Unipkaaqtit Storytellers Aggi Ettagiak, Angelina Jerome, April Olifie, Bambi Amos, Brian Kowikchuk, Brye Robertson, Debbie Dillon, Donna Johns, Dwayne Drescher (Atjgaliaq), Inuvialuit Living History Team, James Lumsden, Jordan Epelon, Kailey (Kale) Sheppard, Kaitlyn Nasogaluak, Kyle Natkusiak Aleekuk, Lexis McDonald, Lillian Elias (Panigavluk) , Lindsey Payne, Lisa Marie Alikamik, Margaret Noksana, Megan Lennie, Michael Payne, Myrah Graham, Noel Cockney, Robert Francis Cockney, Rory Voudrach, Rosemin Nathoo, Susan Peffer (Nanmak)
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LETTERS FROM ICS
Art and Indigenous culture are intertwined, one does not exist without the other. Our Inuvialuit culture is no exception. Inuvialuk-made art is made with our entire being—whether that be through the love or through the pain—it is hard work all the same, and we do the work to get to the finished result. We use art to connect with our inner selves and to remain whole. I think this is true for all of us, whether you consider yourself a “real” artist or not.
Our editorial team worked hard to present an issue that is dedicated to Inuvialuk artists living and creating both here in the ISR and beyond. Hear from the artists in their own words what it has been like working through the pandemic and creating through change—something we all can relate to in any scale.
As we find ourselves entering the brighter days of spring, many of us undergo waves of realization that wash through our bodies and our minds. I think the long months of winter changes us and breathes new life into our hopes and our dreams for the future. This can be overwhelming at times. I urge you to take care of yourselves, and while Spring is often defined as happy and joyful, it is also marked with renewal, and even rebirth. And neither come without hard work and introspection. So be kind to yourself, accept the past for what it was, and move forward in new intentions.
There is a well-known quote by Alan Watts that says, “You are the universe experiencing itself.” It’s a big idea. I think to put it in a relatable frame of reference, we can say that practicing art is a way for our souls to experience themselves. My advice is if you are interested in learning a new craft, try it. And practice it because it brings you piece and fulfillment, and you might get to know yourself a little better.
TAMARA VOUDRACH ANGALATCHIYI /
Dear Readers,
My name is Lexis (Panigaq) McDonald and I’ve been an Editorial & Design Intern for ICS since summer 2021 and I mostly focused on assisting Tusaayaksat Magazine.
I’m very grateful for this internship ICS has given me; it’s opened more doors for me that allow me to continue my passions and develop my skills while also discovering new ones to keep learning. It’s helped me through that transition from teenagehood to adulthood career wise by expanding my knowledge; as somebody who hasn’t worked much I learned a lot. It was mostly about working with clients and how to design for the human eye plus some general work knowledge. There’s a lot more details I could go into but it would be too long of a list. But this experience gave me confidence moving forward and now there are plenty of places for me to grow into and discover.
The message I mainly want out there is that I highly encourage youth to take similar jobs and/or internships;
find what your passion is and stick with it. Find places you can apply that and you will develop more than you would think. There’s so much insight you’ll gain and so many more tools will be given to you that will support your path forward. So take advantage of every opportunity shown to you and even more will appear. It doesn’t even need to be a traditional job, I’ve found different kinds of chances to grow my skills while being compensated for my time. It especially helps if you can develop connections with the people around you, they can become a big support and/or doorway to continue.
This small team within ICS has put a lot of effort into these series of magazines and it wouldn’t be possible without our community. It’s truly a beautiful relationship that shines through these books and that we get to see these stories of growth and love of our culture for our people. I’m honoured to be part of this and I’m thankful that we can keep our culture alive and recorded.
BELOW: Fishing at Imaryuk (Husky Lakes) with Dad at age 3.
WORDS by AGNES ETTAGIAK
y art reflects the memories I cherish. These are memories that are sacred to me. I have what I call an inventory of acrylic paintings on canvas, of various sizes. I have quite a few Northern, drum dancing, and hunting scenes. My most cherished work is of my father and me, hunting at Tapqaq Beach and one at Imaryuk [Husky Lakes] (when there were still trees near Stanley cabins). It is at Iginilik Beach on the channel between the two far lakes, looking toward Stanley cabins. I have one of me and my brothers hunting at Tapqaq Beach; this one was three photos made into one painting.
My background is mostly in math, accounting, engineering, formulas, and linear thought, as in measurements of time, quality, and money. Throughout my years of travel, single parenting and healing from federal day school and residential school, I have always been busy. I did a bit of drawing, pencil art of my children and poetry. I worked out a lot of spiritual confusion and discord, using my poetry, as a cathartic process. I love my poetry and do enjoy reading them on and off. I worked on my anger through this process.
You do not have to go far to find art. To any aspiring artist: your way of life is art. Look around you; it is all around you.
What do I perceive to be art? It is such a vast area. I love my upbringing, especially the traditional ways. I do not have far to go from the ways of teachings I received at an early age. I hunted with my father, and we have five girls before my brother was born; I became his shadow. The knowledge was hard-earned; trust, patience, not panicking, and good planning were priorities. Our traditional ways are an art—preparing for a hunt, we first hunted by dog team. I learned about weather patterns, tides, ice conditions (ocean and freshwater), wind, and snow. I learned about animal cycles in different seasons. There was little time for play. It is an innate and lasting knowledge—the art of skinning animals, preparing dryfish, and storing of caches for dog food in winter. There is a certain art in making dryfish, or "bouchiak" (freezedried herring) from the fall run. Most fish are smoked, and the right cottonwood is needed for the smokehouse. Geese hunting, ice fishing, fishnets, and mostly gratitude make for peaceful times when work is done.
I have been painting for four years now. I started when I was sorting out my boxes of papers, memorabilia, and treasures. I found an old painting that was abstract—nudes in the shower. I was looking at the painting and decided after thirty-some years to redo the painting. I had few resources at the time but what became of that was this beautiful three-byfour painting, a mountain scene with an eagle off-centre. Over these past four years, I have had a great little studio, which is my second bedroom. It is filled with supplies, two easels, and a love of paint, brushes, and canvas.
I have awesome memories of drum dances, storytelling, parkas, kammik [mukluks] all hand-sewn, and beautiful embroidery. Down parkas, duffel parkas, fur mitts, and mukluks for winter, all done by hand or an old handcrank sewing machine. The art of cutting fur— men’s and women’s styles from wolverine.
My youth was all art, hard work, and the art of life and togetherness. You do not have to go far to find art. To any aspiring artist: your way of life is art. Look around you; it is all around you. We are blessed to have our own sense of belonging, identity, and ancestral teaching. I belong to my ancestors. Quyanainni, thank you, for being a part of my journey.
By my hand, Aggi Ettagiak
ABOVE: Me and my brothers hunting.
LEFT: A drum dance outside.
LEFT: Morning coffee at my sister Sarah's place before the house was moved to Reindeer Point.
BELOW: Tea break with Dad at Tapqaq (Shingle Point), while geese hunting.
JESSICA MALEGANA
Threading Needles with the Hands of Time
You can almost always think of memories of an amazing aunty or mother. Always there to comfort us, let us know where we came from, and give us strength and support when we want to have a moment of choice. Memories are always there for emotional support; they serve as agents to our minds. >>
FEATURING
DONNA JOHNS
WORDS by BRIAN KOWIKCHUK
onna Johns has a story for us. As far as memory serves, Donna has felt inspiration—the guiding hands of her family—to be the link to the community for cultural knowledge. She is one of the few, presently, who binds us to who we are—Inuvialuit. Culturally present, creative, resilient, and forgiving.
While being on the land, she was able to connect with her inner child. Her siblings were in residential school. Like the tundra, her mind absorbed the language, culture, and spirit of our people before us. Checking traps was the duty of others. So, she sat still and close to her grandmother (anaanak), mostly because reality set in that it was the best way to keep her from getting into trouble outside. Being six years old had its energy. Her anaanak kept an eye on her by having her busy herself with the eye of the needle—both witnessing an experience close to the heart.
Growing up at Peterson Channel, down the Mackenzie Delta with her grandparents, the love and respect for the land and culture were things that her grandparents were very transparent with. Even though the Mackenzie River was muddy, it was clear to Donna to carry that transparency with her moving forward. The hard work and kindness have kept her perspectives on life humble. She is always smiling.
“Peace and serenity” were the descriptors used when asked about living on the land. Having Inuvialuit culture close to the heart, Donna says that her body today is not the same as it used to be. Her feet gallop behind her eyes, projecting the insight of a fun and sun-filled time as a child.
With the land-based knowledge that she was brought up with, Donna was able to carry and pass on that knowledge for the students of Inuuvik as a teacher at East Three School. She shared knowledge about animals from water creatures, such as muskrat and fish, to those of flight—geese, ptarmigan, and swans. Just the magic of stretching a muskrat, plucking birds, and making down for projects, was a mutual benefit for the students and herself. She also remembers cleaning, processing, and cooking
with her students. You can tell that the love from her grandparents, parents, and mentors greatly influenced her. One of her inspirations was Lillian Elias; the first time she seen her bring a whole caribou in to work on with the kids was the spark that lit the qulliq inside. From then on, the students have all felt her warmth from time to time—even the youngest learners.
She dances with the thought that her teaching career goes hand-in-hand and stepby-step with the students. Both learn from each other, every day. Donna exclaims, “My students taught me to love unconditionally and to have fun while learning. The students that I’ve helped to teach while I was an assistant, and the ones I’ve taught when I became a teacher, will always be close to my heart.”
Reflecting on her childhood, her ability to express wisdom and Inuvialuit culture has made a warm platform for younger generations to learn from. Her knowledge, depth, and love make her lesson plans a meeting ground for the future and the past to cooperate, fundamentally.
Donna Johns was able to co-facilitate sewing projects with Brian (Nungki) Rogers in 2021. It was a space where she met new people and reacquainted with people of her past—including students that she has seen grow up. They were all part of the classes that were done while the COVID-19 pandemic was happening. The pandemic had a lot to play in the dark parts of our recent reality, acting as an agent of fear, death, and loss. However, it also brought a lot of people together. Even though this sickness had separated us, we found a way to get back with each other through culture. We were able to sew. Sew in groups. Sew together. Sew for those that we love. Stitch stories together. Laugh. And even have a sense of togetherness.
Donna would like to bring light to the special people in her life that have fundamentally contributed to her teaching and loving self: Lillian Elias, Rosie Albert, Sandra Ipana, Clara Day, Emma Dick, Rosemary Kirby, and her father Willie Steffanson. They all broke trail for Donna by making footprints in her life—and in some small way, ours as well.
“My students taught me to
love
unconditionally, and to
have fun while learning. The students that I’ve helped to teach while I was an assistant, and the ones I’ve taught when I became a teacher, will always be close to my heart.”
PHOTOS by BRIAN KOWIKCHUK
The meaning of art
My name is Robert Francis Cockney. I am from Tuktuuyaqtuuq, NT. In 2006 I moved to Fort Smith to further my education and explore different areas in the North. I am proud to be Inuvialuk, and the North is a great place to live!
My father Andy James Cockney named me after my grandfather Bob Cockney and also gave me his Inuvialuktun name, Nuligak. I never got to meet him, but I know a little bit of his history.
He wrote the book “I, Nuligak”. I would sit down and listen to some of my dad’s stories when he would travel with him out in the land. Nuligak started out hunting at a young age because that was what he had to do— spend most of his time out on the land hunting, trapping, and fishing. He bought himself a rifle and a schooner to hunt and transfer. His cabin is still up along the Mackenzie River on Cockney’s Channel. There is a documentary about his life and Inuvialuit on the land where they were brought up; [it is] very interesting how they survived in the Arctic.
I started getting into carving in my early twenties and I knew that was my talent (artwork) but never really took it seriously. I always did well in creative art classes and workshops in school. I work with soapstone and antler, and started getting into snow sculpting in 2009. Most of my carvings are based on my culture and I find my artwork brings a lot of attention— especially the snow sculptures I build each year. Art gives meaning to our lives and our culture. Creating art helps me boost my self-esteem, reduce stress, and encourage me to do well. I would also like to add that the Northern Arctic landscape is rich in wildlife for Inuvialuit to survive on, which also brings traditional clothing like parkas, mukluks, and mitts, as well as antlers used for carvings for many generations to come.
For now, my focus is on getting back into art by building my own shop where I am going to feel more relaxed about having my own space to do my artwork. We are all unique, blessed, and talented in different ways. We just have to find them and be thankful. Thanks for reading and stay safe out there!
WORDS by ROBERT FRANCIS COCKNEY
I work with soapstone and antler, and started getting into snow sculpting in 2009. Most of my carvings are based on my culture and I find my artwork brings a lot of attention—especially the snow sculptures I build each year.
ART IS HEALING
&BEADING IS MEDICINE
WORDS by BRYE ROBERTSON
Ublumi, uvanga atira Iviviq. Good afternoon, my name is Brye Robertson. I am a proud Inuvialuk and I am proud to come from a long line of master seamstresses—Inuit women who made the most beautiful clothing as well as stunning beadwork. My mom is Lena Illasiak (Nauyak), my anaanak is Annie (Mukuk) Illasiak (nee. Ruben), and my great grandma is Sadie Ruben (Sukkayaaluk). I also have many aunties, uncles, and cousins who are always so generous with their knowledge. I currently reside on Treaty 7 Territory while studying at Mount Royal University. I graduated with a Child Studies Degree in 2020 and am now working on a Social Work Diploma. On top of my studies, I also run my small business called Urban Inuk Creations, where I bead earrings and medallions, as well as sew moccasins.
Earlier in my life, one of my goals was to attend the University of Alberta and get a master's degree in Native Studies. Even in July 2021, it seemed so far away and a little out of reach; no matter how badly I wanted it, it didn’t seem attainable at that time. In December 2021, I started filling out the application for the University of Alberta’s Master of Arts at the Faculty of Native Studies. Filling out the application was spontaneous and only happened because I saw an ad that said Indigenous students’ application fee
would be waived for a certain time. The application was a long process, and I wasn’t prepared for the tasks they required of me, but I didn’t let that stop me.
First, I had to find two supervisors who would agree to mentor me if I got accepted. I scrolled through the University of Alberta’s Native Faculty and started sending out emails to supervisors that seemed the align with my values. Thankfully, after a couple of Zoom meetings, I found two who agreed to supervise me, through my research. Next, I needed to write a research proposal, which I had never done before. I got right to work because I already knew the topic of research I wanted to do. This was also a long process, and after four drafts, it was ready to be submitted along with my application. By the time I secured my supervisors and got my research proposal done, it was way past the free application date, but because I started the process, I had to finish.
I submitted my completed application at the beginning of January 2022. I didn’t really know what to expect, and I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I patiently waited for a response and on Friday, March 18, 2022, at 4:50 pm I finally received an email from the U of A. I got accepted. I was almost in disbelief, but it was there in front of me. This accomplishment was definitely a testament to all the hard work I have been putting in so that I can live a better, happier life.
The very act of education can serve as an intervention to help the recovery processes for Indigenous Peoples experiencing substance abuse issues.
I am hoping my master’s research will be able to help someone avoid the path that I went down. My research topic is: “How does learning about intergenerational trauma affect Indigenous Peoples’ healing and recovery?” As such, I believe the very act of education can serve as an intervention to help the recovery processes for Indigenous Peoples experiencing substance abuse issues. Specifically, I will examine if acquiring knowledge about the effects of colonialism (including the Indian Residential School system, the Sixties Scoop, and other harmful policies enacted by the Canadian government) helps recovering addicts on their healing journey. This research could potentially give mental health professionals, scholars of addiction and trauma, and Indigenous communities new tools and resources in offering trauma-based healing and recovery programs.
Life was not always this good to me and I made some bad choices in the past. I was not afforded the tools to cope with trauma and stress in a healthy way. I am the daughter of a residential school survivor, and like many Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island, I am a survivor of intergenerational trauma. Unfortunately, I didn’t deal or cope with that trauma in a healthy way. I let anger lead many of my decisions as a teenager, which led me to abuse alcohol and eventually drugs. This got me into a lot of trouble, not only with my family, but also with the law. In my teenage years, I spent time in a Young Offenders Centre.
Things seemed to get better when I got pregnant with my daughter Mallory because I stayed sober and was doing everything I could to be as healthy as possible. Once Mallory was born, I decided to go back to college and get my GED. In hindsight, I can see that I never sought help for my previous anger and addiction issues—I just buried them. Like with everything else, if you don’t deal with it, the problems will eventually find their way back. As expected, I started to fall back into the same behaviours. As a teen mom, I was not prepared to raise my daughter in a healthy, stable environment and I recognized that. Thankfully, my family saw that I was heading down that destructive path again and my older
sister Shannon was prepared to take Mallory so that she could be raised in a healthy and happy home. Even if I didn’t have addiction issues, during that time I was not able to give Mallory the life that she deserved, because I was still growing up myself.
Once I didn’t have my daughter anymore, it was like pouring gasoline over the fire of my bad habits. When I was twenty-one years old, I decided I needed a change and moved from the small town of Fort Smith to the city of Edmonton. This decision would have a rippling effect on my life because I was still that angry little girl. It didn’t take long before I was introduced to hard drugs and getting addicted happened so fast. To make a long story short, I stayed addicted to drugs for over ten years. As is to be expected, with drug use also comes trouble with the law and homelessness, and I experienced all of that.
It was finally in 2012 when a court order mandated me to enter my first treatment centre. Looking back, that was a blessing because that experience really opened my eyes and woke me up. While in this treatment centre, which was Poundmakers Lodge, we had a mini-lecture on residential schools, intergenerational trauma, and the lasting effects those institutions had on Indigenous
families and communities, and this was the very first time I ever heard about this history. My mom spent thirteen years in residential school, and we never talked about it at home, not even once to my recollection. The only memory I have of my mom talking about her school experience was her mentioning the name of the school she attended, which was Grollier Hall. That mini-lecture motivated me to start learning about the history of residential schools because so many of the stories we heard sounded similar to my story. Looking into this history confirmed for me that my mom was a residential school survivor. That was very eye-opening and affirming because so much of my childhood started to make sense. I found an article on Grollier Hall specifically, which said it was one of the worst residential schools in Canada. That very moment changed my life forever because it helped me to make sense of why I was angry, why I was acting out, and why some things in my childhood were the way that they were.
This was the true beginning of my healing journey to sobriety and to trying to reconnect to my culture as much as possible, which included beading and sewing. Don’t get me wrong—it wasn’t a completely smooth process. I graduated treatment three more times after
BRYE’S PODCAST PICKS TO LISTEN TO WHILE BEADING
While in this treatment centre, we had a mini lecture on residential schools, intergenerational trauma, and the lasting effects those institutions had on Indigenous families and communities, and this was my very first time I ever heard about this history.
Poundmakers before I really got a grip on my addiction to drugs, and I still have hard days, but as long as I make it through the day sober, I am succeeding. Because of those days spent in treatment centres, I have been clean from drugs for eight years and it was about five years ago that I found the medicine that would bring lasting healing and keep me grounded: I finally asked my mom to sit down with me and teach me how to bead.
As a young girl, I remember my mom would bead the most beautiful moccasins, gun cases and even vests,
and I can still see the beauty in those pieces vividly. Of course, my mom agreed to teach me, and we sat down while she taught me how to do the two-needle flatstitch. From that moment, I never stopped practicing my beading. I was also sharing my beading on Twitter, which was how Urban Inuk Creations (@urbaninukcreations on Instagram) got started. I did not initially intend to start a business, but there was a lot of interest in commissions and just in general. Not only has this been a blessing financially, but it has also been the most healing part of my journey. Sitting down and beading helps me feel connected to all those strong women who came before me. They are the reason I am here today and able to do what I do.
It was last Christmas that I got my mom to sit down with me again, and this time she taught me how to make moccasins. I never take these teachings for granted. And even though I am not even close to being as good as my mom, I practice and do my best. If it wasn’t for my beading and my sewing, I honestly don’t know where I would be today. This is why I always say, “Art is healing and beading is medicine,” because it changed my life, and it continues to guide me on this healing journey.
WARRIOR LIFE COFFEE & QUAQ
NATIVE ARTIST by INDIGEFI
TWO CREES IN A POD
WORDS by JAMES LUMSDEN
Growing into every season
ART by LISA MARIE ALIKAMIK
Going with the flavour.” This was Lisa’s answer when I first asked what kind of artist she considered herself. She has done a variety of artistic mediums including painting, sewing and craftwork, yet does not confine herself to one medium in particular. She does not consider herself an artist, but a creator—as being a part of art. For us as Inuvialuit, art is culture and culture is art.
With family also considered a part of the culture, Lisa is the daughter of John and Emma Alikamik and is the youngest of four siblings. She grew up in the beautiful little community of Ulukhaktok, NT, where her family calls home. Lisa has three children: Kyran, Harley, and Linden. She calls them her blessings, her inspiration, and her gems, which she “forever holds ever close at heart.” Lisa lives with her partner, supporter, and companion, Derek Squirrel. Along with art, she is an enthusiast of life and nature and loves interacting with people and keeping our Elders near to her heart. “I treasure, learn, and seek knowledge, stories, and techniques from our leaders,” Lisa states. “I have a strong connection to Mother Earth.”
artistic, Lisa’s spare room at home becomes her comfort zone. It is in this room where Lisa feels free to follow her creative spirit with whatever artistic materials are at hand, be they the canvas board for painting or the needle and fabric for sewing. When she is in this creative mindset, she lets her children watch and participate. “There are no such things as mistakes,” Lisa told me about her creative practice. “Artistically, people need this freedom in order to grow and change.”
There are no such things as mistakes.
Artistically, people need this freedom in order to grow and change.
Winter and springtime are Lisa’s favourite seasons. She can be found doing activities such as fishing lake-to-lake on warm spring days, and in the winter her youngest looks forward to tying his sled to the snowmobile while Lisa pulls him up snowbanks. They all enjoy skidooing on the frozen ocean, hiking up hills to find travelling trails, looking for photogenic spots to take pictures together, and walking along the shores to pick up nice sea rocks or sea glass. They also enjoy shooting hoops on the basketball court and going for bicycle rides. All to say, Lisa’s children keep her going and keep her very active. When feeling
Describing how her creative process relates to her everyday life, Lisa explained “When I lay out my canvas board, pick up a needle, or find fabric that catches my eye, I am inevitably filled with ideas of the outcome that I could possibly create. I reflect upon memories and emotions when I sit still. My vision grows out best when I create.” Interestingly, it is colours, Lisa said, which connect her to the process. It is the colours themselves that become the expressions. “When my foundation is complete, I feel a sense of achievement. I am content. Immediately, I want to do another project and challenge myself to do better—as in everyday life. Take risks, explore and grow, and share with others what brings you happiness.”
With this apparent instinct to cultivate and grow all around, Lisa takes utter enjoyment from teaching creative art expression to others. “I have always felt connected with teaching and connecting with people,” Lisa reiterated to me. “I have taught schoolaged children as an Education Assistant and as a Pre-School Practitioner, and have instructed paint classes and youth sewing programs as well. I’ve always been comfortable in this setting, and the joy of being a part of someone’s learning journey is elating.” Stressing this point was important to her. “Helping others discover
their talent in creating is a wonderful feeling for me. There is a glow there, which is unforgettable and rewarding. Creating creates confidence. Confidence is a key trait to have.”
Lisa’s art has been showcased and appreciated by others both in the past and more recently. “When there is a call for a contest, I am in! My drawings have been selected for some logos I have applied to. My work can be seen as you come into my hometown of Ulukhaktok on Airport Road, at the local Arts and Crafts Centre, and the newly developed Adventures Ltd.” Lisa is quiet when it comes to showcasing her art herself, but she does enjoy sharing her art with friends and family on Facebook. “This encourages me to keep creating, and it fills me with enough confidence to show and share my work more. It feels great! People have requested orders for some painting, sewing, and crafts. Others have come to me to acquire gifts for their loved ones as well.”
Helping others discover their talent in creating is a wonderful feeling for me. There is a glow there, which is unforgettable and rewarding. Creating creates confidence. Confidence is a key trait to have.
I was brought back to this period of the season within the Beaufort Delta Region, of Ulukhaktok and beyond. When our warm summer with its 24-hour daylight begins changing into one beautiful week of fall time, a plethora of colours begins to appear, flourishing from out of nowhere throughout the land and tundra. After this is when the real turn begins. The sunsets are ten minutes earlier each and every day. It immediately begins to rain cold, hard, and solid. The Arctic coastline is woken up with a wall of waves from the sea along our coastlines. This brings us to today and into our deep 24-hour nights of winter.
It was heartwarming to see that Lisa was intrinsically interested in the end result of this article. I was able to truly understand that the way in which Lisa both describes and conveys her creative process to people also actually applied to me as well. “I am glad to hear that this piece is coming together. Life as we know it does seem to happen at a fast pace once in a while.” Moving forward, Lisa exclaimed that “it felt nice to get back into the office after the summer break, and back to a routine. I haven’t been too busy with my creations, but when I am, I find that magic happens on those rainy days or blizzards of early winter.”
I realized through writing this portrait piece that the seasonal changes we experience up north can describe the colours and flavours, the change and growth, and the instinct to both teach and learn, that Lisa Alikamik holds near and dear. She is a mother who enjoys creating memories with family and friends. She is an active part of her community. She is an educator. As she describes herself, Lisa is one with her art. She is free in thought with her creative process and is aligned with confidence to try new things and take risks both in life and on canvas. With the spring thaw in March perhaps being symbolic of both life and art, Lisa gravitates towards opportunities to create. Within this presence of mind, Lisa finds those moments where life’s blessings can be captured in earnest, allowing them to flourish again and once more.
Sewing and relaxing at Reindeer Station during the “Supporting Wellbeing” program.
One Stitch at a Time
WORDS by MEGAN LENNIE & MYRAH GRAHAM
PHOTOS SUBMITTED by MEGAN LENNIE
Showing my anaanak (grandmother) my completed pair of caribou hide mukluks—my second set of mukluks I’ve ever made. She sat with me every step of the way, teaching me how to properly put them together.
Is art something that runs in the family? It would seem so for artist Megan Lennie, the creator behind The Beaded Needle. Remembering her grandparents fondly, Megan recalls:
My grandparents are well known for their art. My grandfather would make uluit, fishhooks, and all different types of traditional tools that you would need out on the land. My grandmother would sew caribou hide shoes and these iconic parkies, most notably black parkies with stunning Delta Braid. I was in awe of the two of them and their skills.
Everyone’s path is unique, and Megan’s journey into art was no different. Picking up the paintbrush and charcoal stick in her early years, brush strokes and smudged black lines were the start of her artistic expression. A teacher in high school took notice and encouraged Megan to attend art school at Emily Carr University. Not feeling like it was the right fit, Megan switched to adventure tourism in order to fulfil her interest in sharing and educating others about Inuit
and their history. This included learning more about Inuit and Gwich’in culture, from her own research but especially from Elders.
Becoming a hiking guide at Ivvavik Park and moving back home a few years later felt like a natural progression. Having such a strong family connection to traditional ways certainly helped Megan to keep learning, but eventually, part of that connection was lost. Following the innate rhythms of life, Megan’s grandfather Sam Lennie passed away in 2016.
When my grandfather passed, I thought: ‘Wow, I never took the time to sit and watch and learn... and he was a teacher. What a set of skills that I could have learned—but I didn't.’ The skills of how to properly select the muskox bone for uluit and hooks. The ways to put the finished product together. The correct way to weld together a camp stove. He had techniques and knowledge that were structured around the traditional ways. After he passed, I realized that I would love the opportunity to learn from my grandmother (anaanak).
Sitting with Nellie Arey, the Aktlarvik Elder who had the patience to teach me how to embroider and draw my designs on stroud.
So I sat down with her, trying my best to visit her every day, and she was more than happy to teach me.
Starting with her anaanak’s signature caribou hide shoes, Megan sat down and learned how to sew them together. In remembering those early lessons with her grandmother, Megan shares:
She was patient and kind. When I first started learning how to put the shoes together, she would sew and tell me to watch and learn the technique. As the months went on, she would watch and carefully guide me through the stitches, jumping in when needed. After two or so years, I began to notice how she was completely hands-off, watching me less and less. She began asking: "What project are you on now? Can I see the photos?” Her face would light up when I would show her a completed project.
Eventually, it was time to graduate to adorning them with ‘uppers’.
My grandfather had techniques and knowledge that were structured around the traditional ways. After he passed, I realized that I would love the opportunity to learn from my grandmother (anaanak). So I sat down with her, trying my best to visit her every day, and she was more than happy to teach me.
One summer I went to my auntie and asked, “How do you embroider? I have ten minutes before I leave to camp.” She eagerly said, “Okay, this is the chain stitch, and this is the satin stitch, and this is the French knot. You learn those three [and] you'll be fine.’'
So off to the bush Megan went, with lots of time to practice and learn.
A wise man named Lao Tzu once said: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” In this case, Nellie Arey appeared at camp and taught Megan how to draw and embroider the flowers on the stroud. From there, her designs flourished. Mukluks, high-tops, wraparound slippers, sealskin mukluks, mitts, and mitt strings (locally dubbed ‘idiot strings’) all came organically through learning from those around her.
How did Megan come up with her signature earrings? Every artist has a point of view, and it takes time, patience, and a willingness to try to find it. As more and more beaded earrings flourished across the Delta, Megan
began experimenting with new techniques based on what she learned from her anaanak and sister-in-law from Akłarvik/Aktlarvik.
I guess I just wanted something of my own. I saw a lot of artists making some beautiful work. I always looked at their work and was moved beyond words, and I wanted to create art that could make you speechless, you know?
It can be hard in town to let creativity flow, so it was out at camp that inspiration struck once more. When a family friend dropped off piles of birch bark at her parents’ camp, the bone-white paper caught Megan’s eye. What would embroidery look like on this natural canvas? Stunning! A beaded edging added another level of harmony— but something was still missing. Even different shapes, like a whale tail, felt like they could use something more. The rough feeling of the bark was a clue; maybe soft rabbit fur on the back would complete the style? However, Mom knew from Traditional Knowledge that this was wrong. She told Megan: “You can't mix water mammal to a land mammal; you can't do that. That's not traditionally right.”
Sewing the land-dwelling rabbit to the water-dwelling whale tail shape would directly go against this teaching. In order to honour this knowledge, Megan sewed sealskin on the back of the earrings instead, and it was love at first sight. Finally, her signature earrings were complete.
Through gifting earrings to friends, word spread like wildfire and The Beaded Needle was born. Selling through Instagram, the orders started coming in. Now part of the online art community, Megan noticed that many artists were “open to trades” on their accounts. Not surprisingly, her grandmother used to do the same thing.
As I grow older, I noticed how much I really respect the idea of the traditional ways. The Elders hold so much knowledge, and I think it is beautiful to get a chance to learn from those [who] came before us. My nanuk's [anaanak's] teachings are so important to me, and to be taught from her was a blessing. I think it's also important to grasp the idea of traditional trading and bring it back. We never think about trading art much nowadays and I just think it's such a beautiful concept.
Putting the hooks on a completed pair of the signature Mackenzie Delta Birchbark earrings.
I guess I just wanted something of my own. I saw a lot of artists making some beautiful work. I always looked at their work and was moved beyond words, and I wanted to create art that could make you speechless, you know?
In trading art, Megan has been surprised by the beautiful connections she’s made with artists and their wearable art. The same happens with customers—now all over Canada—who send pictures of themselves wearing Megan’s earrings in all sorts of places and climates.
It just goes to show that, rain or shine, inspiration can always come from the Land. These days, Megan is the Western Arctic Youth Collective’s (WAYC’s) On the Land Coordinator, creating programming for wellness and learning on the Land.
While I'm out helping coordinate these programs, I've been sewing and it's been peaceful for me. I love that perspective of being able to go out on the land to heal and focus on your mental health and wellness.
Fostering connections on the Land can hopefully encourage creativity and curiosity in having people try new things, especially art. Although Megan comes from a line of artists in her family, she ultimately believes, in her own words, that “everybody's an artist in their own way.” To-
day, Megan continues to embroider and sew as much as she can in her free time, which is in short supply. Wearing three different hats as a Land-Based Coordinator, Megan gets people out on the Land alongside Dechinta, The IRC’s Project Jewel, and the Western Arctic Youth Collective (WAYC). Within these activities emerged a new passion for land-based learning and cultural revitalization within the Western Arctic.
I’m continuing to learn from others as the learning with sewing and programming never stops. I am in no way an expert. I learn from those who teach me and I’m grateful to all.
Her story shows us that you never know what beauty you might create until you try.
A completed pair of Mackenzie Delta Birchbark earrings, hanging on a branch in the Delta.
Mackenzie Delta Birchbark earrings; the flower is based off of the Eastern Arctic flower known as “qunguliq”.
Mackenzie Delta Birchbark earrings with embroidered fireweed.
find your inspiration
Michael Payne was born in 1983 in Calgary, Alberta. His Mother is Judy Payne, from Tuk. Her parents are Jimmy and Bella Jacobson. He spent a lot of time in Tuktuuyaqtuuq as a child as his mother worked in Tuk and was able to fly back and forth. He would sit and watch his Ataatak Jimmy Jacobson turn antlers and whalebone pieces into pieces of art. “I loved to see what surprise face would come out next,” he said proudly, “He is my biggest inspiration for my artwork.” >>
ART by MICHAEL PAYNE WORDS by LINDSEY PAYNE
Michael, a self-taught artist, said he has spent time with Elders and listened to their life stories. He tries to interpret them onto paper using animals such as eagles, bears, fish, and whales. He can carve, paint, bead, and create beautiful dreamcatchers, but his favourite medium is pen and ink. He says, “I like the look the pen leaves on the paper, and how detailed you can make it. That’s how I can get hidden art inside the art.’’
Art In the Park chose Michael years ago to participate in their 10-day getaway to Ivavvik National Park where they were able to sit and express with various artistic mediums what inspired them there. Another one of his accomplishments was being chosen for a scholarship to the Toronto School of Art. Unfortunately, he was unable to attend due to the high cost of travel. Michael just received his ticket for 'Heavy Equipment Operator', so he is focused on getting his career going, but said that art school is a nice thought for down the road.
He said eventually he would like to create some clothing pieces such as hoodies and t-shirts featuring his artwork. He would also just like to get his art out there for the world to see, and maybe someday have enough pieces to have an art show.
Today, Michael loves to spend time with his partner Dianna and 3 children, Skyla, Drake
Find art that inspires you. Then, alter it over and over again until it is unique to you, and you love it enough that you are willing to create different pieces of work in your style.
and his youngest daughter Shaclara. Shaclara is a very advanced artist for her age, and we know she will be following in his footsteps. Michael’s words of wisdom to anyone who loves to create art is to find art that inspires you. Then, alter it over and over again until it is unique to you, and you love it enough that you are willing to create different pieces of work in your style, and share them with others. Take people’s criticisms and thoughts with an open mind. Never let it get you down so that you feel like quitting. What someone may think is not good art, may have great meaning to someone else.
LEFT: Who We Are, 10 x 8 inches, Ink on Paper
TOP: Under The Lights, 8 x 10 inches, Acrylic on Canvas
Bambi Tagyiluk Aullagan Amos
The Art of Keeping Warm
“Being Inuvialuk is my inspiration. It’s just me, it’s just what we do, it’s our knowledge, and what we make.”
WORDS & PHOTOS by ROSEMIN NATHOO
Bambi Amos is an Inuvialuk artist from Sachs Harbour, NT. Her wearable art, firmly grounded in her culture, uses natural materials and ancestral skills to keep people warm. Her current specialties are boxerstyle sealskin mitts and embroidery, but her wide-ranging work includes mukluks, ukpiit (owls), vests, and even iPad cases.
Bambi is practical, serious, and down-toearth; she works in her home under photographs of her two grandmothers, whose Inuvialuktun names she shares: Tagyiluk after her father’s mom Bessie Amos and Aullagan after her mother’s mom Agnes Nasogaluak. Her work is inspired by how they created clothing that was essential for survival on the land around Sachs Harbour and Tuktuuyaqtuuq.
“I think about them a lot,” she says, “and how they used to live, how they survived, and how they clothed their families.”
She also draws inspiration from her mother, Beverly Siliuyaq Amos, who sews parkas for the whole family to keep them safe and warm while travelling and hunting. It is, as it always has been, important to create clothing that will be long-lasting and warm enough to spend long stretches of time out in extremely low temperatures.
Thirteen years ago, Bambi moved home to Sachs Harbour from Inuuvik and began to learn to sew. Closer to her roots, and in a hamlet with a slow pace of life, long Sachs Harbour winters, and a traditional lifestyle, it was the perfect place to learn. Bambi loved the traditional life there and learned to sew, prepare food, cook, and connect with her culture and land.
Her sewing journey started with embroidery; Bambi’s mother said she should learn and asked her cousin Kimberly Lucas to come to teach her. After only a few evenings, Bambi had learned the techniques: “I didn’t have a vision of what I was going to create; I just wanted to learn how to do the work. It started with embroidery, and I loved it.”
The timing lined up perfectly with a sewing class held by the Sachs Harbour Community Corporation, where Bambi learned gratefully from instructors Brenda Lucas and Lena Wolki: “We had a few different sewing instructors. They were very helpful and provided us with patterns because I didn’t have any […] I make a lot of boxer mitts and I have a lot of interest in that; I’m very thankful for that.”
She made her first mitts with purple sheared beaver, with white rabbit for the trim. The second pair she made was her first boxer-style mitts, with black sealskin. She continued to grow from there, going to sewing classes and learning different techniques and patterns.
Bambi learned from others in the community sewing group: “All the ladies—it was an Inuvialuit group, so they all knew how to sew, and we all helped each other, and learned from each other.” They used clever and creative methods that you can’t quite learn in a book:
When I first made a parka, one thing I thought was fun and an awesome way to learn—we all [laid] down on big giant pieces of paper and someone traced us. I thought that was perfect. I just recently shared that story with someone, who said she couldn’t find a pattern that would fit her granddaughter. I said, “Just lay her down on a paper, trace her out!” Our instructor got us to do that, and from there we cut out our tracings and made the patterns out of that.
“If you feel like you have a talent, just go for it and do it. Don’t think of the judgement that you’ll have. It’s you, it’s a part of you. Express yourself. Just be yourself, follow your dreams and what you feel, and your talents. Stay grounded to your roots, and don’t lose your Inuvialuit culture and values.”
Today, Bambi’s work focuses on natural and dyed sealskin—both harp seal and ringed seal. She primarily makes boxer-style mitts, whose shape provides extra warmth. Showing her work, she explains how her pattern placement selects for specific parts of the sealskin, choosing shades, patterns, or combinations of natural colours to make each piece unique. When she sews in Inuuvik, where she currently lives and works, she’s drawn to think of her roots in Sachs Harbour and Tuktuuyaqtuuq, where her family hunts seal and caribou. She connects to the land through her time at her parents’ camp, where she loves to pick berries.
These days, time can be a limitation, but Bambi’s determination keeps her going. Though she works full-time at the Aurora Research Institute (ARI), Aurora College, and was taking two courses in research administration in 2021, she also recently became a vendor for Proudly Indigenous Crafts and Designs and the CRAFTED Show + Sale at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Qaumajuq in November 2021.
She is careful and humble, having spent over a decade perfecting her craft before sharing it more widely.
“Now I just feel like I should,” she says. “I think it’s time. I think I have something to say now—something to share.”
Her persistence and dedication are clear: “Having the time to do what you really love—what you really want to do—is so hard.”
Asked for her advice to younger Inuvialuit artists, Bambi says:
Don’t be scared. Honestly, don’t be scared; don’t be nervous about sewing. You can take something apart and redo it, you can start all over—just do not be scared to try. Don’t be shy […] I just think that if you feel like you have a talent, just go for it and do it. Don’t think of the judgement that you’ll have. It’s you, it’s a part of you. Express yourself. For the younger generation: just be yourself, follow your dreams and what you feel, and your talents. Stay grounded to your roots, and don’t lose your Inuvialuit culture and values. And [you] can hit me up if [you] want to learn how [to sew]!
Margaret Noksana Finding My Voice
Igrew up in Reindeer Point in a really big family and have relatives all over; I was kind of the oldest grandchild. In Tuktuuyaqtuuq, I have many aunties and uncles, and a lot of cousins, so I got a lot of one-on-one time with the family members. I always liked interacting with people, doing activities, and playing games and outdoor sports with friends in Tuk.
Going to school, a lot of kids were too shy to do any type of presentation. I took a threeweek program, where the instructor said, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” That meant the more you talked, asked questions, and stood up to present, you could get trips out of town or other rewards. He didn’t focus on academics; he just focused on putting yourself out there because people were really shy. I took what he said to heart and even though I was really shy, nervous, and my heart would be pounding, I would push through it.
That’s how I found my voice. Taking that advice and growing up with all of my friends in Tuk, just running around, I felt safe that I could express myself and put myself out there. I always kinda knew I was talented in speaking (everyone told me) so I was always looking for an opportunity where I could use that talent and refocus that onto our people.
I’m naturally extroverted. I enjoy meeting with people and making people feel welcomed—like they’re in a safe environment. I enjoy being with family members or friends and connecting with them. I also enjoy welcoming new people into the North and making them feel welcomed as there’s so much that the North has to offer. I’m continuing to make connections with people even in our own region now that I otherwise wouldn’t have met.
THE TUNNGANARNIQ SHOW
My nanuk [anaanak] had just passed away, and my cousin had a voice recording of her and her life history. I would play it over and over after she passed away and I would think, "I wish I had this on a video, so that way I could see her."
Growing up with our people, we were taught to never stand out one more than the other. Putting yourself out there alone is standing out, and the only way I could do that and still express how I feel is to take that energy and refocus it back onto our people. That way, I am authentically representing our people, but not making it about me. I want to shine the light on the people in our region because it’s so rich in culture. Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone has something to share. Everyone has knowledge. So, I wanted to take that and put it out there because I felt like our people deserve to have that recognition and to have that on record.
Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone has something to share. Everyone has knowledge. So, I wanted to take that and put it out there because I felt like our people deserve to have that recognition and to have that on record.
I had already been thinking of starting my own YouTube channel where I would sit down with any Inuvialuk in any community. Then I saw ICS’ Facebook post for the position; Janine Gordon, who was previously on the Tamapta and Suangan shows, shared it. I had watched those shows on YouTube before and I remembered thinking that it was so exciting that she got to do that. I thought this is exactly what I wanted to start already! I was going through a transformation where I didn’t wanna be shy anymore—this is what I wanted to do. So, I applied and did the mock interview—as shy as I was—and it was successful.
I always looked up to other Inuit women who were on different networks like APTN, News North, or any other type of show. I knew that I could do that kind of work, but I wasn’t willing to sacrifice being at home. I didn’t want to leave my people and my family. Then the opportunity came up here! So, to have a show here has been a dream.
HOSTING THE SHOW
I was really excited and nervous the day of the very first episode with Nungki. Do you know the feeling of when your dream comes true? It was like… "Pinch me!" My manager was very positive because it was the first time there would be a nationwide show for our people in probably fifteen or twenty years. She just wanted the show to be really organic.
So, in the shows, I try to focus solely on the guest and follow their story from beginning to current. I start from the beginning of their life and I hear their story or their craft because sometimes it’s not just storytelling, it could be like Arctic Sports or cooking. Before the show, we talk about what we want and don’t want to share, depending on the episode. I try to make everyone feel like they’re doing something super exciting and new, to be on live national TV.
WHAT I’VE LEARNED
For a long time, I made my circle really small and lived a very simple life. Even though I’m not shy, I was very private, and I didn’t really open my life
I always looked up to other Inuit women who were on different networks like APTN, News North, or any other type of show. I knew that I could do that kind of work, but I wasn’t willing to sacrifice being at home.
up to anyone. But since the show has started, I’ve kind of opened up my social circle as I just want to break the walls down and start connecting with people. I still respect privacy in my life, but I knew it would help on a personal and professional level, so I just wanted to open it up so that I can let other people in.
There has been a lot of making connections with people, opening the show up, seeing who would be interested in being part of this project, and trying to learn as much as I can behind the scenes. It’s all been growth and learning, but it comes from a passion for learning anyways, so it didn’t feel like work. It was just a dream come true.
Everyone has been really supportive. I think everyone feels the same way that I do, that this is really exciting for our area. I don’t let it get to me, but I constantly hear, "You did a really, really good job," or, "You’re the perfect person for this position." But, I think I would like to see anyone excel in a position like this and hopefully, in the future, there can be more.
FAVOURITE MOMENTS
My favourite moments are my very first episode with Nungki, when I said, "I don’t know what to say next." It was like thirty seconds of dead air and then I had to use the skill of talking to continue the show. My other favourite things about the show are the few minutes before I do the in-
tro when the camera catches me and the guest talking, and I really enjoy that candid moment because there’s usually laughter.
One of my favourite moments was when a production assistant quietly refilled our tea as I was doing the episode with Lillian Elias. I had asked Lillian if she wanted more tea and she said, ‘my tea is full!’ I looked, and my tea was full, too! We were laughing trying not to address the crew behind the camera. That was one of my favourite episodes because we didn’t expect that to happen. There was laughter between everyone. The crew behind the camera were all holding their laugh ‘cause this is live national television.
The more challenging parts are when I have to find a balance between keeping the show organic and unscripted and also trying to plan it. I have a set of questions that are usually all the same for all guests; some guests I have more questions for. I want the growth of the show to continue, but I also want to keep the beauty of it being organic.
WHAT’S NEXT
In the very first segment, a lot of it was about storytelling. Although I do absolutely love the stories and getting more Traditional Knowledge, especially with my aunt Agnes White (she’s just a wealth of knowledge), in the next segment I’m hoping that it can be more hands-on activities and going to different events like jamborees. Being able to get more one-on-one with people and doing more activities outside of the studio is what I’m hoping to have in the next segment.
The younger generation of Inuvialuit have opportunities that I didn’t have. I would really like to see people push their limits as much as they can out of their bubbles. Try and do something that truly excites you and makes you nervous.
FIND YOUR VOICE
Just be involved. It takes a lot of patience with yourself, connecting with others, and following your peers, ‘cause there’s so many kind role models in the community who are willing to help everyone. If you just talk to them, it will eventually lead you to where you wanna go.
The younger generation of Inuvialuit have opportunities that I didn’t have. There has been so much growth in the North with internet access, highway access, and just programs created overall. I would really like to see people push their limits as much as they can out of their bubbles. Try and do something that truly excites you and makes you nervous. That’s one thing I’m working towards as an adult, and that’s something I’d like to see more younger people doing. If it is something focusing on yourself, that’s okay, but if you can somehow find a way to refocus it on Inuvialuit people, that’s even better.
Partially funded by Nunavut Independent Television (NITV) beginning in the summer of 2021, the Inuvialuit Communications Society began producing and broadcasting live our version of The Tunnganarniq Show. Tunnganarniq is an Inuktitut word meaning "welcoming".
Multiple Inuit regions produce their own versions of the Tunnganarniq show for NITV and are broadcasted live every week in their own time slot. In this way, the show is able to feature Inuk artists and storytellers from across Inuit Nunangat. ICS broadcasts their show featuring Inuvialuit guests for 13-week installments throughout the year, and can be seen on the IsumaTV website, Shaw Direct basic satellite 267 nationally, Arctic Co-Ops cable channel 240 in Nunavut and the NWT, and FCQN cable channel 308 in Nunavik. Broadcast times and other information for ICS's Tunnganarniq Show can be found on the ICS website: ics.live.
ORANGE SHIRT DAY EPISODE
That was, for me, probably my biggest show. It had the most importance to me. Working with our manager, we had a goal that we wanted to meet and we wanted it to be very uplifting and positive. So we met with three guests from IRC’s Resolution Health Support team and we wanted to focus on the program and support that they run. I just focused a little bit on each person, hearing their life story a little bit, but there was so much importance and I felt a lot of nerves going into it because I recognized how important, how big the first statutory holiday for Residential School awareness is. Because I had only been doing this nine episodes in, I had to shift how I did the show and really focus on the positives and the supports that are available. There were a lot of nerves, but I think the show went really well.
Sodhouse
Reconnecting with Inuvialuit Culture
WORDS by NOEL COCKNEY
PHOTOS by DAVID STEWART
Since moving back home in 2018 I’ve been looking for a job to teach and facilitate cultural learning. First, I was working for Tundra North Tours, which I really did enjoy doing, but having an Outdoor Education degree I wanted to teach and facilitate more than lead tours. When COVID-19 hit and impacted everything that we know, I was lucky that Dechinta was hiring. When I applied, I was able to fulfill that goal of starting programming in my home of Tuktuuyaqtuuq.
The first Dechinta program in the ISR was just outside of Tuktuuyaqtuuq and was quite successful. We were able to complete the log frame portion of a traditional Inuvialuit sod house. Along with building this structure, we caught a lot of herring, whitefish, and coney. We taught and helped expand the knowledge of preparing fish to make dry fish or just gut to have for the future. Throughout their time out on the land, students at the program were given schoolwork from their teachers.
The schedule that we had out there was working on the sod house in the morning and part of the afternoon (after lunch), and then the students worked on their schoolwork the rest of the afternoons. For me, this is what my grand-
parents had instilled in me when I was brought out on the land. Through this programming, I am trying to do the same for these students, providing them with the most opportunities for their futures. While the students were working on their schoolwork, Sophie Stefure was out there to help them with it, along with myself when I wasn’t doing other work.
The first week had a lot going on. We had Dwayne Atjgaliaq Drescher come out to add Inuvialuktun to everything that we were doing. As a group, we hauled a lot of logs and built up the base of the sod house by digging up to three feet into the ground to have nine posts buried into the ground. This was a lot of work, as we just used a pickaxe and shovels. The posts
were cut down to be no higher than seven feet as they were stood up. Once they were levelled off, grooves were cut for the twenty-foot beams (logs) to be placed on top of three of the posts.
On day five of the program, we got the three beams laying across the posts, but then four out of the five students wanted to go back to town and not continue the program, mostly for lack of hunting. Once I brought these students back into town, Candice Cockney, the on-the-land coordinator at the school, was able to find three other students to come out with the one student that wanted to continue the program.
This switch in student groups happened during a 24-hour period, and once this second group got
out, they were very enthusiastic about what the task was, building a sod house. Once we got the three beams drilled and spiked into the posts, we started hauling and placing the rest of the twenty-foot logs, across the beams, to make the roof of the structure. The roof is sized at twenty-by-twenty feet and nice and stable with all the healthy and sizable logs.
As the roof was being completed, one of the students wanted to go back home after his phone got wet when three students capsized a canoe. Not wanting to have anyone out there against their will, we brought the student back, as we were already going into town to pick up Megan Lennie. Megan came out to do an embroidery workshop and be with us to help for a few days.
My dream for this program is to bring participants from across the ISR together, because as Inuvialuit, our ancestors never identified themselves as Inuvialuit from a certain piece of land, like a community.
With the three remaining students, we were able to complete the entire “frame” of the sod house. This looks like the whole sod house is enclosed and covered by logs, and only missing the sod (ground/soil). With the posts, beams, roof, and walls, we used 217 logs to complete the whole thing, if I remember correctly.
All in all, we had four of our staff: Noe Cockney (cook), Inung (Ronald) Nayaviak (mechanic, and handyman), Sophie Stefure (Mangilaluk School Education Assistant), and me (program lead). As mentioned earlier, we started with five students, and ultimately ended with only two different students that replaced the first group. As presenters and visitors, we were able to coordinate with the Aurora Research Institute to have them show us some of the things they do in studying the many slumps across the coast. We also had Dwayne Atjgaliaq Drescher come out for a weekend to incorporate Inuvialuktun into what we were doing. Lastly, Megan Lennie came out as support staff, as well as teaching embroidery to three of the students.
Unfortunately, we were not able to bring out Brian Kowikchuk to talk to the students about his journey and do a painting workshop, as well as Rachel Schooley (an Occupational Therapist) to do a workshop on mental health and wellness. Both workshops are definitely on my list to bring to future programs, but projected weather conditions prevented them from coming out. It will be very valuable for the future participants to not just go through the workshop with Rachel,
but also listen to a story from another person who has grown up in the region, Brian.
Having had an overall successful first program, I am personally looking forward to building on what we have done for our future programs. For instance, logistics of transportation in all seasons, like how many boats or snowmobiles and sleds are needed for various group sizes to adjust how to deliver programming to high school ages and other ages. Should we do day trips with middle and high school students, and save the longer programs for older participants to incorporate the rest of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region population?
My dream for this program is to bring participants from across the ISR together, because as Inuvialuit, our ancestors never identified themselves as Inuvialuit from a certain piece of land, like a community. Yes, individual families preferred to be and stay in certain places, but we are historically nomadic people; we are from the coast of the Arctic Ocean, the Husky Lakes region, and the delta of the Mackenzie River.
I hope that, through my Dechinta programs in the region, families from our 6 communities will be able to reconnect, not in a community, but out on the land. Here, our participants will be able to interact in the way of our ancestors: living at a camp, doing camp chores, gathering various foods from our land, building and creating tools and structures that people from our past had made.
Noel Cockney measuring where the posts will go in preparation of constructing the sodhouse.
a
As
group, we hauled a lot of logs and built up the base of the sod house by digging up to three feet into the ground to have nine posts buried into the ground.
The posts were cut down to be no higher than seven feet as they were stood up. Once they were levelled off, grooves were cut for the twenty-foot beams (logs) to be placed on top of three of the posts.
Once we got the three beams drilled and spiked into the posts, we started hauling and placing the rest of the twenty-foot logs, across the beams, to make the roof of the structure. The roof is sized at twenty-by-twenty feet and nice and stable with all the healthy and sizable logs.
With the three remaining students, we were able to complete the entire “frame” of the sod house. This looks like the whole sod house is enclosed and covered by logs, and only missing the sod (ground/soil).
With the posts, beams, roof, and walls, we used 217 logs to complete the whole thing, if I remember correctly.
Having had an overall successful first program, I am personally looking forward to building on what we have done for our future programs.
AN ARTS MOVEMENT
STRONG PEOPLE STRONG COMMUNITIES
WORDS, PHOTOS, and DESIGN by LEXIS MCDONALD
The two sisters Mahalia Yakeleya Newmark and Kalina Newmark paired together to create a grassroots mural project named "Strong People, Strong Communities” inspired to strengthen Indigenous communities, share our positive stories, reclaiming spaces in Denendeh (Yellowknife) through the power of art, and to honour their late family members. They are both Shúhtagot’ı̨nę and Métis.
Mahalia started out by asking who are the artists of the North that they can invite which eventually branched out to other part of Turtle Island (now Canada) totalling to twenty-one artists in the end. Each mural team was given a thematic goal to accomplish, though collectively we shared the same idea Mahalia had. With about two mentors and mentees per mural team, six teams were made: Healthy Strong Women, Healthy Strong Men, Healthy Strong LGBTQ2S+ and Other Indigenous Ways of Being, Healthy Strong Babies and Youth, Healthy Strong Elders, and Healthy Strong Families and Communities.
Our goal as artists was to design and create mural pieces that spoke about our past and present experiences as Indigenous people for not only the world to see, but for our communities to reflect on as well. Although, we gained much more than that from this project.
I’ve been honoured and fortunate to join this mural project as a mentee representing both the Inuvialuit and Two-Spirit communities
with my mentors Brian Kowikchuk (Inuvialuk) and Kale (Kailey) Sheppard (Labradormiut). Everybody spent months meeting online together discussing our ideas and deciding what sort of message we wanted to leave. There have also been times we got to chat with the other mural teams while we were preparing and developing connections before we actually got to meet in person in Denendeh. We also received feedback from different community members; with this feedback, each team completed our drafts and prepared for a public revealing. This was live-streamed on the Tusaayaksat Magazine and the Strong People, Strong Communities Facebook pages and the public was enthralled by the artwork presented.
Following COVID-19 protocols, the teams gathered at the BDene Camp located in Dettah and were finally able to meet each other in person after a year of only online video calls.
During the week of painting, there was a continuous flow of inspiration, connection, positive feedback, and growth. We were fortunate enough to have workshops during our time together so we’ve gained not only the opportunity to paint the murals but to develop new skills or learn other practices used in different cultures of northern Turtle Island. There was a carving, spray painting, beading/sewing, a medicine walk, and a tobacco workshop, which was all hosted by a talented knowledge keeper plus some panels featuring the artists.
Each following day continued with the same schedule, and we worked throughout the day while attending the optional daily workshops. Despite the consistent schedule, each day had something new to see or a new perspective to take in. The progress on the paintings was continuous and each workshop was filled with varying knowledge or skills, and this gave everyone a chance to grow together, developing as both a person and artist.
Not only will I include my own experience from this project, but also insight from some of the mentee and mentor artists involved. Mahalia and Kalina put a lot of effort into this project leaving us fulfilled as artists and I hope you can not only see that but appreciate it, too, through this article.
Mahahlia and her daughter Lily.
The first few workshops we got to take part in were Derrald Taylor's (Inuvialuk) carving demonstration and Christina King/Taalrumiq's (Inuvialuk) Sewing Seal Skin Solidarity Hearts workshop. Peatr Thomas (Swampy Cree) also hosted a spray paint workshop on the first day but due to my flight, I missed the chance to take any photos, unfortunately.
Youth artist Jamaine Vilan (top left) and NWT mentor Brian Kowikchuk (bottom right) work with the host Taalrumiq.
The next couple of workshops included Naturally Dene to Dene Medicine Walk which was partnered with Karen Wright-Fraser and Lona Sorensen, though it was orignally supposed to be led by Lila Fraser Erasmus, who unfortunatley wasn't able to attend. This was a two-part workshop where we learned about both medicinal plants we can find in Denendeh and how to grow natural tobacco. After the workshop, we even received tobacco seeds from Lona, plus a guide on how to care for and harvest them.
The last two workshops held that week were an Artist Talk and acrylic painting. The team Healthy Strong Women hosted a panel where they got to discuss directly with the community what it means to be a healthy, strong woman and how their mural design was based on that. The next day, Kale Sheppard and I (Lexis McDonald) from the Healthy Strong LGBTQ2S+ and Other Indigenous Ways of Being art team hosted a painting class for the community, focusing on how to paint the northern lights.
Kale Sheppard and I (Lexis) begin our paint workshop with a land acknowledgment and welcome letter written by Strong People, Strong Communities.
Artists Kyla LeSage, Melanie Jewell, and Lianne Charlie host their Artist Talk panel.
Elder Karen Wright-Fraser
Healthy Strong Men
The Healthy Strong Men team was made of mentor Peatr Thomas (Swampy Cree) [top photo] and youth artists Jordan Epelon (Inuk) [bottom photo], and Danielle Wendehorst. Their piece represents how our men support the community and where they stand. The men are our providers and this can be seen in the representation of the Elder driving the dog sled as well as the Yamozah spirit in the sky. They offer both guidance and protection to our community, reminding us that connecting to the land can bring together a healthy, strong mind, body, and spirit, ultimately connecting everything together as one.
Out of the three murals painted during the week, this one was completed the quickest. In just two days the team was even able to play and practice with spray paint before it was all covered with the actual mural. Throughout the process, Peatr mentored anyone that was helping out and taught the different techniques of spray paint such as blending and the use of stencils.
As people continue to enjoy the mural, the hope is to inspire our community to gain the strength needed to properly care for not only ourselves but to care for our people, offering traditional guidance to others as reliable people. If we can continue like this, we can become a stable foundation of culture for future generations to come.
Healthy Strong Women
Mentors Lianne Charlie (Tage Cho Hudan, Big River People/Northern Tutchone), Melanie Jewell (Dene), and youth artist Kyla LeSage (Vuntut Gwich'in and Anishinaabeg) have worked together as the Healthy Strong Women team and designed a mural representing the importance of our women's wisdom in the community. They nourish us with the powerful knowledge that's been
passed through countless generations before us, providing ancient wisdom through the practice of our sacred hair. The daughter's hair tells the teaching of how ancestral knowledge is stored inside, so creating a braid connects herself as a being with the land through those memories, making herself and the mother bond together as one alongside the land.
Within the four days, the team efficiently put it all together step by step. From the beautiful linework to painting each individual section, every step was done with careful decision-making that was supported by the volunteers who participated.
This mural's main takeaway is that being a healthy, strong woman means you have individual strength of nourishment gifted from the ancestral land.
Posing with the completed mural (Left to right): Sara Komorinsky with Ingrid Komorinsky on their lap, myself (Lexis), Kelsey Wrightson, Melanie Jewell, Lianne Charlie, Kyla LeSage, Sabrina Flack, Danielle Wendehorst, Jamaine Vilan, Morgan Tsetta (Yellowknives Dene First Nations), and Kale Sheppard.
Healthy Strong Babies & Youth
The Healthy Strong Babies & Youth team was led by mentor Carla Rae Taylor (Dene), NWT mentor Myrna Pokiak (Inuvialuk), and Christina Moore (Huron-Wendat). The youth artists of this team were Mya Paul (Métis and Inuvialuk) and Elycia Nimegeers (Inuk). Together they were able to design a piece that represented the importance of our youth in the community and where they take place in the world. The various details help depict what it takes to raise our youth and what needs to be done in order to offer them the growth that's required to become a healthy, strong Indigenous being. They're guided by the world around them while being cared for by their ancestors and Mother Earth as they carry the responsibilities of culture ahead.
This mural took the entire week plus more to complete, which includes transferring the linework via a projector, followed by continuous painting and finalized with a protective coat on top. Putting this together was an experience everyone got to share and bond over.
Hoping that these murals will last decades to come, its goal is to impact the future generations in a way that will remind them that our people and culture are here for them as inspiration, to continue forward knowing their community is behind them.
Kaitlyn Nasogaluak
My name is Kaitlyn Nasogaluak. I am 19 years old and I am of Inuvialuit and Sahtu-Dene descent. I was a part of the Strong Families team. My expectations weren’t a lot really from this mural event, but the activities we did during the week weren’t that bad. I didn’t expect to pluck a duck with one hand, nor did I expect to eat as much food as I did. I did expect a lot of painting, however, and that was met because I learned how to use spray paints and I’ve never really worked with them before. I feel like I’ve done more painting within the past few days than I ever have in my life beforehand. I also learned a lot about Indigenous cultures, not only my own cultural background but plenty about the cultures from the South. I haven’t heard about birchbark biting as an art form that Peatr Thomas (Swampy Cree) taught; it was very new to me. Overall, the event was a fun experience with lots of surprises.
Unfortunately, one of my mentors wasn’t able to make it up North, but the other mentor Cody Fennell (North Slave Métis/NWT Métis) was really cool to speak with. He taught me some cool skills about transferring physical copies of art into digital formats. I wish I had more time to communicate with my mentors, but from what we’ve spoken about so far, I can tell that they are two of the most helpful and cool people I’ve met so far.
Meeting a lot of strong people helped me embrace being part of a strong community.
I feel as an artist my skills have been up to par with everyone else. But as a youth, this helped me reshape my identity a little bit. This event, for me, was life-changing. I have been a part of three other projects during my time with this one. This project helped me realize more of what my goals in my life were. I felt inspired to reach out to many other Indigenous people, some of who may feel ashamed of their identity, or struggle to find the strength that they carry with them. So, through my own art, I wish to show them that their identity is not something to try and shut out but to embrace. Whether that medium would be murals or animations—my art can influ ence others. Meeting other In digenous artists helped me feel part of a strong community so this project has lived up to its name, I believe. Meet ing a lot of strong people helped me embrace being part of a strong community.
Jordan Epelon
I’mJordan Epelon. I'm 21 years old. I’m bisexual and I was born and raised here in Yellowknife. My family background comes from Cambridge Bay, and I am part of the Healthy Strong Men art team.
I kinda expected to make new friends as I did and learn new art styles so my expectations of this event were met. I got new painting skills which I didn’t really expect to be a lot; I was only expecting to learn a few new things. And actually, I didn’t really know what my team’s mural looked like until we started painting. We did have a few drafts I got to see
but I didn’t see the official end result of it until we started painting it this past week. That was the only thing that was different from my expectations. This project has helped me grow as a youth. I got to learn more techniques and it expanded my family life quite a bit by making a whole lot of new friends. I also learned that you don't always have to go out and party and stuff to have fun.
As an artist, I learned a whole lot of techniques. Most of the art that I usually do is photography; I like to do portrait photos and landscape-style photos. So, stepping out of my com-
fort zone was actually a lot more helpful than I thought it would be. My mentor, Peatr Thomas (Swampy Cree), was able to teach me his style of art which was kind of interesting; I’ve never worked with spray paint as much as we did in the project. I only really know the basics of spray painting, but I learned a whole lot more with that from Peatr.
I think I might do more mural paintings now. I might also do a lot more photography and learn a lot more photography styles as well. I just hope that we get to do this type of event again because it was really fun yet short.
Brian Kowikchuk & Kailey (Kale) Sheppard
Lexis: What’s your name and background? Which art team are you part of?
Brian: I’m Brian Kowikchuk (Inuvialuk); I'm from Tuktuuyaqtuuq and I’ve lived in Aktlarvik, Inuuvik, and Tuktuuyaqtuuq my whole life. I've also spent a bit of time down South. I’m part of the Strong LGBTQ2S+ and Other Indigenous Ways of Being art team and we’ve contributed to a digital illustration project.
Kale: I’m Kale (Kailey) Sheppard, I live in Winnipeg and I’m Labradormiut. I’m part of the Strong LGBTQ2S+ and Other Indigenous Ways of Being art team.
What were your initial thoughts or ideas for this mural? What inspired those ideas?
B: All three of us collaborated together. We put our thoughts and our inspirations on our Facebook Messenger group chat since we were all in different locations. So, it was good just to have something to visually reflect on. I wanna say most likely you (Lexis) and I have poked at the idea of the tattoos for the male, and then we (Brian and Kale) spoke about the drummer and dancers in the sky for referencing the Inuvialuit/Inuit ancestors. Then I think, with everything else, we have come together in agreement.
K: Yeah, it was all a collaborative effort. There were lots of little ideas here and there while building off of each other's ideas, so our concept went through a lot of different iterations. But, we came out of it with a good result.
What was the main message and how did you achieve it?
B: Our initial stance amongst ourselves [was] learning how to bridge the gap between our cultural presence from the past and present. There’s not a lot of LGBTQ+ representation culturally other than the two-spirited-ness and the shamans who have their feet in both worlds, and that is a universal thing. When it came to cultural representation, we came together and we didn’t want to just slap a rainbow on it. So, all three of us agreed to put some rainbow colours in another great majestical thing in our sky—the great northern lights.
K: For a message, it was mostly just about the representation of the whole LGBTQ+ community. The two-spirited-ness was probably one of the first things to be erased during colonization, so for me, it was about revitalizing that and bringing awareness to queer Indigenous excellence.
What or who was your muse/inspiration for this project?
B: I think there was a lot of self-reflection within each of ourselves because we always dug into our own sense of identity to represent and give as much insight as we can. I believe that we are the first LGBTQ+ people from different Inuit cultures to come together and collaborate to deliver a strong message of identity awareness and safety.
K: That about covers it. I was mostly drawing from personal experience, so [I tried] to tie that in with the things I’ve learned while I reclaim my Inuit identity. I also tried to channel any queer ancestors I may have had and honour them as best as I [could] in the mural.
"I believe that we are the first LGBTQ+ people from different Inuit cultures to come together and collaborate to deliver a strong message of identity awareness and safety."
—Brian Kowikchuk
How do you think you were able to put yourself into the painting?
B: [In the painting we] have the tattoos with the guy’s face and the drummer and dancers in the sky because we believe, through legend, that our people are in the northern lights after passing. We believe that there [are] strong messages from them. It was usually the guys [who] have the piercings in the face [and] we gave [that] significance. Then, the inukshuk landmark or sense of direction, so when people are feeling a little bit lost, they’ll have a little bit of awareness and sense of direction within themselves. From my understanding, I believe the drummers and dancers in that mural are celebrating that sense of identity that we are expressing ourselves.
K: Two things that I felt were the best representation of myself were the shaman and the man in the northern lights with the women’s facial tattoos. As a two-spirit [person] myself I feel a strong connection with them; I also feel a connection to shamanism and I’m trying to learn about that part of my culture.
How was it like during the entire process of this project?
B: The whole process was properly scheduled. We were figuring each other out along the process of how we fit into this great initiative, and we’ve found our strengths. There were a lot of key points where we had to learn to develop a sense of identity within the expression of art. We've also been able to learn a lot of different parts of ourselves by meeting different people with different cultural backgrounds.
K: Mahalia, Kalina, and Rosanna made the whole process super organized; everything was very streamlined. It was easy to follow and there were very few points during this whole year that I felt stressed or rushed. Now especially being here, everything’s very well organized and relaxed. I felt like there’s a good amount of time for working on the project while also taking time to explore and do our own things, such as enjoying our time being here, learning, growing, making new connections, and strengthening our cultural ties.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
B: It was really awesome working together. It was my first time becoming a mentor and being a mentee along the lines of Kale. Somebody said one day that we all have old souls and Elders inside each and every one of us. It was really good to be able to communicate with you [Lexis] and Kale about how we express ourselves.
I’m gonna close by reflecting on what Kale said about how Mahalia and Kalina had come together to make it such an easy process. I don’t want to use the word "easy" [but] they made it very smooth and everything was coordinated properly, so we felt like there was no sense of [being] lost. We just knew what we did or we knew what to do by applying what we have always been doing—by just expressing our art and collaborating [with] a sense of support, and just becoming members of our small little community that we’ve developed ourselves.
On the last day, we got to spend the evening together at Aurora Village sharing our final thoughts and saying goodbye to each other before we had departed back onto our own paths as artists, hoping to work with each other again in the near future. I hope you were touched by this project like we were. Many of us were able to say this was surprisingly a life-changing experience we're all thankful for and in the end, the event truly lived up to its name.
By the time this has been released, all of the murals mentioned would have been installed at their respective locations throughout Denendeh and Dettah, including the three murals which were digitally printed: Healthy Strong LGBTQ2S+ and Other Indigenous Ways of Being, Healthy Strong Elders, and Healthy Strong Families and Communities.
To the right there is a list of locations for each mural. Please take the time to go visit all of our murals and share what you think of them or how they may impact you online.
MURAL PHOTOS by JESSICA DELEARY (ABOVE) & ETHAN
BUTTERFIELD (RIGHT PAGE)
SPSC MURAL LOCATIONS
HEALTHY STRONG WOMEN
4915 48th St in Denendeh (Yellowknife)
HEALTHY STRONG MEN
[OPPOSITE PAGE]
Dettah Community Gym in Dettah
HEALTHY STRONG LGBTQ2S+ AND OTHER INDIGENOUS WAYS OF BEING
[TOP IMAGE]
5112 52nd St / CloudWorks in Denendeh (Yellowknife)
45 Kam Lake Rd / Fieldhouse in Denendeh (Yellowknife)
HEALTHY STRONG ELDERS
[BOTTOM IMAGE]
4903 50th St / Home Base Youth Centre in Denendeh (Yellowknife)
Faith Gordon and Katelyn Storr with fish from their nets at Tapqaq (Shingle Point).
What’s New With The Inuvialuit Living History Project?
NATASHA LYONS, LISA HODGETTS, ASHLEY PISKOR, ETHEL-JEAN GRUBEN, ELIZABETH EDGERTON, MERVIN JOE, BEVERLY AMOS, LENA KOTOKAK, KATE HENNESSY, CHRIS VON SZOMBATHY, JASMINE LUKUKU, CHUCK ARNOLD, AND DAVID STEWART
Liam Edwards stands in front of his relatives camp at Tapqaq; he was an excellent host and shared his cabin with us.
Qiputaq (ring toss) at the Shingle Games.
Ashley Piskor and Angelina Joe on their way from Inuuvik to Aktlarvik by boat for a sharing workshop. Ange was our media assistant.
The Inuvialuit Living History Project is a longstanding partnership between the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre (ICRC), Parks Canada, Inuvialuit Communications Society (ICS), Simon Fraser University, University of Western Ontario, Ursus Heritage Consulting, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, and the Smithsonian Institution, which focuses on documenting and celebrating Inuvialuit culture and traditions.
PHASE 1 of the project was initiated in 2009 with a community visit to the MacFarlane Collection at the Smithsonian Institution, in Washington DC, which resulted in the launch, in 2012, of Inuvialuit Pitqusiit Inuuniarutait, the Inuvialuit Living History website: www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca.
PHASE 2 of the project kicked off in 2017 with the intention of hosting events to facilitate knowledge exchange and transmission between different generations in the community and having our participants generate content together about living Inuvialuit traditions for the website. We hosted a large and well-attended cultural gathering at East Three school in Inuuvik in 2018 focused on storytelling, games, and crafts, and held a culture camp at Imnairvik (Sheep Creek), a remote base camp in the heart of Ivvavik National Park, in 2019.
Currently, our team, directed by Natasha Lyons and Lisa Hodgetts, and with close and ongoing input from our partners, are working on two major digital goals. The first is a major revision to our original website to add content from additional Inuvialuit museum collections. The ex-
isting site will become an archive featuring both ethnographic and archaeological collections. We have started with the addition of the Collinson Collection from the British Museum and the Cadzow Collection at the National Museum of the American Indian. An Inuinnait contingent from Ulukhaktok spent time in 2012 documenting the Collinson Collection, and at their request, we are utilizing their interpretations and interactions with this collection, captured by ICS. A contingent from ICRC and IRC spent time with the Cadzow Collection in 2018, and similarly, we will utilize documentation and media from this visit.
We are also in the midst of producing a new Inuvialuit Living History website, built with both youth and phone accessibility in mind. To be launched later in 2022, the new site will take the original URL (www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca), and will link to the archive site (which will move to www.inuvialuitlivinghistoryarchive.ca). The new site will be organized around Inuvialuit principles and have four main sections. Inuvialuuyuanni (Who We Are) will be built around the profiles of Inuvialuit, highlighting where they come from, who their family is, and what
their interests in Inuvialuit culture are (see Starr and Hayven Elanik’s profile pictured below). Inuuniurutikput (How We Live) will showcase archival and contemporary video of Inuvialuit doing and sharing land-based and other cultural practices. Pimaariktaksaq nunakput imaqpullu (Caring for our Land & Water) will present an interactive map of archaeological, traditional, and contemporary use sites on the Inuvialuit landscape. The final section, Ikayuqatigiingniq pitqusiptigu (Sharing Our Culture), will depict Inuvialuit talking about how they connect to their culture. Throughout, the site will feature photos, video, and audio of beneficiaries sharing aspects of their selves and their experiences, what their cultural traditions are, and how they practice and share them.
In 2021, we have managed to keep this work moving despite the pandemic. Several project team members were involved in this past summer’s fieldwork, described by Ashley below, at the same time as our production team worked on design and assembly of media and assets. Our plan is to have a (working) ‘beta’ website ready for the fall of 2022. The next step will be for a small contingent of Inuvialuit and southern team members to travel to all the ISR communities for extended community input and feedback (with appropriate COVID-19 protocols as required). A major part of that work will involve seeking representation from all communities, telling their (your!) stories in your own words (please see the invite to submit your contributions below if you would like to be featured on the website), and ensuring that all three dialects are correctly represented on both websites. This last task has been slowed by the pandemic, but it is foremost in our minds.
TOP: An early draft of the new website's main page, with the four main sections. DIRECTLY ABOVE : An example of the individual/group profiles that will appear on the Inuvialuuyuanni (Who We Are) page of the website. If you have suggestions about who we should profile or would like to be profiled, please email ILH research assistant Letitia Pokiak at lpokiak@gmail.com or message us on the Inuvialuit Living History facebook page.
RIGHT: Bianna Wolki sharing what connects her most to her culture and proudly wearing her atiktluk.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS TO THE NEW INUVIALUIT LIVING HISTORY WEBSITE!
Would you like to contribute to the new website? You can help us highlight the people and cultural activities that make Inuvialuit culture so vibrant! For details about how to contribute follow this link: http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/posts, which is on the News page of the ILH website.
PICTURED: Faith Gordon, Kaitlyn Storr, and Gil Kogiak collect fish from a net at Tapqaq (Shingle Point).
ILH team members—in partnership with Parks Canada and with support and guidance from ICRC—travelled to Aktlarvik, Tuktuuyaqtuuq, and Inuuvik to hold information and sharing meetings with people interested in the ILH project. In these meetings we talked about the new website, gathered preliminary feedback and ideas, and took time to share stories about the importance of connecting to culture. We also gathered some photographs and videos from people wanting to help us highlight Inuvialuit and activities that keep them connected to their heritage. Ashley was lucky enough to spend two weeks in Paulatuuq, participating in their jamboree, and hosting two sharing meetings. She also had more in-depth conversations with Elders about how they connect to and share their culture. Ashley and Mervin visited Tapqaq (Shingle Point) and participated in the Shingle Games with many families from Aktlarvik. Materials developed by beneficiaries at these events or co-developed with beneficiaries afterwards will be featured on the new website.
LEFT: Francis Ruben showing his soapstone carvings and his workshop; he comes from a family of carvers.
BELOW: Noel Green looks at 360 photos of cultural sites through a 360 viewer.
Parks Canada helped ILH host two storytelling and culture sharing workshops in Paulatuuq. We gathered for tea, bannock, and snacks and participants shared what it means to be Inuvialuit and how they feel most connected to their culture. This is the group on day two. Back row (standing; left to right): Brianna Wolki, Peter Green, Ashley Piskor, Shirley Esau, Francis Ruben, and Richard Ruben. Front row (seated; left to right): Millie Thrasher, Judy Green and Noel Green.
Ulukhaktok Wellness Camp
WORDS by ANGELINA JEROME
PHOTOS by ANGELINA JEROME & WAYC
Having the privilege and honour to be able to travel to Ulukhaktok for work is beyond amazing and I am super grateful. Being in Ulukhaktok has been an amazing experience. The people don’t judge you at all for your looks or your financial situation. They accept you as a person no matter your beliefs or where you come from. They aren’t like much as how much of society is today, where you’re judged a lot for the basic things. I was so worried they wouldn’t be welcoming because of how I look and that I don’t look Indigenous, but as soon as I got there they were so welcoming right from the minute we landed at their airport. People from the community came to the community hall to welcome us and asked if we needed anything; they were willing to lend a helping hand in any way they could.
On our first day we got there we had lunch before going on a community walk afterwards and it was so beautiful. As we were walking through the community we saw a few locals working on fish outside their house; they let us stay and watch them cut the fish and
ABOVE: Picture taken by Angelina Jerome of the community of Ulukhaktok behind the Community Hall. LEFT: Angelina Jerome capturing people plant picking on the land in Ulukhaktok.
A big part of being at the wellness camp was helping people heal or for some to start a path of healing, to start letting go of the dark places they had held with them from the past.
told us about the fish they get around there and how the fishing season has been so far. Another local had a tent around one of the bays and she welcomed us with bannock and showed us her sewings, telling us how she made them and what cultural value they held.
Each day we had new people from the community and the same people returning to the hall to hang out, tell stories, play cards, help with the sewing that we were doing, help us when we were out on the land, and just get to know each other. A lot of participants had family in Ulukhaktok so it was nice to see them connect and bond again, especially for the ones that had never met before. There were some special moments for them when a few of them got gifted beautiful things from their family members there. One of our participants got a beautiful parka and another participant revived a gorgeous pair of mitts. It was so heartwarming to watch them receive these things.
The people in Ulukhaktok are so cultured; they’re fluent in their dialect of Kangiryuarmiutun and I think that is a true blessing. Hearing them talk to each other in their dialect was so admirable, especially when we had Elders
talking and teaching us. They’d do it in their language and we had a translator so we understood what they were teaching us. One night they let us watch their drum dancers and singers, how they dance, which was so beautiful. One dance they did brought tears to my eyes because of the recent past I’ve had in my life. It helped me a lot to let go in a way. They shared their culture and language with us; it was another thing I carried home with me. I feel so privileged to have had that experience because it’s different from how our Inuvialuit are here in Inuuvik and the small communities close by.
A big part of being at the Wellness Camp was helping people heal, or for some to start a path of healing, to start letting go of the dark places they had held with them from the past. As they opened up and shared their struggles, the participants offered help and as well as just listened and let them know they are supported no matter what and that they are not alone. You can tell that really helped them. They each had a weight taken off their shoulders going back home. I am so thankful I got to be part of this camp and to learn new ways of the cultures and life skills that’ll always help me in the future.
ABOVE: Noel Cockney, Mariah Lucas, Corrine Bullock, April Olifie, Jeannie Gruben, Cherise Goose-Felix, Miranda Kowana, and standing in the middle is Agnes Kuptana. They are preparing to make dryfish with fresh fish that was caught in the fish net.
on a hill we kicked. As they were taking in the views, they had made a inukhuk
ABOVE: Patrick Joss, Margaret Kanayok, Corrine Bullock, Mariah Lucas, Brian Kowikchuk, Noel Cockney, Miranda Kowana, Petra Kowikchuk, April Olifie, Cherise Goose-Felix, Nicolas Cockney, Megan Lennie, Jeannie Gruben, and Vanessa Kimiksana
ABOVE: Corrine Bullock, Mariah Lucas, April Olifie hanging their fish to dry after cutting it up for dryfish.
Everyone enjoyed their time and it really help people reconnect with their culture; they discovered new things about our people and themselves and it opened more doors to self-love.
Going to Ulukhaktok has opened me up to how I view life a lot more. Seeing how everyone gets along and always helps each other out is really grounding to see, and how they always lend a helping hand without expecting anything from it. Seeing how kind-hearted they are and wanting nothing but the best for everyone—I love that so much about their community. It was the best thing to see in person. It also has opened opportunities to work on travelling to the other ISR communities and I am beyond excited and grateful to have been able to do that. I got to see more of the smaller communities, get to know the people, see how they are connecting with their culture, get more knowledge, have new experiences so that I can carry it all with me throughout my lifetime, and help out other people any way that I can. I could not express how happy I truly am with my job and getting these opportunities to learn a lot more about our people, the communities and this line of work.
The Western Arctic Youth Collective’s (WAYC) team had planned and prepared everything months in advance; they worked with the Hamlet of Ulukhaktok and a few staff members went a few days before the group of us had gone to make sure everything was ready and prepared for our arrival, to make sure everything went so smoothly as it did. It definitely took
an amazing team to make this Wellness Camp as smooth as possible. The feedback they got was just as amazing. Everyone enjoyed their time and it really helped people reconnect with their culture; they discovered new things about our people and themselves and it opened more doors to self-love. They found themselves mentally and spiritually, where they are at points in their lives, and what areas they need to work on to make themselves stronger, as well as reconnected with family and met new family members.
I couldn’t thank WAYC enough for everything and how they have helped people in different ways. Each person went home knowing new things that they will hold onto forever. They have made people feel heard and supported in so many different ways that they did not have before the Wellness Camp and I think that truly is a blessing for our people.
TOP: Margaret Kanayok while on the land with quads.
TOP: (Top row, left to right) Myha Martin, Megan Lennie, Corrine Bullock, Nickolas Cockney, Miranada Kowana, Vanessa Kimiksana, Cherise GooseFelix, Mariah Lucas, and Jeannie Gruben showing mitts they have sewed during the camp with the help of the Elders sitting. (Bottom row, left to right) Robert Kuptana, Agnes Kuptana, Mary Kudlak, Kate Inuktalik, and Mollie Oliktoak.
My name is April Olifie. I’m from Ulukhaktok, NT. I am here to speak about the Wellness Camp that was held in my hometown community, which I was a part of. I really enjoyed it all!
The activity I really enjoyed the most was learning about the plants around the north and how important it is to know what we can and cannot eat, what helps with health issues, or what kind of plants can help in tough situations if you’re stranded out on the land.
I learnt a lot of healing activities and got to let out feelings I don’t usually get out there, either oneon-one or along with other participants, program organizers and Elders who also took part in traditional healing activities. I felt pretty comfortable and safe talking about my situations and stories with everyone who attended the wellness camp.
I also really enjoyed hearing everyone’s stories and that I wasn’t the only one who needed something like this in remote communities.
Coming together and being active both physically and mentally while having others show the care we can receive really helped to show me and others that there are people out there who care. I really hope we can continue doing programs like this every year for the wellness of our community members. It was truly a blessing to get to meet everyone and be a part of it all! I would like to say thank you to the staff who worked to put this program together. Quana!
PICTURED: A community feast during our last night in Ulu.
Megan Lennie WAYC Land-Based Coordinator
THE IDEA:
The idea came from a meeting that Alyssa Carpenter (our WAYC Director and Co-founder) had with the community of Ulukhaktok during a visit a few years ago. The community stated that they would like to host a youth gathering based on uniting our region, with traditional values and culturally relevant objectives. Over the next few years, our Director made it a priority to incorporate these suggestions into our event planning and development timeframe.
THE PLANNING:
When I was introduced into the planning phase, WAYC had hired Melody Teddy as a youth contractor. Her role consisted of making connections and requesting approval from the community organizations to host the gathering. I would like to acknowledge that without the support and hard work of Melody and Alyssa the gathering would have only stayed a dream of the community.
I joined the working group in late April 2021, working alongside Melody to get the marketing, support, and early planning stages off the ground. With a little over three months to plan, the team worked efficiently to implement each step with ease. Melody took a step back in June to enjoy the rest of her maternity leave, and the WAYC staff worked together collectively to continue to sort out the details of the event. July was when the planning stages became a reality. We worked together to to select the par-
ticipants based on their personal submissions and book flights for all members from the six surrounding communities. The week before the gathering, the team completed all of the paperwork and tied off all loose ends to ensure that we were ready and that our participants were prepared. It was quite the month of hard work, determination, and good communication. It’s during these times that you become grateful to have an efficient and dedicated team.
THE EVENT:
How smoothly did the event go? In my opinion, the event was powerful! The vision and mandate of WAYC is to empower youth to be change makers by providing a platform of youth-led collaborative initiatives. This event was created on this basis; we wanted to encourage the flow of empowerment and self-healing within the program to create a safe space for those to grow. We wanted to make sure the connection and partnership with the community was there, and we couldn’t have asked for better staff, facilitators, participants, and community workers. The connections and friendships I made during this gathering will last me a lifetime. During the event, I often sat to the side, watching and admiring the connections and the self-healing being created. The community of Ulukhaktok has a beautiful essence. The sense of family, culture, and love is strong; every moment of being there was a blessing. I organized the
ABOVE: An inukhuk made with rocks while on the land.
ABOVE: 'Quading' to pick plants off the land as a group, with Jeannie Gruben in back and Mariah Lucas driving.
"The land heals if you allow it, the people can heal if you let them in, and the stories you share can bring you all together to create a safe space for all."
event, but the people who attended made the camp soar. The memories made and the feelings that were felt were everything you hope for as an organizer. It was in those moments when I realized that all the months spent planning and organizing were worth every second. Every little step was an important piece to achieving the community’s vision of connection, cultural revitalization, and healing within the region.
A conversation at the end of the gathering allowed me to realize that, what we are doing as an organization is making a difference. A participant came up to me and said, “Thank you—not only for this camp, but [for] allowing me to realize what is possible, and for making us realize the value in ourselves and the cultural traditions I learned this week.” It was hard to hold back tears at that moment.
MY STORY:
During a hard time in my life, I had a strong feeling that the healthcare system had failed me. It was around the same year I told this to an elder and they responded, “You don’t need a counsellor to heal your soul. The land heals if you allow it, the people can heal if you let them in, and the stories you share can bring you all together to create a safe space for all.” The moment that comment was made changed the way I approached many situations. I started to believe in healing collectively, by listening, learning and witnessing. I’m so beyond grateful to work within WAYC to organize and create safe spaces
such as these. It is our time to heal as Indigenous people; we deserve the space in our hearts and minds for that. Let’s work with one another to work on ourselves.
THANK YOU:
I would like to say thank you to everyone who attended, helped, worked, shared, and healed with us that week. To say we will be forever grateful is an understatement.
Planning a gathering of this magnitude is a huge accomplishment and I am proud to call myself a team member of the Western Arctic Youth Collective. The things happening within the Western Arctic are beautiful—let’s continue to work with each other and create more programming for our people.
The Western Arctic Youth Collective could not have hosted such an event without the support of surrounding community organizations. I would like to say a huge thank you to the following: Ulukhaktok Community Corporation, Ulukhaktok’s Recreation Team, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation’s Health and Wellness Division especially, the Regional Youth Advisory Group and Project Jewel, Aktlarvik Hamlet Recreational Board, and Dechinta for all their support and collaboration.
FUNDING:
The funding pots that have helped make this event happen came from MakeWay Charitable Society, GNWT MACA Youth Contributions, and the Youth Hope Fund.
PICTURED: Margret Kanayok showing which plants to pick and different ways to use them, what they can help with and how to tell if the plants are good to use.
PHOTO by LINDSAY REID
CRAFTED Show+Sale
Three Inuvialuit artists share their experience at the 2021 Winnipeg Art Gallery event
Debbie Dillon | Rory Voudrach | Bambi Amos
Rory voudrach
We were a cohort of artists from the Northwest Territories representing ourselves through promoting and selling our work at the Winnipeg Art Gallery's CRAFTED Show + Sale. Myself, Debbie Dillon, and Bambi Amos—all Inuvialuit artists—were a part of this cohort.
Photo
by TAMARA VOUDRACH
HOW DID YOU COME TO BE AT THE WINNIPEG ART GALLERY’S CRAFTED SHOW + SALE?
I saw a post on Facebook from NWT Arts [a marketing program administered by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, GNWT]. NWT Arts was organizing and sponsoring a cohort of NWT artists to attend the CRAFTED Show + Sale at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG). I responded to the post, submitted the application, and was selected to go down. We were a cohort of, I believe, 8 artists from the Northwest Territories representing ourselves through promoting and selling our work [there]. Myself, Debbie Dillon, and Bambi Amos—all Inuvialuit artists—were a part of this cohort.
HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE EVENT?
NWT Arts and WAG helped us prepare by giving us an idea of the amount of traffic coming through there. I figured I’d need 40-50 pieces to keep me busy all weekend. So I got to work ordering my material. This included my steel as well as antlers from local people, which I prefer, right off the street, right off the river bank. And I just gave’r for a couple months. Evenings, weekends—I was 100% focused.
I knew that if I was gonna go to the event, I’d have to make a profit, because of the amount of work I put into making all these pieces, I banked on bringing them down and selling them down there. I brought 54 pieces, small to large, [of] various sizes of uluit. I sold out of everything! Most of us did, I think. Aside from any money made, the biggest takeaway was the opportunity for exposure and just sharing my craft.
HOW HAVE YOU BENEFITED FROM BEING SHOWCASED AT THE EVENT?
I have the natural urge and need to create stuff. If I can share it and sell it, well, that’s a bonus. This was a completely ‘worth it’ opportunity not only to make a profit but to share my art and create connections with other artists and buyers. I created contacts through the event, and now I’m selling more pieces to central, southern and eastern Canada, New York State and California. [Even] Australia, several times in the last year actually. And of course, locally. That’s what the show was able to provide—exposure and expansion of my contacts. WAG approached all of us to purchase pieces to display and sell after the show ended, as well. We made an arrangement, and when I
INTERVIEW
Photo by Doug Little (Douglas Little Photography)
got back, I started working on that new batch and sent them a bunch of uluit. They’re in their craft shop right now.
WHY ULUIT AND KNIVES?
My natural self is just—I just do what I feel I wanna do. I get up, go to work, go to my day job, and if I can have time to make a Boggan, make a sleigh, make an ulu, I’m gonna do that. I’m not restricting myself to anything, not restricting myself to any time. That’s just me. My mind’s always going. It’s my natural self to want to create things. Now I’m into uluit and knives. I want to eventually expand and work more with steel. I want to maintain, as much as I can, the traditional style of ulu, while using traditional materials. For example, when I think of an ulu, it’s not made from stainless steel, it’s repurposed material. I like to maintain the age of the old steel to give it that vintage used ulu look. That brings me back. I imagine what our Elders or ancestors felt when they created uluit. It was a critical tool in preparing food and animal skins for clothing, and it was an overall multipurpose tool in the iglu, in the house.
THERE’S A COMMON SENTIMENT GROWING AMONG ARTISTS AND CRAFTERS, THAT RATHER THAN TAKING ORDERS, THEY ARE SAYING: NO MORE, I’M GOING TO MAKE WHAT I WANT, AND SELL WHATEVER I MAKE. DO YOU SHARE THIS SAME FEELING?
Yeah. I’ve tried a few times taking orders and the customer wants a specific type of ulu. I found that that just completely throws my creative craft out the window, and I’ll never do that again. I’d rather create stuff and put it out. When I start an ulu, I have a general idea of what I wanna make, but as I’m working, it’s changing shape. As long as I’m keeping with traditional styles and materials, it’s cool.
WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?
I don’t copy anyone. I don’t have one particular person that has inspired me to make uluit, but I have a lot of respect for a few people. One of them [is] Darryl Nasogaluak. He makes the ul-
timate traditional ulu. When you think of the traditional ulu, he makes it. He was taught by his ataatak Edgar Kotokak—master ulu maker of the traditional style. And that’s what you see in Darryl’s work.
I really feel strongly about keeping it traditional, because there’s so much history. I hope we can do that collectively and help each other. I intend to engage with other Inuvialuit artists going forward. I’ve shared my thoughts publicly, but I’d really like more of a concerted, organized effort amongst ulu makers to pass on and maintain that traditional craftsmanship.
DO YOU HAVE ANY MESSAGES FOR ANYBODY WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING THIS CRAFT OR JUST GETTING INTO A NEW ART FORM IN GENERAL?
You gotta be interested. Of course, you try stuff; you get introduced to a new artform and certain practice and give it a try. But if it works and you’re interested, keep going. Keep an open mind. Don’t feel you’re so restricted in how to make something. At the end of the day, the artist that's teaching you has their own way of doing [it], and the artist before that had their way of doing [it]. So don’t feel like you have to stick to a certain process or certain method just because that’s the way this person or that person is teaching it.
You gotta keep a creative mind and find your own way, and that’s what I’m doing. I’ve got methods that I do that some other people don't do and they're probably surprised. But that’s okay—it’s evolving, right? And that’s what we can teach people so they can go off and develop their own styles. There’s different ways of making it, but as far as art, you gotta find your own way of doing things. I don’t try to copy anyone; I try to create something.
I believe art will always evolve to use new methods, but we can keep our traditions alive through our art. When I think of Inuvialuit and Inuit, I think of the ulu. I think of spears. I think of fish hooks. I think of fishing scoops. There remain certain ways, certain styles. I hope we can maintain all of that.
RIGHT: Uluit photos submitted by Rory Voudrach
Photo by Doug Little (Douglas Little Photography)
Debbie Dillon
I was raised in Inuuvik but currently live in Fort Smith, NT. My social media handle on Instagram is @DeltaDebzDesigns. I design and create beaded earrings that represent my Inuvialuit culture, such as using an ulu or Delta Braid motif.
Photo Courtesy of NWT Arts
Having support from people who enjoy my designs is the main reason that I make them. I am also thankful for NWT Arts, who have supported me with many wonderful opportunities to attend local arts and crafts sales in and around Fort Smith.
Attending an event as big as the Winnipeg CRAFTED Show + Sale was a first for me. I was very excited to have been selected by NWT Arts as a vendor. I made a goal of making 80 pairs of earrings for the event. I spent every spare moment beading. It was very challenging but so rewarding in the end. I had just enough time to prep my earrings before we travelled at the beginning of November. There were vendors from each region of the Northwest Territories; a few regions had two vendors, mine included. I represented the South Slave region.
After arriving in Winnipeg, we spent the first night setting up at the Winnipeg Art Gallery; we were part of over 60 vendors at this event. It also gave me time to see some of the displays in the gallery. My favourite was the “Naadohbii: To Draw Water” exhibit with some very inspiring and powerful displays. I was really drawn to one, which was a drum in the middle of a dark room by artist Lindsay Dobbin. The drum, the sound of the waves, and the ambiance in the room were so powerful. I was able to just appreciate and be thankful for everything in that
moment. The next day was such a busy and long day of sales. I never thought that I would be so comfortable interacting with so many people but, to be honest, it was my favourite part of the whole trip.
At the event, I was most surprised by the many questions people asked. They wanted to learn more about us (the NWT group) and the North. They had lots of questions about life in the North and were surprised that we had to travel so far to attend the show. Most people I talked to were excited to meet people who actually live in the Northwest Territories. I think that, because of this, they really just wanted to buy from a Northern artist.
There was one day when we had a quiet break between groups of customers. The security guard who was on duty in our area stopped at my table. I had some rabbit fur on the table as part of my display. He asked me, “What is this? Is this real?” I said, “It’s rabbit fur. It’s from a real rabbit.” He looks at me and said, “why you kill it?” I told him that I didn’t kill it; I bought it at the store. I explained to him that we do hunt animals though and use the animal for food and clothing. That was a funny moment, just the way he asked me—he wasn’t asking in a rude way, but more in a curious way. He was smelling moosehide and asking questions at another table just before that. He seemed fascinated by the use of the fur and hides at some of the tables. It was great sharing information and educating people about our culture and life as Northerners; they just seemed to want to know more.
I am so thankful to everyone who purchased my earrings and especially to NWT Arts and the Winnipeg Art Gallery for giving me this amazing opportunity. It was an incredible experience meeting a lot of great people, making new friends, and also connecting with old friends. I was able to meet up with friends who I haven’t seen in over 20 years! We had lots of catching up to do in such a short time.
Lastly, we were fortunate enough to be given a tour of the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Qaumajuq, the new Inuit art centre. I was impressed with the amount of Inuit art housed there, including art by Inuvialuit artists such as Bill Nasogaluak and Maureen Gruben. If you ever get the chance to visit the gallery, please go! From the vault full of carvings at the entrance to the art all the way up to the fourth floor, you will love the whole experience.
Photos submitted by Debbie Dillon
Bambi amos
I was chosen to attend the CRAFTED Show + Sale by NWT Arts. Preparation for the event was about a month long and was lot of work sewing. I set a goal to have at least fifteen items of my sewing.
Not only did I want to have a nice amount to fill up my table but I wanted to have a variety of styles of mitts, the type I typically make and are the most popular. Being able to showcase my work, and also considering my sales, my hope was to have people enjoy my sewing. As I was preparing, I thought about my family and those who have passed down the art.
The three days at the event were amazing. Being welcomed by the Winnipeg Art Gallery, connections with those who appreciate the arts, meeting fellow artists from the NWT who also attended the event and also feeling gratitude for the opportunity. I have to give a shout-out to NWT Arts for choosing my application to be a part of the show and sale!
The night before flying out, I packed up my sewing which was 12 items. To be honest, I wondered if that was going to be enough but I was happy to have the departure day come. I was very excited to be a part of CRAFTED! It turned out that the amount of my sewing was just right. I sold everything; on the last day, I sold my last pair of mitts. I received orders throughout the weekend as well.
Being connected to our Inuvialuit culture is very important to me. Sewing is a way for me to do that. I think about long ago, our ancestors, and how they used to live. When I was a toddler, an Elder from Sachs Harbour rubbed my hands so that I may inherit her sewing skills. In my culture, we know it as a gift being passed down. Not only is sewing clothing an art form but it is also essential in our cold climate. This is a skill that should continue to be passed on in our culture. Any advice that I can give would be to follow your passion, whatever it may be. Listen to yourself and find it. Your gift is waiting for you, too, and never forget where you are from.
New Piannat Inuvialuktun are Coming fish greetings math on the land plants
Illustrating the Inuvialuktun Playing Cards was a challenging yet fulfilling project that allowed me to combine a creative pursuit with language learning. To begin, I was provided with a list of words compiled by members of the Inuvialuit community. It was my job to translate these words—common items and objects related to everyday life in the North—into accurate depictions in image form. This was especially difficult for me as I was not raised up North but rather in Edmonton, Alberta; at times, an image that came to my mind would differ from that of my colleagues. I drew all the images using an intuitive program called Procreate which is gaining popularity among artists and designers. This program is very user-friendly if you have access to an iPad and an Apple Pencil.
Research and dialogue proved to be an essential part of the process. Before drawing an image, I would scroll through digital image libraries and search engines to find reference images that translated well enough for this project. Once references images were found that I felt showed an accurate representation of each word on the list, I began drafting rough sketches which were very simple in design but clear enough to demonstrate my intentions for the final image. Feedback was provided to me on each rough sketch and minor modifications were needed on some, while others required complete redraws. This proved to be an exercise in learning how to communicate words through images, which is not an easy task when we often learn
language through the relationship between objects rather than their singularity.
After each image was approved for the final version, my approach became more detailed. To capture the shape and object, each line needed to be rendered with greater intention. Once I felt like the linework was accurate, I moved on to colour. I mainly tried to keep the colours realistic, using earth tones and nothing overly bright. Along with tasteful colouring, I also wanted to add lighting and shading effects to give the drawings life and depth. The addition of simple shading adds lively qualities and can transform a two-dimensional image to make it feel like it's popping off a surface.
A crucial part of the drawing process is knowing when to show restraint because overcomplicating a small illustration can make it appear unclear and overcrowded. This was especially important in this project since the images would be printed on small cards, and I wanted people to grasp the concept of the drawing right away. The simplest words proved to be some of the most difficult to illustrate, such as “animal hide” or “bait”. It took me multiple attempts to capture the proper texture and colour to resemble the word. My favourite words to illustrate were objects I use on daily basis such as “tools” and “tea”. Overall, the Piannat Inuvialuktun project allowed me to learn about my culture and how I can use art to connect with the North.
WORDS by KYLE NATKUSIAK ALEEKUK
RIGHT PAGE: Photos of the first Piannat Inuvialuktun (Animals Edition) that were sent in by our readers and followers.
Uqautchiqput Nuiruq
The Language Is Coming Up
DWAYNE DRESCHER (ATJGALIAQ), LILLIAN ELIAS (PANIGAVLUK) & SUSAN PEFFER (NANMAK)
The Government of Northwest Territories' (GNWT's) Mentor Apprentice Program (MAP) is a way of learning a language where a fluent speaker of the language (a Mentor) teaches a language learner (an Apprentice) through immersion. The goal of the program is to have Apprentices increase their ability to understand and speak their language.
As each Apprentice becomes more fluent, they can teach others the language, creating ripple effects in their community and supporting Indigenous Language Revitalization across the NWT. The Mentor and Apprentice must agree to spend a lot of time together, usually about 7-10 hours per week during the program. During their time together (immersion language sessions), MAP participants "live life in the language" by doing everyday activities using only their Indigenous language, with no English. (WORDS FROM GNWT MENTOR APPRENTICE PROGRAM)
How did you get involved with the Mentor Apprentice Program?
NANMAK: We seen an advertisement on Facebook; what they were advertising was if you want to learn your language or get stronger in your language, apply to this program. So, we did. I asked Valerie to be my mentor.
ATJGALIAQ: I saw it on Facebook. I was taking my time to come and approach Lillian because during our language classes in the evenings she had other students approach her, and I was hesitant. I don’t know how many people bugged her, but I went up to her after, and I went ,“Lillian, would you want to be my mentor?” She said, “Yes. I’ll be your mentor.” I was like, “Okay, great!” and it was just right from there we kicked it off. We ended up joining up afterwards.
Panigavluk, why did you choose
Atjgaliaq to be your apprentice?
PANIGAVLUK: I think Atjgaliaq chose me to teach him! I really thought that he was number one person because he was a language teacher [at East Three School]. I wanted the students to hear the real and right way of saying words. Well, we did that before that too. When we was teaching him Inuvialuktun, he would come, then he would bring the words that they’re teaching in the school. I thought, "Boy, that’s a great thing for us to be able to do that, because he’s already teaching, really willing to learn," and that’s what really helped us. Wanting to learn, that’s the most important thing when you’re teaching. Atjgaliaq, I taught him when he was in high school, too!
How was your experience with the Mentor Apprentice Program?
PANIGAVLUK: The most important thing about teaching was when we got together. That way we put everything together [and] helped one another with the words and how to say them. It was so much fun! It was more fun than just trying to be two of us together because I couldn’t bring Atjgaliaq to my house. We were at Nanmak’s just about every other night; we got together and had the traditional foods. Those kinds of things MAP could look at—maybe just a few dollars here and there to cover the food and [a] place we go to.
NANMAK: We decided what we wanted to learn. Atjgaliaq and I decided what we needed to learn [and] what was important to us. The words and pronunciation are so important as Panigavluk and Valerie said; if you’re going to learn how to speak Inuvialuktun you have to know the pronunciation. We practiced the Inuvialuktun vowels all of the time. It really helps. We tried to learn the prefixes like, “That person is running,” and questions would come. “How do we make this longer?” or “How do we say ‘he’s going out’?” Like those kinds of things. How many weeks? Three months? It went by fast ah?
The most important thing about teaching was when we got together. That way we put everything together [and] helped one another with the words and how to say them. It was so much fun! —Panigavluk (Lillian Elias)
How have you grown and changed through the Mentor Apprentice Program?
NANMAK: I’m more confident in trying to speak. I feel very good; I can say sentences. I was talking to Panigavaluk before and telling her what we’re gonna do. Before, I didn’t know how to say "put the cup down", or "put the cup over here", I didn’t know how to say those things, but with time and patience, I’ve learned how to add to that noun. So, I feel really confident with my language and it feels good.
PANIGAVLUK: For me, it just encourages me because I know it’s coming up and it’s waking up. You know, it’s not falling asleep no more, it’s coming up slowly. Uqautchiqput nuir̂uq—the language is coming up.
ATJGALIAQ: I think it's just a lot of confirmation that I am where I am, I’m where I’m supposed to be, and I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. It brings a lot of clarity to myself as an Inuvialuk and it brings a lot of pride. I am a teacher; I am a father. The language is what’s holding me and keeping me together and keeping me going.
What advice do you have for others wanting to do the Mentor Apprentice Program?
PANIGAVLUK: Just from my own personal feeling—I’d like for people out there that think they know Uummarmiutun; please contact those that are wanting to learn. I’m just telling you this on my own because I don’t want to hear people talking in the air or anywhere else trying to say a sentence that doesn’t mean anything. I had two Elders passed on now. They used to hear somebody talking and they would shut their radio off. When you love your language, you want it to be so right on there. So please correct them if they’re saying it wrong. A lot of us have different dialects [and] sometimes [when] we say a word, it’s different from the way [others] say it. For those people working with the language, please get someone that knows the language. If you think it’s wrong, just call or let us know.
NANMAK: Keep trying to learn. There’s lots of resources that are available and people that are available. Reach out.
PANIGAVLUK: Don’t be shy!
ATJGALIAQ: Well, even if you are shy—maybe if you have anxiety or whatever—again, go to those resources. Or if you don’t, if you’re not an introvert, then go to our language lessons in the evenings. I’d say if you’re really interested in the language, look into that Mentor Apprentice Program. It really did help me a lot and I think if we have the opportunity to do it again, I’d like to.
You can contact magazine@ics.live for the most updated ICRC Inuvialuktun Interpreter/Translator List if you are interested in finding a future Mentor.
Apply for & Follow the GNWT Mentor Apprentice Program
If you just missed this year's deadline, do not worry! MAP is an annual program, so the next intake would be for the 2023-2024 delivery and the application period would be in Spring 2023.
The program has a Facebook page that we will be keeping up to date with stories about MAP participants throughout the year: www.facebook.com/NWTIndigenousLanguagesandeducation
If you have any questions about MAP whatsoever, please contact the MAP Project Coordinator at:
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Qayaqtuarungniqtuum Atuutaa
Una unipkaaq Qayaqtuarungniqtuuk. Tadjvaguuq qulaudjutigami tusarnaqtuq aturqtuaq immana uvva aqirautaa.
Auyaru u anguarniaqpiqaa ngi
Auyaru u anguarniarqpiqaa ai Suniaqpiqaa uqqiniartungaqaa
Story, a legend; Qayaqtuarungniqtuuk sang as he passes over above the horizon singing, “Will I be paddling my qayaq this summer?” Here is the beat to the song, “Qayaqtuarungniqtuum”:
In the summer I wonder if I will be paddling? Will I be paddling this summer?
Maybe I will paddle to a cove, to shelter? Will I be paddling my qayaq?
It is said he could be heard singing above the horizon passing over.
The person who had a raven spirit flew and touched him, and Qayaqtuarungniqtuuk then finally landed to the ground.
