health and healing. It embodies the Four Directions (north, south, east and west), as well as Father Sky, Mother Earth, and Spirit Tree—all of which symbolize dimensions of health and the cycles of life.

Te stitching in the wheel symbolizes the sun and sunflower in yellow, one of my favorite flowers. Te three feathers represent my 3 daughters Crystal, Amber, and Ruby—also known as my ‘gem girls’. Tey are my strength, love, and purpose in life.

I have our Canadian maple leaf on the panel, which represents our country of many nationalities. Te phrase “Strong and Free” is from our Canadian national anthem.

In the medicine wheel, I have the polar bear, a sacred animal of our North. Tey are vulnerable because of our melting ice in the sea, and their populations are slowly decreasing. Tere is a special story about the polar bear spirit. My great-great-grandfather William Mangilaluk,

who was the chief and founder of Tuktoyaktuk, believed he had the spirit of the polar bear. After he passed away, his name-sake was passed down to our relatives who choose to name their son after Mangilaluk, as we believe in carrying on their spirit names from generation to gener ation. Tis is also represented in the logo I cre ated for my school in Tuktoyaktuk (pictured to the right).

At the very bottom of the panel I have the Inuk shuk. Tey were used by us Inuvialuit as directional markers on the land to tell others traveling that we had been there. It is made of tundra rocks in the shape of a person, and it signifies safety, direction of our next journey, hope, and friendship. Inuksuit (plural) have been transformed into a symbol of hope and friendship that transcends borders to reach people all over the world.

I’m one of many nationalities and cultures of the world. Trough one Red Dress, we come together to share cherished beliefs and cultures and tell our stories. We come in unity, love, peace, respect, expression, healing, and empowerment. I am an Inuvialuk, strong and resilient.

PHOTO BY DAVE WATTS

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY SHIRLEY STEENBERG

INUVIALUIT ART IN SPACE

Aurora College is constructing a CubeSat (Cube Satellite) that will be launched from the International Space Station in 2021—and they're looking for Inuvialuit art to be shot into space! The CubeSat will have a display screen on board, along with a camera to capture Northern images using Earth as a backdrop!

The goal of this program is to provide NWT youth and citizens with the opportunity to participate meaningfully in the development and operation of a CubeSat. The project is a multi-year, hands-on learning opportunity for Northern youth interested in computer science and engineering, with incredible opportunities to connect with local engineers—and even the Canadian Space Agency!

SEEKING INUVIALUIT ART

As of now, I help with soldering the boards and some planning for the mission, while learning about computer and engineering science. We want our art to be used in the CubeSat Project because Inuvialuit stories are meant to be showcased to everyone. I know it’s important for the world to be able to fnd our Inuvialuit culture, so our knowledge can be shared with everyone. It’s important we start sharing our knowledge again, especially when thousands of voices who are trying to tell the same message keep getting shut down. Knowledge is power, and we defnitely have to share that power between everyone.

LEXIS MCDONALD, GRADE 12

LAUNCH YOUR ART INTO SPACE WITH AURORA COLLEGE IN 2021

IMAGE BY ALBERTASAT

PICTURED BELOW: The current prototype board of the CubeSat.

Photo: Patrick Gall, Aurora College

New Artist Centres Bring Excitement To The Region

WORDS by DANA BOWEN

If you're from the Beaufort Delta, you may already know Brian Kowikchuk. He's that 20-something, free-spirited guy and he's the go-to person for facilitating art classes. But if you still haven’t met him or seen him around, he’s yet another reason to visit Te Artists Hub – Authentically Indigenous.

WITH FLYING COLOURS. In this portrait, Kowikchuk adds in his own painting to create a mixed-media visualization of his identity. When asked about his advice for budding artists in the region: "The danger is distraction," he responds, "always look forward."

RIGHT

IN BETWEEN INUVIK'S NORTHMART

AND IGLOO CHURCH, the Artists Hub is open to all Indigenous artists, as a place to help them get their businesses of the ground. Staf are available to help guide them, ofer advice, and connect artists with vendors. Te Hub is a place where both tourists and residents can view or discuss local art through the website or publications.

“Our aim is to give (artists) a better sense of unity and sense of security when it comes to working with their art and working with their money,” said Kowikchuk, the manager. "It's an opportunity for their art to be expanded and not just in North."

It’s also where Indigenous artists can buy supplies—including seal skin, hide, and stone— at wholesale prices. Tat way, people can sidestep “that obstacle of ordering online,”—a concept Northerners are all too familiar with.

While the Artists Hub is just getting started, the idea first came to life in 2018 as a proposal for the Arctic Inspiration Prize. It was accepted and given the funds to move ahead. It has since been a joint project, where its team leaders represent many groups in the North, including Inuvialuit Community Economic Development Organization, Gwich'in Tribal Council, Aurora Research Institute, and artist committees, among others. So, when Kowikchuk was first asked to manage the Artists Hub, he saw it as an opportunity.

“

Te more I found out about the project, the more I was interested,” he said. “And when I thought about it realistically, I thought, we’re making history right now.”

He is especially excited about the Hub's union between the Inuvialuit and Gwich'in. It's the first time the two land claim groups have worked together in this capacity, he said, adding that it's about time.

"Together we’re stronger," he said. "We’re still sharing the same land, so we should have a better understanding of each other’s work."

Te Hub is also establishing committees of artists in Aklavik, Tsiigehtchic, Fort McPherson, Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik, Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk, and Ulukhaktok. While the Hub is only budding now, the response from the community has been exceptionally positive.

“

Tey’re saying, ‘oh my god, finally! Something like this is needed,’” said Kowikchuk.

JUST A BLOCK AWAY is the Arts, Crafts & Technology Micro-Manufacturing Centre (ACTMC), also working toward the same goal. Tis Centre is a collaboration between Aurora College, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Gwich’in Tribal Council, and the GNWT. It has been open since January 2019, and it's gaining steam. With a carpentry shop and access to tools for 3D printing, sewing, silk screen printing, vinyl cutting, graphic design, and laser engraving, Ruth Elanik will be the first to praise the Centre’s existence.

“All the learning you do (at the Centre)—you keep alive in you,” said Elanik. “It's making me really proud of who I am.”

Elanik first seriously picked up sewing in 2005 with a one-year program at Aurora College. But since taking a summer program at ACTMC, where she’s learned Adobe Illustrator, Elanik kicked her art-making game up a notch. Since then, Elanik has been making raven and feathered earrings, fridge magnets, bags, and more.

“I’ve made money like I never made before, so now I can buy more material,” she said.

Elanik is learning what it takes to turn her work into a business. She's taking business courses in the evening and learning everything she can from the Centre. She’s even connecting with vendors through the Centre—a service ACTMC as well as the Artists Hub are both happy to ofer.

PICTURED: The Arts, Crafs & Technology Micro-Manufacturing Centre (ACTMC) allows clients to merge traditional arts and crafs with new technologies and production techniques to create economic opportunities for artists and other creative individuals in the Western Arctic. The space allows Northern artisans to acquire new skills, use new technologies, and grow their small businesses. If you are interested in using the facility you can purchase a membership, which includes an orientation to the facilities, technical support, and safety equipment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: actmc@nwtresearch.com / Tel: 867.678.0866 65 Veterans Way, Inuvik, NT (P.O. Box 1450) X0E 0T0

Trough one of those connections, Elanik sold 220 bags to a company in November, where she used tools from ACTMC to print their logo on it.

“Te goal here is to have an increasing amount of money spent on products that are produced locally,” said Matthew Dares, manager of technology development at Aurora College. “My hope is that with what we’re ofering, there are more opportunities for artists and arts and crafts people from each region to capture these sales and develop their businesses.”

While the Centre has certainly brought financial gain for Elanik, she said it’s also given her new life.

“One thing the ACTMC helped me with, is it’s bringing back my language because now I can write Inuvialuktun and Gwich'in on my work,” she said. “It’s helping to promote my language and keep it alive.”

While the Centre has traditional tools, the new technologies it ofers help artists expand on the products they make. Te speed at which they can now produce it will help their artistry become more profitable. Take Elanik, who uses fur and sealskin, as an example. With the help of the Centre, she’s able to make projects in bulk— and therefore, sell more in a shorter time period.

Te man helping run the Centre said he is by no means an artist himself. Dares is an engineer and computer scientist, but adds that he enjoys working at a place that encourages others within the community. Tat’s where

he and Kowikchuk difer, as Kowikchuk was practically born an artist, and he first realized at the age of 14 that painting was a type of therapy for him.

“When I would go to therapy, I realized paintings are my words. It’s very expressive,” he said.

While Kowikchuk said he has sold every painting he’s made, he has pursued government and other arts-related positions for work. As much as he loves being an artist, Kowikchuk said he realized early on that for him it would be “secondary because art can be expensive.” But with two budding centres to help other artists thrive, things will only continue to look up.

Dares said the hope is that the ACTMC can create more than a million dollars of economic impact annually in the Beaufort Delta by its fifth year.

"But this could be really low or really ambitious depending on who we get for clients and how successful they are through the space," he explained.

Although it’s difcult to say now how much economic growth the centres can bring, it’s clear the diference for the community is already there.

“You can see in people that the artwork they do (at ACTMC) is not just artwork—it's from the bottom of their heart,” said Elanik. “Te Centre is really helping the people.”

now I can write Inuvialuktun and Gwich'in on my work. It’s helping to promote my language and keep it alive.

— RUTH ELANIK

} Ruth Elanik places plastic into a laser cutter at the Arts, Crafs & Technology Micro-Manufacturing Centre (ACTMC). The machine is able to etch or cut materials based on shapes or letters designed on a computer. Elanik has created countless pieces of jewelry, brooches, signs, and souvenirs using this process, which has led to booming sales to customers and tourists. "It's so fast," Elanik says, "I can have something printed within a few minutes."

You can see in people that the artwork they do at ACTMC is not just artwork—it's from the bottom of their heart.

— RUTH ELANIK

Maureen Gruben

Maureen Gruben is from Tuktoyaktuk, NT.

Having grown up in an Inuvialuit community, art was everywhere, she says. Inuvialuit have always been creative, and with the everchanging climate—they simply had to.

Defying Boundaries

WORDS

BY TOPSY BANKSLAND / PHOTOS BY KYRA KORDOSKI

“We’re making things all the time—like tools and clothing, so it is a part of our lifestyles... it is embedded. Almost like part of our DNA.” When you take a closer look at Gruben’s work, you’ll see that she uses natural, raw materials such as polar bear paw bones, beluga intestines, moose hides, mixing them with plastics and other objects. Te materials are so diferent from one another—yet, so cohesive. Her work is thought-provoking and helpful in providing insight into the mind of an artist, who happens to be an Inuvialuk.

Gruben tells a story of her experience with caribou up close at the DEW Line, and how it influenced her art. Her narrative is created in such a way that you begin to be immersed and it becomes an experience.

“You can see the milky brown eyes, and that's where v Clicked A Dance (2020) came from. Because it was running on rocks; it was like this beautiful clicking sound.” Her way of gathering inspiration is fascinating to hear and see come to life. “Tat caribou came right to our vehicle, so we could even put our hand out to touch it. So, I [also] wrote a poem about it.”

Gruben exclaims in response to a viewer’s compliment of the beaver fur detail at the tip of one of her creations.

“It's sheared beaver. It's just so tactile. It just feels so good!” she laughs at her cleverly pun-intended comment.

In front of them, stands a phallic-shaped piece of art all made from various furs of diferent textures and colours, with bright pink letters in the center—“#sealfie”. Inspired by the #sealfie social media movement, this piece of Gruben’s artwork, named u #sealfie (2018) is her way of protesting the anti-seal-hunt campaigns prompted by white celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres. Te truth is, not only is there is no waste in the practice of traditional hunting—it is a sustainable way of acquiring food and income. “We have the right as Inuit. We don't go around saying you can't have beef, or you can't have chicken, you know, it's so unhealthy. Our way is humane.” Today, #sealfie remains one of her most political, hard-hitting pieces of art.

As an artist, she is unique. Gruben describes art as having no borders. In fact, to her, it is far more than an object or product: “Art is a personal, individual choice.” What is also notable about Gruben is the way she utilizes her heritage and the materials that come with it. “What stands out is the land you come from, your traditions, your roots,” she explains. She continues to gather great inspiration from the lands and animals around her. “Where you come from starts to surface.”

Te polar bear is one of the most respected animals on Inuvialuit lands, as well as a symbol for climate change and the hardships of the Arctic sea and tundra. w Message (2015) is a line of polar bear guard hair with red cotton, and a black interface. Te colours used here are whatever is aesthetically pleasing to Gruben—the red, white, and black are of striking contrasts against one another. A message in the form of art often comes to Gruben. Tis piece depicts a message from a polar bear that Gruben states was flashing an “SOS beacon”.

“Sheared beaver fur!”

u

#sealfe, 2018

Sealskin, wolverine, beaver, rabbit, latex 5' 3" tall, 15" circumference, balls 22" x 22"

Art is a personal, individual choice.

A

,

wMessage, 2015

Polar bear guard hair, cotton thread, black interface 180” x 24”

—maureen Gruben

vClicked

Dance

2020 32 caribou hoofs, aluminum tape, red plinth 24” x 31” x 4”

When the piece was finally finished, she knew the world was meant to see it—and it was only a matter of time until Message was displayed in the National Gallery of Canada.

In x Stitching My Landscape (2017) Gruben uses the trio of her technology, creativity, and environment to create this piece. Using a drone to capture and edit the large-scale images of red ribbon on the white ice surrounding the Ibyuq Pingo, she quite literally defies all boundaries. “For me, the ice is my canvas, like [for] the y 'Sled Project' (2019) and Stitching My Landscape. Tat’s a blank piece of canvas.” Today, she continues to think up innovative uses of her landscape that the Inuvialuit have lived upon since ancient times.

Gruben’s work reaches many people of all ages. One of the main feelings her work conveys is “power and simplicity,” a young viewer had

said. An elderly woman in Vancouver once communicated with Gruben to say she had purchased a piece of her artwork, and then donated it to the Vancouver Art Gallery, because she wanted more people to see her artwork— not just herself. When Gruben heard this, she was completely amazed.

When it comes to advice for any new artist out there, Gruben answers “I, myself, went to college and got my diploma; I received a BFA from the University of Victoria in 2012 as well as diplomas from Okanagan College and the Enowkin Centre. I had started studying creative writing, Indigenous political leadership, and visual art. Educate yourself on what your passion is.” And for the readers? Gruben insists on practicing empathy and compassion for one another. “I think [Inuvialuit] all come from a place of love and respect for our land. Tat is huge. Tat's who we are.”

Moving with joy across the ice while my face turns brown from the sun (2019)

For me, the ice is a blank piece of canvas.

Still from Stitching My Landscape (2017); Video (6:10 mins). Commissioned by Partners In Art for LandMarks2017/Repères2017.

Curated by Tania Willard.

Through Their Eyes

WORDS BY CHARLES ARNOLD

An ancient image on a small (9 cm x 15 cm) wooden plaque in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C teases the imagination. Two figures are outlined with incised lines, and red and black pigments have been used to add details. Te partially visible figure on the left clearly is a person. In the centre is an animal, although not one that is immediately recognizable. Te shape and size of the body suggests that it could be a caribou, and like a caribou, it has antlers on its head. However, its muzzle is beak-shaped like a bird, and its four feet likewise are bird-like.

Te black and white patterning of its hide is reminiscent of a wolf or dog, as is the size and shape of its tail. Te composition suggests that there is a story represented by this image. But what story?

Tis is one of 15 images on wooden plaques that, along with items of clothing, tools, utensils, and other objects, including natural history specimens, were collected by Roderick MacFarlane for the Smithsonian Institution in the 1860s. MacFarlane, an employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company, established the Fort Anderson fur trading post on the upper Anderson River in 1861, and remained as Chief Trader there until it closed in 1866. Most of the people who travelled to the trading post trade were ancestral Inuvialuit from the coast near the mouth of the Anderson River. Te Hudson’s Bay Company was mainly interested in obtaining furs from them, but they gave MacFarlane permission to acquire cultural and natural history materials for the new Smithsonian Institution, which was reaching out to remote parts of the world for materials for research purposes and to show to museum visitors. >>

LEFT : Smithsonian Institution/National Museum of Natural History/ MacFarlane Collection E2545-5a.

ABOVE : A peregrine falcon returns to its nest, Anderson River region. (Photo credit: Joachim Obst)

RIGHT : Smithsonian Institution/ National Museum of Natural History/ MacFarlane Collection E2545-8a.

The article, ‘Through Their Eyes’ poses a question about illustrations made by an unknown Inuvialuk about 150 years ago: are they art? What does ‘art’ mean to you? Here (with some light editing) is what we heard from some of Tusaayaksat’s Facebook followers:

Another of the images, perplexing at first, shows a bird—but one that appears to sport antlers— standing next to a boat-shaped object that has something that looks like a lasso attached to it. MacFarlane collected bird eggs for the Smithsonian Institution, and an article that he published provides a clue that might explain what is shown in this image. In it he wrote that he recruited local people to gather eggs from nests in clifs along the Anderson River, and in order to ensure that he could properly identify the eggs by species he had them set snares by the nests to capture the adults. Tis image fits his description, although it leaves unanswered what the antler-like feature on top of the bird’s head represents.

STAN RUBEN: Art comes from true life … those forms and shapes, even of animals, become part of our cultural identity. In creating art we provide evidence as to who we are.

LORI OVILOK: Art is a way to tell a story.

LOGAN BULLOCK: A place to deposit a small piece of your soul!!! In a good way!!

CHANTELL ST AMAND: Art is using your inner creative being.

INUNG NUYAVIAK: Art of any kind is a way of fnding one's self.

MARGARET ALLISON THRASHER: Everyone has their own art. It can be who we are. Or what we live for. What interests us. I'd say art is what makes us as we create a piece.

DEZ LOREEN: An expression of one’s own creativity and an outlet for our imagination.

Other images on these wooden plaques seemingly are more self-evident. For example, one shows a person wearing skin clothing sitting on a stool, ‘jiggling’ for fish through a hole in the ice while a dog watches, perhaps anticipating a meal. Four fish appear to be attracted to a fish head used as bait. Although this is a realistic illustration of a common activity, we may wonder why two of the fish, and the fish head, have spurred lines attached to their heads, suggestive of antlers. >>

ANNALIESE JOY: Art to me has always meant expressing your true self, your heritage, infuences and passions.

CHARLES POKIAK: [Art brings] back the past to present, through our Grandfather’s and Grandmother’s eyes.

JOLENE THRASHER: Art is healing. Both for the artist and the one who sees it.

CHRISTINE SYDNEY: An expression of your passion.

TIANNA GORDON-RUBEN: Representation of who we are as a people.

CLARA BATES: Art to me is working with my hands and creating something that will make people happy...kind of a therapy for me too.

ERICA JOAN: Anything you make with your hands with a creative thought process.

HELENA KALVAK: Art for me is a very personal piece of me that I choose to create and share with the world.

DEBBIE RADDI: Art to me is being creative with your mind. [It] takes a lot to create art... especially for traditional crafs, and carvings!

BRIAN KOWICHUK: Art is the language of the past connecting to us. It is how our previous selves survive. It is a language only those that listen can hear. A handwritten message from the soul. To escape, is to go inside.

DON GRUBEN SR.: Survival!!!

STEPHANIE KAODLOAK: Art to me are the entries I write in my journal, the songs I make up while singing, my daughter's drawings. Art is a form of communication when you can’t fnd the right words. Art is many forms, and everyone has a diferent perspective of it.

ABOVE : (Smithsonian Institution/ National Museum of Natural History/ MacFarlane Collection E2545-8b)

ABOVE : (Smithsonian Institution/National Museum of Natural History/ MacFarlane Collection E2545-5b)

A few of the illustrations appear to show scenes at the trading post. In one such image three bearded men are seen sitting at a table, with the border around the image suggesting they are inside a building. Te man in the middle, dressed all in black and perhaps blessing a meal, may be the Roman Catholic missionary Father Émile Petitot, who visited Fort Anderson in 1865. Te other two men may be Roderick MacFarlane and one of his assistants.

We might never know why these images were created by an anonymous Inuvialuk more than 150 years ago. Tey may have been made to show foreign fur traders how local people lived. Perhaps they were intended to illustrate a story, or stories. Unfortunately, the Smithsonian’s records do not provide any explanation of what they represent. Except for the first year it was in operation, the Hudson’s Bay Company records from Fort Anderson that might have had the names of people who traded there, and what they brought for trade, have been lost.

In the Smithsonian Institution’s records these images are called ‘graphic art’. But are they art? None of the Inuvialuktun dialects seem to have had a word for ‘art’, in the sense of something that is created primarily for its aesthetic value—i.e. beauty—in the time before ‘Inuit Art’ was commercialized and promoted as economic activity starting in the 1950s. It is undeniable that many traditional Inuvialuit objects are beautifully made, and have decorative elements, but those attributes are often viewed as being secondary to the function of the object. Some have suggest-

ed that Inuvialuktun term that seems best to apply to these images is piksauyaq, borrowed from the English word ‘picture’. An observation by Father Émile Petitot, the Roman Catholic missionary who visited Fort Anderson in 1865 and then travelled with a group of Inuvialuit to their winter village on the coast, would seem to support this idea. In describing a discussion with one of the men at the village about their hunting pactices, he wrote:

Taking from the shelf a round covered box … he made drawings on it with ochre and carbon mixed with oil. He depicted a scene of the caribou hunt and one of a whale hunt and gave me the box.

Since we do not know why these images were created, it can be debated whether they are best described as ‘pictures’ or as ‘art’. Tey do seem to be pictures that document traditional life and activities of the Inuvialuit who traded at Fort Anderson. However, it is not unusual for today’s generation of Inuit artists to say that art is a way of expressing their culture to others in a universally understood language that transcends words. From this perspective, the illustrated plaques in the MacFarlane Collection could, indeed, be called art. But more important than labeling what they are is what they ofer. In the words of one Inuvialuit Elder when she looked at the illustrations, ‘It is like seeing our ancestors through their eyes’.

You can see more of the illustrated plaques in the MacFarlane Collection by visiting the Inuvialuit Pitqusiit Inuuniarutait/Inuvialuit Living History website (www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca).

Continuing a Proud Inuvialuit Artistic Tradition

WORDS by LISA HODGETTS & NATASHA LYONS

Inuvialuit have an age-old tradition of craftsmanship and artistry. We see this equally in the beautiful decoration of ancient artifacts and in wares on display at the Great Northern Arts Festival. Te knowledge and traditions behind contemporary artworks have been passed down through families for generations, and vary between individuals and communities. Inuvialuit art embodies these links between past and present, and is something we should all celebrate!

In this first regular column about the Inuvialuit Living History Project, Inuvialuit Pitqusiit Inuuniarutait, we highlight diferent aspects of Inuvialuit knowledge, artistry, and land-based activities. Our project began over a decade ago with the goal of exploring and sharing Inuvialuit culture and history, bringing traditions of the past and present together in meaningful ways, and creating opportunities for Elders and youth to spend time teaching and learning from each other. Our project team includes Inuvialuit knowledge-holders, leaders, and community members with archaeologists, anthropologists, and digital media specialists. Te project began with a visit to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC in 2009. Inuvialuit Elders and youth joined videographers from Inuvialuit Communications Society and anthropologists to learn more about the MacFarlane Collection. Te collection includes Inuvialuit tools, clothing, and other items assembled in the 1860s in the Anderson River area. Trough this process, we produced and launched the Inuvialuit Living History website (www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca) which features Inuvialuit and anthropological knowledge of this collection. We are currently working to expand the website to include Inuvialuit knowledge of more collections. Last October, team members EthelJean Gruben, Beverly Amos, and Chuck Arnold travelled with Gerald Inglangasuk from IRC, to the National Museum of the American Indian

in Washington DC to document the Cadzow Collection, which includes objects from the Mackenzie Delta in the early 1900s, that will be presented on the website. We are creating a new section of the website that features youth and Elders sharing knowledge and practicing traditional skills, games, and activities in town and on the land. For a third new section, we are assembling images, video and audio related to a series of cultural sites for an interactive map that will showcase the full breadth and scope of Inuvialuit use of the ISR through time.

We are excited to share all of the diferent types of art created and shared during these events— stories, songs, photos, video, audio, 3D models, photospheres, prints, drawings, tools, carvings, laser etchings—on the expanded website. Watch for your chance to preview the new website and make suggestions when we tour the ISR communities in 2021. You can also follow our progress on the Inuvialuit Living History Facebook page. We invite you to share your thoughts there.

In the past few years, we have hosted several events to bring community members together to handle ancestral objects, produce new ones, and continue Inuvialuit artistic traditions in a range of media. Tese pages highlight ancient and contemporary art from those events: the Inuvialuit Living History Gathering, co-hosted by our project and East 3 School in the fall of 2018, the Imniarvik Culture Camp, co-hosted by our project and Parks Canada in the summer of 2019, and the recent visit to Washington by project team members, including Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre staf, to document the Cadzow Collection.

INUVIALUITLIVINGHISTORY.CA

} Danielle Rogers makes an ulu stencil during the ILH Gathering at East 3. Photo: Lisa Hodgetts

} Angelina Joe interviews Renie Arey and Walter Bennett during the Culture Camp.

Photo: Jason Lau

} Beverly Amos and Ethel-Jean Gruben examine an inner parka made of caribou skins from the Cadzow Collection and the National Museum of the American Indian.

Photo: Charles Arnold

} Starr Elanik makes an embroidered pendant for Renie Arey during the Imniarvik camp.

Photo: Becky Goodwin

| Antler fshing lures from Agvik, a 500-yearold camp on the south coast of Banks Island.

Photo: Hope Atkinson

Elder Walter Bennett passed on this spring. We enjoyed our time with him immensely at the Imniarvik camp. He was a gentle soul and is missed by family and friends.

} Hayven Elanik takes photos while on a hike during the Imniarvik camp. Photo: Jason Lau

Our home in the 50s in the Delta—my stomping ground. Love the land I grew up on.

“When Elders give you something, they're actually giving you their gift.

Tat's what they believe in our culture. Tey give you their gift.”

STORY TOLD BY ANNA PINGO

ILLUSTRATIONS BY KYLE NATKUSIAK ALEEKUK

She wanted to because he was single and didn't have a wife. But soon, Agnes found that she just got so busy with life: Life got so busy. I drew them out in Tuk. And mind you, I'm sitting there with the little lamp, sometimes even candles…the lighting was not that great. But I wanted to finish the leaves because they say the leaves are the hardest one to work with.

So, she did those leaves, started on the flower… then moved to Aklavik, went back home, and then Herschel Island. She tells me a story about that year in Herschel Island: ‘I ended up getting sixty fox!’ She said she'd pack two little girls in a sled and walk around to her trapline to check her traps. Ten in the evenings, she'd work on the shoes.

But then she ended up going back to Tuk and, in December of 1963, married an American man, before moving between Aklavik, Tuk, Herschel Island, Burlington, Kansas, and Seattle. Te pair then spent over 30 years in Alaska, before moving back to Canada. When her husband passed away in 2009, Agnes moved

to Leduc, Alberta to be closer to home. It had been hard for her to stay in the North because of her arthritis. It was also hard because, as she said: 'Being back home—there's so much memories of residential school.'

As Agnes kept moving through those years, she had gotten so busy and just kept taking the sewings with her wherever she went. In 2004, her brother Frank passed away from cancer. At that point, she was thinking:

Gee, I was getting so busy in life, and my age crept up on me. My eyes are not that great. Now my brother's gone…what am I gonna do about the sewings I started for him?

A VISIT THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

Around 2014, my husband Fraser and I went to visit Agnes in Leduc. As she was sharing stories about her brother Frank, all of a sudden, she said, 'Gee…just wait!' She went into her room and came out with a bunch of these sewings. She said, 'Look, I was making these for my brother Frank!' She looks at me. 'I see you on Facebook, Anna, you're trying to sew for your family!'

PHOTOS BY (LEFT) MURIELLE NAGY, 1991; AND (RIGHT) LEE WHITE, PRESENT

I looked at her and I said, 'I'm trying. I'm not the greatest, but I'm trying…' She replied: I talked to my daughter Evelyn already. My daughter would not take this opportunity to finish them. I asked her if I could give them to you and she said 'sure.' Because Frank was my favourite brother, and Fraser is his oldest son… You finish them for Fraser!

Tat day, Agnes gave me her sewings—the tops for the shoes and a back for a fancy jacket. She even gave me her parka! I just looked at her and thought: 'What?! How?! How in the heck you expect me to do that pretty stitches?! I'll never be able to do it.' She replied, 'You're gonna do it. Just keep trying.'

At that moment, I was looking at her and thinking: 'No way… Like, how do you expect me to do that sewing machine stitch?! It looks like she did it with a sewing machine!' But in a sense, I also felt proud. Why would she give me something so precious and near and dear to her heart? I realized: she's gotta love Fraser so much that she would do something like that. She actually wants these sewings to go on to be recognized—to know that all this hard work was all made out of love. How did I get so lucky to have been given this special gift?

AN ELDER’S GIFT

When Agnes gave me her sewings, she actually gave me the gift of sewing. In the Inuvialuit way, any kind of gift that the Elders give you (whether it be a hunting knife, harpoon, or these sewings), they believe that the Elder is giving you the gift of what they have and what they’ve learned throughout their life. Tey want it to go on in you, to make sure that somebody is gonna keep on that tradition of hunting, trapping, or sewing. I remember hearing an Elder say just that: they're giving you their gift.

Tere's just something about our people, they have some kind of…something inside them that was passed on from generation to generation, to have these special gifts and to know that right person to give them to. It's amazing; it just blows me away as to how the Elders know. Tey just know who to pass their gifts on to…

I think Agnes must have been observing her family, because she comes from a big family. It just so happens that, in 2014, she got a hold of my husband Fraser and asked him if we had an extra room for her to stay a couple of nights… And that's where it all began. She found out then that I was a language teacher from hearing stories and paying attention to our life. She started realizing that I was trying to learn how to sew and take care of my family. She says to me: You know, Anna…since I been staying with you guys, I see that you're really trying to take care of your family. You love your husband so much—that's my nephew! My brother's gone, and you're there trying to take the best care that you can of your husband and I'm so proud

Agnes is even teaching me the language now because she sees that I’m a language teacher. So, when she calls, she tries to speak the language to me and explain this is how you say it, and this is what it means. She even tells me the old language—words that they hardly use anymore!

THE POWER OF PRAYER

In 2008, I was at a Language Gathering in Inuvik. People there were saying, 'Te language is dying. It's dying.' But this one Gwich'in Elder replied: 'Tat's not true. Te language is not dying.' We kind of looked at him.

He said, 'Where do you think the language came from in the first place?' And he pointed up to the ceiling. I looked up at the ceiling… silly me! He meant the Creator—that's where we got the language from!

'Ask, and you shall receive,' he said.

At that point in my life, I'd been having problems because I was being criticized for teaching Inuvialuktun while not being 'fluent'. We also always got racist remarks because we're from Nunavut. An Elder once said that my grandparents 'come from nowhere and they're nobody.' Tat really hurt.

So I sat at this gathering and I just cried—I was having a hard day. I went home and, while shedding a few tears, I sat there and prayed. I said to the Creator, 'Only you know where I come from and where my mom comes from. Only you know her family and who they're all related to. Only you could teach me the language.' I just cried and cried. ‘I'm asking you today, Lord—teach me. I'm gonna rely on you to teach me the language.'

DREAMING WITH ELDERS

Since that day in 2008, I've had two dreams with Elders who have passed on, and they're teaching me the language in my dream.

I told Agnes one day: 'Agnes! Guess what? Guess who was the first person who came and visited me? Emmanuel Felix!' She looks at me and said his Inuvialuktun name. He came to visit you! Anna, that's gotta be the most 'specialest' thing because when we'd have gatherings, Emmanuel was always the first to speak as the leader. He would speak for the people. Te first thing he'd do when he'd stand up is speak in Inuvialuktun. He'd say his whole speech in the language. And then, after that, he'd talk in English and really advocate for the language. He always used his language first. He really pushed for people to be speaking in the language.

Emmanuel Felix did visit me in my dream. We gave each other a big hug. It was weird because I didn't really understand Inuvialuktun, and even though he was speaking to me in Inuvialuktun, I understood everything he was saying. I looked at him and said, 'Emmanuel… I can understand you?' And in his language, he said to me, 'Well that's because you asked. We're gonna teach it to you.' I was so excited, that I grabbed his arm. I think we were walking in heaven because it was just white. Wherever we walked, there were Elders and couples sitting really close to each other, speaking to each other in the language. I was holding Emmanuel's arm while walking… 'Emmanuel! Emmanuel! Tey're all speaking in Inuvialuktun and I can understand!' He said, 'You see? We're gonna teach you.' I thought: oh my god, I'm so excited! Tat was my first dream.

Another Elder was teaching me Inuvialuktun as well, but it was a really quick dream where she taught me just a little bit. All of a sudden, I heard my husband go: 'Good morning, good morning!!!' I ended up waking up. I looked at him and said, 'Ah! Fraser! Don't wake me up when I'm sleeping! I'm getting Inuvialuktun lessons when I'm sleeping!' He started laughing and apologizing. Tere was a lady visiting me that morning, but I woke up so suddenly that, whoever she was, she just left me. I kept thinking she might have been my dad's mom—but I'm not sure. Tat was the second dream about the language I had.

I had one more dream as I started to really focus on learning how to sew. It was my great-grandmother on my mom's side. We were sitting and there was an amauti behind us, and it had those big flowers—you know,

like those ladies from Ulukahktok? I looked at her and said, 'You're my great-grandmother.' She smiled at me. I grabbed the amauti and asked her if she made it. She says, 'Yeah, I did.' And as I was putting my hands over the lilac-coloured amauti with big white flowers, I said, ‘You're my great-grandmother, and you're here to teach me, right?' She said, 'Yeah.'

All of a sudden, my dream changed, and she wasn't there anymore. But in my dream, I got a text. I looked at that text—my great grandmother had texted me. Like, she's born in the 1800s—but I knew it was from her! Te text said: 'My life is an open book.'

I just thought: 'When I'm ready, somehow they're gonna come to me and show me how to cut out one of those parkas.'

BEING GRATEFUL

Learning about the culture, my people, and these ways of doing this beautiful art—it's just a gift from my ancestors, I know. It's not just me learning; it's people being put in my life who know how to do these kinds of things. I might not be the best at sewing, but I find people like Brian Rogers, my cousin Donna Johns, and Agnes White—those who will show me the right way.

Not only being a singer and songwriter but having the opportunity to learn to do something like this—that's all gotta be some kind of a gift. I went through so many hardships growing up, being born with a birthmark on my face that was such a burden to me when I was little. Now, I think it's just the Creator's way to make up for letting me go through such a hard time. I know inside of me: it was my prayer that started all of this.

Look at how weird! How many years ago I made my own dufels. I’d made them way before Agnes gave me any sewings. But look at the dufels—hers and mine are the same! Same colour and same yarn! It's like I was destined to have these sewings, like even before I knew it. It's crazy.

These ones—Agnes started 60 years ago. She had all the leaves done, and then did some of the fowers; I was part of one she did with blue. That's when I asked her: 'What colours do you want me to do? I see the pink and burgundy and blue.' She said: 'It's up to you. I gave them to you!' And so, I just incorporated the rest of the colours. You see, because they were originally made for her brother, the tops were based of of his dad's calves and he was thinner, with smaller width in his legs. But, because the shoes are now for my husband Fraser, who is a big man, she had to add extensions to the back of it.

The seal is actually what I got [when] I took a sewing class with Aurora College. It was supposed to be a two-day workshop. And I didn't get to have a chance to fnish because there were so many students. I was making myself shoes, and when I cut out the seal, the lady said (afer I cut them out): "Oh my goodness, I brought the wrong pattern, they're way too big!" And I was really disappointed 'cause I was making these shoes for myself, and I paid maybe about $350 for that course. These are not even gonna be for me, and they were already done. So, I thought: oh well, I could just use for them for Fraser's shoes. Agnes took them right away when the tops were done and completed them.

When Agnes took the sealskin, I said: 'I got some moose hide there, too!' And she said: 'No, I have some at home…my last piece! My husband bought me moose hide in 1985!' So here that moose hide is. Fraser hasn't even worn them to Jamboree yet. They were just done in August!

Make-up Artist: @carolynbeautyandstyle.

Lashes: @laashlashes

Earrings: @indi_city

Model: Karis Gruben @k_grub

Photo: Angela Holmyard @angelaholmyardphotography

INUVIALUIT MODELS ON THE WORLD STAGE

EMBRACE THE BEAUTY OF (Y)OUR CULTURE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT.

WILLOW ALLEN

I first got into modelling almost a year and a half ago. I was scouted through Instagram and it sparked my curiosity.

At that time, I was moving to a new city for university and wanted something to be involved in besides school. I thought it would be a great way to meet new people. Without expecting much out of it and not knowing what it was like to be a model, I decided to research agencies in my area, and filled out an online application. I definitely wasn’t expecting for it to take me as far as it has. Tinking back to the beginning, I can’t believe how little I knew about the industry and all the opportunities it carried!

Back when I started in 2018, I was living in Edmonton for university. I spent the first few months doing local fashion shows and shoots as I started transitioning into the modelling world. When I first signed, my agency already had plans for me to work internationally; after three months of preparation and building up my portfolio, I eventually joined Ave Model Management in Singapore. By January 2019, I went from living in familiar places close to home, to living in South Asia all by myself. It was definitely the biggest transition I’ve ever made—especially given I had only started modelling 3 months prior. It

was the first time I really got to shoot for major brands and see myself in stores and magazines. Te whole time I would be thinking to myself, “Wow, I can’t believe this is really my life!”

To this day it still feels so surreal and every new job is so exciting.

After Singapore, I signed with agencies in Toronto and Montreal, where I have spent the better half of the last six months, getting to shoot for some of my favourite brands.

Recently, I signed with one of the top modelling agencies in the world, Elite Model Management—so now the next stop in my journey will be New York City. It still hasn’t quite hit me yet. If I were to tell myself this in high school, I would have never believed it. Even just the thought of moving out of Inuvik would have been terrifying.

I define art as creating something beautiful, unique and interesting to look at. I truly do believe modelling and everything that goes into this work is a form of art, which isn’t something a lot of people would think. Tere is so much that goes into capturing a shot from the hair and makeup artist, to the creative directors, to the photographer, and everyone else on set. Everyone works together to create an image, and it’s the model’s job to portray the right

movements, moods, and expressions that will bring everyone’s ideas to life.

I would say I definitely try to connect modelling with my culture, identity, and where I come from as much as possible. I really believe I carry that with me close to my heart and it has all shaped who I am today—so much. I love telling the people I get to meet and work with about the North, my culture, and what it’s like because it makes me proud. Some of my favourite jobs have been shooting for Indigenous designers and doing Indigenous fashion shows. Being able to express that part of me through my work has been some of my most moving experiences. Te reason I got where I am today is because of my Inuit look that is unique from the other models and that is what I love.

My advice for young Inuvialuit models, artists and creators is to embrace the beauty of our culture to the fullest extent. Don’t be shy or afraid of expressing yourself and putting yourself out there and taking chances. Just because it might not be common or heard of, doesn’t mean it’s not right and worth expressing. Our culture is so unique from the rest of the world and that’s what makes it so amazing and special.

MODELLING IS DEFINITELY AN ART FORM—IT'S A WAY TO LET YOUR CREATIVITY FLOW AND EXPLORE.

KARIS GRUBEN

Iguess you can say my first experience was when I was 4 years old and my mom was participating in a modelling event at the Museum of Civilization here in Ottawa, ON. I was a tired, small child and I wanted to go home, and to get me out of that funk my mom brought me on stage with her—both of us wearing parkas—and that's my first recorded on stage runway pout. I've done a few things here and there, including the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik, Ottawa Fashion Week, Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto, and many other local fashion shows and photoshoots across Ottawa.

I can't pinpoint my most memorable experience while modelling because, as my own agent, I've always been very choosy on the projects I choose to work on. So, all projects I've worked have always had some aspect to the experience that I wanted to do—from a winter outdoor photoshoot in a gown with a violin, to accepting a project in order to work with a certain photographer, makeup artist or designer.

Modelling is definitely an art form—it's a way to let your creativity flow and explore. To all the young people who want to explore this area, I'd tell them to go for it! It's all about enjoying the process and the connections you make—at least that's what has worked for me thus far.

"Karis expressed interest in acting, and I was very impressed with her modelling career. When the opportunity to do this flm came about, it was a no brainer to have her play one of the lead characters. Karis not only ft the profle visually, but her performance on-screen was brilliant. I'm excited to see where she takes her acting skills, and would love to cast her again for more flms! As a director, having someone who can take direction well, improvise when needed, work long hours and have it not afect their performance all the while it being their frsttime acting... is a dream." —Iowísto Director Brittany Delgaty (www.brittd.com)

Pictured: Behind the scenes of the flm Iowísto. (Photo by Francois Mittins)

ASHLEY EMAGHOK

I grew up in Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk, but growing up, I was always going back and forth from the Northern communities to living down in Edmonton. I was always a photogenic kid, I guess. [laughs] I seen an ad in the newspaper for a modelling school, and I asked my mom if I could start going to those classes. She agreed and took me every Saturday and I think that's where I first had interest into modelling. I was 15 years old. Tat kept me out of trouble, really.

In modelling school, I remember we used to have training on a runway. We used to train how to do diferent kinds of poses. Tey also used to train us how to do our make-up, and to boost our confidence—for young girls, and boys, too. It was fun. One time I got to go to Toronto with that modelling school for a modelling competition—that was one of my first-ever experiences flying to a diferent city! I didn't win, but that was one of the best memories I had growing up as a kid, because not a lot of young Inuit children get to experience that.

Te way I was headed before, with my lifestyle choices—I guess my mom had some disbelief after I really worked hard to get where I'm at now. I guess she kind of realized that—yeah, I do have some talent in that area. She's more supportive now, which means a lot! She wants to believe in me, and I think she gave me the benefit of the doubt. I want her to be proud of me, and for her to believe in me, and that this really has a big impact in my life.

I think modelling is connected to art in different ways, because you're helping other people with their designs, you know? It shows your personality. I like that word: reflection. Te art reflects on me; I really want this to have a purpose. I can get shy, but when I do my modelling, I express more. I communicate better with photos.

INDIGENOUS FASHION WEEK IN TORONTO I heard it from a friend in town actually—she’s one of the artists that will be there in Fashion Week in Toronto. I seen an ad on Facebook, so I just applied when the model call came out. If you're accepted, then you'll get Skype interviews. Indigenous designers from around the world will be at this event. I've worked with a couple of them, actually. Like Victoria's Arctic Fashion—I modelled for her in Iqaluit, for her collection that she just had in Paris Fashion Week that she went to. I'm really hoping that I get to have this experience in Toronto, so I can get more exposure to the fashion world. Meeting and working with more designers and models, as well as experiencing the diferent cultures from the designers are what I'm most looking forward to at Indigenous Fashion Week!

DOWN THE ROAD I want to encourage the younger generation to just follow your dreams and you can do anything you put your mind to. You just have to work hard for it. But you can do it. It's not impossible. If you see an opportunity, go for it and grab it. Just keep going.

I LIKE THAT WORD: REFLECTION. THE ART REFLECTS ON ME.

Connecting SNOW BLOCKS Connecting Cultures

To build iglut in Inuvik, we have to pile the snow so that we can cut snow blocks.

Te snow here in the tree line is too flufy to cut solid snow blocks out of. Whereas on the tundra, there isn’t anything to stop the wind; therefore, the wind creates the snow piles for us to cut the snow blocks right out of the wind drifts. Once the snow blocks are cut out of the snow piles, we are able to construct the iglut. Te way that we put the blocks together is with the first layer, the blocks are slowly leaned inward, with the leaning being more dramatic as the layers get higher. Te idea is that, as the layers get higher and higher, the next layer is being supported by the lower layer by constructing it like a spiral staircase, instead of putting the higher layer just on top of the lower layer.

Te most challenging part of building an iglu is getting the support block in place for the higher layer to be supported by the lower layer. It is the most critical block, because that support block is the one that carries the weight of that next layer of blocks until that layer finishes its circle.

When I was young, my Taatak (grandfather) coached me a little on how to build an iglu. It

wasn’t an extensive amount of coaching, as I had learned a lot of things—I learned by doing, while making mistakes, and using my creative mind to problem-solve the next steps. For me, this is what had allowed me to be able to learn so many skills so quickly, as my ancestors have in the past. For us, if we were not able to learn quickly, we might not be here today.

Troughout my whole life, there has always been a creative bone in me. My mom still does a lot of drawing, and growing up, I’ve done a lot of drawing myself, as well as carving with stone and wood. While I’ve been traveling down in the US for about 10 years, before moving back home (Inuvik), I’ve dabbled into photography, particularly while on rock climbing trips.

Constructing iglut and making ice sculptures definitely is a form of art. Te iglu is such an iconic symbol for Inuvialuit culture, and represents one way of how we as Inuvialuit people have been able to survive here in the Arctic. Not only is it a form of art, but also a feat of engineering. Te ability to figure out how to place each snow block, and understand how the snow molecules bond together between those blocks

WORDS BY NOEL-LEIGH COCKNEY

so that they don’t fall and make the whole thing collapse on you while you’re building it, truly is amazing. But, with this knowledge, it is how it has been for generations; that knowledge is passed on from generation to generation. Tat is how we have been able to really have a strong relationship with the land. It shows how important it is to be connected, in an intimate way, so that we were able to survive.

Art to me, is an expression of not only one’s self, but the representation of people. No matter where you go in the world, there is one form of expression or representation of a culture that is symbolic to those people. Tat is what makes me so inspired to learn from as many people

from around the world as I can, so that I am able to grasp an understanding of not only how unique our life is here in the Canadian Arctic, but how unique every culture is.

What I want the next generation to know and understand is: for us, as curious human beings, we need the ability to learn from others, no matter where they are from, as well as represent Inuvialuit culture in a way for foreigners to understand how we live up here—both historically, and modernly. Since the vast majority of the Canadian population is within 100-200 kilometres of the Canada-US border, very few people completely understand how we live up here.

The iglu is such an iconic symbol for Inuvialuit culture, and represents one way of how we as Inuvialuit people have been able to survive here in the Arctic. Not only is it a form of art, but also a feat of engineering.

When I talk to and listen to Kylik Kisoun-Taylor about Tundra North Tours, it is all about both: us as a people to be connected to our culture, but also being able to get the knowledge of our culture out into the world. With that thought, I completely agree. Tourism is a gateway for us to project our culture to the world, for others to see and understand how we live, but also a gateway for us as Inuvialuit to keep up and practice the traditions that have been passed down from one generation to the other for thousands of years. Tourism is the way for us to be able to get paid for what our ancestors have done for those thousands of years of survival. For that, I am truly thankful for those who have passed on before me, because without the background I have, I would just fade into ‘modern’ society. Tat hasn’t happened because, everywhere I travel, I share my life and my culture with others, so that I am able to keep the spirit of my ancestors alive—so that they will be able to live on in those stories that have continued to be passed on through the spoken words of an Inuvialuk.

~ EVEN THOUGH HE IS MY GRANDFATHER, I CALL HIM DAD. I do that because I copy how my mom talked to her parents, and how her parents talked to my mom.

William Bill Cockney is my father fgure! He has taught me everything I know about camping, from how to travel, to be able to notice everything around me at every point in my life. He taught me how to take care of myself at every moment of my life, so that I can care for others around me at any moment, no matter who they are, and no matter where I am. Most importantly, my dad taught me how to be humorous, how to stealthily pick on people (or torture, depending how you look at it); he showed me no matter how old we are, we need laughter in our lives.

I have a little joke I did to the students I taught far from here. When I picked on them, like my dad did with me growing up, some of them would ask me, “are you a child?” I responded by saying that I am only fve years old, while deliberately holding out only four fngers.

I know the 10 years I was in the States have been hard on my family, with me having been gone for school and work. This does not mean I don’t hold my home and my family dear to my heart…it means the complete opposite. It means that I hold my family closer to my heart than anything else in this world! The students I taught and the people I worked with knew this because I talked about home and my family every time I was asked a question about such topic. I continually educate people about my home because I am truly proud of where I come from, like how my dad, and other family members have taught me.

My dad said to me long ago, your work should be something you love. It shouldn’t feel like work most of the time. Yes, work can be hard at times, but that’s when I shine best, just like when I watched my dad do the same when he had to put his foot down and fgure out the best solution for him and the people he was with.

While writing this, I am fnishing a difcult course. Every obstacle I came upon, I used the tactics I watched my dad use.

From this moment, I know that everything will become easier, because I know my dad is watching me from above, throwing down things to help me learn from each situation I fnd myself in. I only ask for one thing, dad: throw more things down I can use to pick on people, so I can laugh and make others laugh, too—just like you’ve done with me.

—Noel-Leigh Cockney

@ NOLERBEAR 1989

North Slope Caribou Hunt (2019) is a digitally-painted sticker created to post overtop anti-fur propaganda stickers around Toronto. All in black-and-white with the use of digital greyscale, this work depicts the Yukon north coast on a hunting trip in the late nineties where my parents and my Aaka (grandma) took my sister and me out. When we got a caribou right by the shore, my parents and brothers continued up the mountains to see if they could get another and left my Aaka, sister, and myself to cut up the caribou. My Aaka fed my sister and I some of the raw caribou—and this sticker depicts these events.

@ YESYESIMTOM

TOM MCLEOD is an Inuvialuk storyteller and multimedia artist based out of OCAD University in Toronto, Ontario and Aklavik, Northwest Territories, in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. He is also a Canadian best author and Silver Birch Express nominated author for his book The Delta Is My Home, a children’s information book that focuses on life in the North and a particularly dramatic spring where the town of Aklavik fooded.

Tom is a former CBC radio personality with a show on CBC Northbeat, where he would tell stories of on-the-land and traditional Inuvialuit and Gwich’in activities, such as hunting, trapping, fshing, and travelling his traditional lands across the NWT and Yukon. He has also had experience as a television producer with the Inuvialuit Communications Society (ICS), where he produced television and commercial content, as well as a social media producer for the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC), where he created educational and informative content for the people of the North.

DARCIE “OUIYAGHASIAK” BERNHARDT is an Inuvialuk artist from Tuktoyaktuk, NT. Being raised on the ocean’s harsh winds carved her a special bond with Western Arctic landscapes. Bernhardt holds a BFA from NSCAD University, where she focused on painting domestic spaces and contemporary life in the North. Bernhardt’s solo show Ouiyaghasiak refects Inuvialuit and Gwich'in people on canvas. The oil paintings are scenes from her memories; she rediscovers her culture through painting and translates her memories to canvas by creating her own language. Bernhardt’s work was installed at Nuit Blanche (Montreal, 2019) as a part of GLAM Collective’s Memory Keepers I, and she was the assistant curator for Memory Keepers II at Art in the Open (Charlottetown, 2019). Recently, Bernhardt's work was shown as the featured artist for the Inuit Art Foundation at Art Toronto (2019).

A KOREAN BBQ FEAST

RECIPE by SHAYNA ALLEN

PHOTOS by BRIAN KOWIKCHUK

INGREDIENTS

PROTEINS :

£ Caribou slices

£ Caribou short ribs

£ Caribou marrow

£ Shrimp

SIDES :

£ Butter lettuce

£ Rice noodles

£ White onion

£ Mushrooms

£ Jalapeño

£ Kimchi

£ Red chilli paste

INSTRUCTIONS

Œ  I marinate my protein in 3 separate bowls. In each bowl, add 1/8 cup soya sauce, 1/8 green onion, 1 tbsp red chilli paste, and 1 sliced white onion for 30 mins.

 Caribou marrow cooks in the oven at 200oF for 6 hours.

TO MAKE THE WRAP :

Ž Grill caribou slices, shrimp, and desired veggies. Grab 1 butter lettuce leaf, smear red chilli paste, add rice noodles and desired protein and toppings. Enjoy with caribou pho and caribou marrow.

INGREDIENTS

£  6 cups of water

£ Caribou bones/meat

£  6 cups of beef broth

£ Onion (cut in half)—roast at 400oF for 15 mins

SPICES ( FRY ON MEDIUM STOVETOP HEAT FOR 2 MINS ):

£ Fennel

£ Coriander

£ Black peppercorns

£ Cloves

£ Cinnamon

DON'T FORGET!

£ Rice noodles

£ Green and red onion

£ Jalapeño

INSTRUCTIONS

Œ Boil on low for 6 hours.

 On last hour, turn to medium (add green onions).

Ž Strain broth and add rice noodles.

ADD TOPPINGS :

Green Onion, Jalapeño, Red Onion, and Tinly-sliced Caribou (add broth over the caribou slices, as it will cook the meat).

CARIBOU LETTUCE WRAPS CARIBOU PHO

ART BY SHEREE MCLEOD

BLUE GREEN

WHITE

RED

x hungaqtaaq — sungaqtaq — hungayaaqtuq

y marraqtaaq — marraqtaaqtuq — marlungayuq

z taałak — qirniqtuq — qirnariktuq

{ qatiqhaq — qatiqtuq — qakuqtaq

ANSWERS : Blue (two); Brown (fve); Black (six); Green (four); Red (one); White (seven); Yellow (three)

Artists Hub

AUTHENTICALLY INDIGENOUS

Te Artists Hub

– Authentically Indigenous is a non-profit corporation and a joint venture between the Inuvialuit and Gwich’in, funded in part by winning the Arctic Inspiration Prize in 2018.

We have also received support from Te Government of Northwest Territories’ Industry, Tourism, and Investment (ITI). Our mandate is to support Indigenous artists and crafters in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) and the Gwich’in Settlement Area (GSA) through the creation of Artists’ Associations in each of the communities and by providing training and business supports for individual artisans. Other benefits ofered include: assistance in accessing funding, promotion and marketing of Indigenous art and developing branding for products identifying them as authentically Inuvialuit or Gwich’in through labelling. We will be also providing support in financial management and bookkeeping, as well as assistance in accessing contracts, if required.

Our logo, a pinwheel suggesting continuous motion, has eight arms, each representing a

community in the Gwich’in Settlement Area and Inuvialuit Settlement Region. Tis represents the movement we can all work together to create.

It is our goal to broaden the markets and increase visibility and sales for our members. Our plan is to increase the current market of tourists who visit the region by promoting the artists and their products online, highlighting their bios and providing photos of their works. We are also looking at expanding the markets by promoting artists and crafters to galleries and retailers across Canada. We plan to post current bios for the Indigenous artists in the region on our website, that is currently under construction.

In early February, Peggy Jay (Chair) and I were able to travel to Ottawa, Ontario, for the Arctic Inspiration Prize Sustainability Event and witness the birth of other projects underway. It was such an eye-opener; I felt like I was a part of something so much bigger than I thought. Ten I realized: I am! Te Arctic Inspiration Prize has helped many of our people over the years. Tere is a group of people who come together from diferent sectors of the financial world to go over proposals for the prize, awarding up to $3 million each year with prizes from $100,000 to $1 million. In other words, it is a bit like speed dating for Dragon’s Den (a show for entrepreneurs to seek partners with their ideas). We were able to speak to people about the potential of our initiative and how it

TUSAAYAKSAT SPRING 2020 COLLABORATOR

will create a ripple efect for the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit people in the North, and our urban Inuvialuit/Gwich’in. Te board includes Peggy Jay (Consultant), Joyce Blake (Industry, Tourism, and Investment of the Government of the Northwest Territories), Verna Pope (Gwich’in Tribal Coucil), Veronica Kasook (Inuvialuit Regional Corporation), and Sue McNeil. Sue McNeil and Verna Pope have worked very hard with the nominator(s) to promote and deliver this outstanding initiative.

Te Hub will be able to support artists in creating and selling materials for product promotion, ‘swag’ material, business cards, and other promotional material for the artists/crafters to deliver the authenticity of the product(s) being sold. We will be tagging the products to authenticate whether it is a Gwich’in product, or Inuvialuit product. Te reason behind that is: we are experiencing tourists coming up North and stating, “If we wanted to get things that were made from down South, we would have just stayed down South.” With that in mind, we will be amplifying the target market sales with an online website to connect producers with consumers. We will be creating more circulation in the flow of sales throughout the art world within Canada. We will be sensitive to the shipment of product internationally, as there are restrictions with fur and ivory—which, in fact, is a large percentage of Indigenous sales. Our relationship with the Arts, Crafts,

Technology Micro-Manufacturing Centre (ACTMC) is strong and continues to grow. We completed our first project with an experienced artist/crafter at the ACTMC, with assistance from their skilled staf. Te project was a success as the customers were satisfied and the artists gained experience. Te foreseeable future with the ACTMC promises to be an ongoing collaboration. Carrying out contracts/subcontracts for our Indigenous people and creating greater revenue for the artists/ crafters/micro-manufacturers are our goals. Currently, COVID-19 has caused us to put projects on hold, but we are looking forward to opening new doors for our people and local businesses looking to have our artists’ authentically Indigenous products on their shelves.

Tere are so many opportunities with art and crafting. To take advantage of them and create, we must look within. What a time for our people to expand their gifts!

Tank you,

Brian Kowikchuk Communications/Social Media Manager

There are so many opportunities with art and crafting. To take advantage of them and create, we must look within.

As the world is gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic, and all are encouraged to stay home—artists and creators are rediscovering their skills and crafts. One project in particular that has spread more quickly than the virus itself in the North has been homemade masks. We heard from just a few of the many seamstresses and sewers who are valiantly fighting the fight against COVID-19—one mask at a time.

Initially, my masks were only a donation to our local humane society in Central Alberta. However, I started receiving messages asking if I’d be making masks to sell. I originally turned requests down solely because I didn’t feel they’d be efective when worn out in public places. The messages kept coming though, so I decided to research what fabric could be best used to protect people. I found a supplier for polypropylene, a fabric used in the making of the blue surgical masks that we commonly see. I now have 100 masks waiting to be completed with a third layer of protection!

I’m not making these masks for a proft—that was never the intent. I want those purchasing them to be safe and not out a bunch of money for them. My cost is just to recover the fabric used in the making of these masks.

We have been home for just a few days shy of a month, following what our health care professionals are asking of us. It’s been difcult—some days worse than others. The end goal is far greater than losing out on socializing, freedom, etc. Keep up with household routines, engage with friends and family through calls and video chats. Indulge in your hobbies—they are a great distraction, and at the end of the day, you have masterpieces!

JEANIE BENNETT

I would go to the busy stores and noticed that some people do not cover their coughs and many of the employees are young people. Spending a lot of time at home, I decided to Google how to make masks. The frst day and half, I made over 50! I gave them to the Stanton’s and Northern Store employees in Tuk, coworkers, as well as some Elders, while reminding them to be safe, as they interact with a lot of people. My masks are washable and have adjustable strings. It is a good idea to keep them in Ziplock bags when not in use. They do not provide 100% protection, but they help! To date, I have made over 100 masks. I am getting a lot of interest, so I have started selling them; I currently have to make 80 more flling orders! It’s a good pastime as I enjoy sewing. Lastly, I would like to say that: while you are social distancing, fnd something you enjoy doing—don’t just sit or lay around! It seems to be a good time to pick up your hobbies.

VERYL GRUBEN

I was making masks only for my family at frst. But, a couple of Elders asked for some just to go shopping and check mail, so I said I would make more and let them pick from them. It's better to be safe than sorry! When I frst started making the masks two weeks ago, the news said that people should be using them only if they’re sick. So, hearing that, I stopped for a bit. However, I started again once they said people should make them for safety reasons. I wish I had the right materials, but I am just using what I have, while adding some designs from my Cricut to make each one diferent. I wanted to add mouths and funny faces, but my internet is so slow right now to make more designs!

GAILANN RADDI

Debbie Bernhardt

Mask by Catherine Cockney

Nikita Larter

Tanya Berry

Jeannie Sapp

Gailann Raddi

Trish Allen

Gailann Raddi

Ocean Cockney

HELP REDUCE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

TAKE

STEPS TO

Follow the advice of your local public health authority.

Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

Cough and sneeze into your sleeve and not your hands.

Isolate at home to avoid spreading illness to others.

FEVER (greater or equal to 38 °C)

COUGH

DIFFICULTY BREATHING

Call ahead before you visit a health care professional or call your local public health authority.

FOR INFORMATION ON COVID-19 : 1-833-784-4397 canada.ca/coronavirus

Avoid visits with older adults, or those with medical conditions. They are at higher risk of developing serious illness.

If your symptoms get worse, contact your health care provider or public health authority right away and follow their instructions.