Family Ties

ᖃᑕᙳᑎᒌᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓃᑦ

The artistic legacy of Pitseolak Ashoona

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᖅᑎᓄ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᓂᖓ

When discussing the abilities of artists it is common to remark upon their inherent gifts or their natural born powers to create. These artistic skills are most certainly true for Inuk artist Pitseolak Ashoona and her family. In both a metaphorical and genealogical sense, Pitseolak can be seen as the grandmother of contemporary Inuit arts. 

ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᖅᑏᑦ ᐱᒃᑲᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᓪᓗᒋ ᐱᑕᖃᓲᖅ ᐃᓕᓴᖅᓯᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᓯᑎᐅᓂᖏᑕ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᕆᔭᖏᓐᓂ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧ ᓴᖅᑭᑦᑎᕆᓂᕐᒥ. ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧ ᐊᔪᖏᓐᓂ ᓱᓕᒻᒪᕆᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᒧ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᖅᑎᒧᑦ ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᖏᑦ. ᐊᔾᔨᐅᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᖑᕚᖏᑎᒍᑦ ᑕᑯᓪᓗᒍ, ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᓂᖏᐅᕆᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᒥᐅᔪᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᖅᑎᖏᓐᓄ.

Pitseolak Ashoona, Summer Tent of Old, 1969. Stonecut on Japanese paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐊᐅᔭᒥ ᑐᐱᖓᑦ ᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ, 1969. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

Pitseolak Ashoona, Evening Birds, 1970. Stonecut on Japanese paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐅᓐᓄᐊᑉ ᖁᐸᓄᐊᖏᑦ, 1970. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

Pitseolak was born between 1904 and 1908 on Tujakjuak, an island in the Hudson Strait between northern Quebec and Baffin Island.1 Pitseolak and her husband Ashoona were married in 1922 or 1923, and she subsequently “gave birth to seventeen children, one each year of her marriage to Ashoona, though only six—Namoonie, Qaqaq, Kumwartok, Kiugak, Napachie, and Ottochie—lived with her until adulthood.”2

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐃᓅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ 1904 ᐊᒻᒪᓗ 1908 ᐊᑯᓐᓂᖓᓂ ᑐᔪᒃᔪᐊᕐᒥ, ᕿᑭᖅᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᑕᕆᐅᕐᒥ ᑯᐸᐃᒃ ᐱᖓᓐᓇᖓᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓘᑉ ᐊᑯᓐᓂᖓᓂ.1 ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᐃᖓ ᐊᓲᓇ ᑲᑎᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ 1922−ᒥ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ 1923−ᒥ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᓱᐃᓛᒃ “ᐃᕐᓂᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ 17−ᓂᒃ ᓄᑕᖅᑲᓂᒃ, ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐊᖅ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᑦ ᐊᓲᓇᒥᒃ ᐅᐃᖃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᕐᕕᓂᓖᑐᐊᖅ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᑦ ᐃᓐᓇᕈᕋᓱᖕᓂᖏᓐᓂ – ᓇᒨᓂ, ᖃᖅᑲᖅ, ᖁᒻᒧᐊᕐᑐᖅ, ᑭᐅᒐᖅ, ᓇᐸᔅᓯ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᑦᑐᑦᓯ.”2

Pitseolak Ashoona, Mosquitoes Attacking Dog, 1961. Stonecut on Japanese paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᕿᒃᑐᕆᐊᑦ ᓂᕆᓇᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᕿᒻᒥᕐᒥᒃ, 1961. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

Pitseolak Ashoona, Woman with Doll, 1964. Stonecut on Japanese paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐊᕐᓇᖅ ᕿᑐᕐᖓᐅᔭᓕᒃ, 1964. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

Pitseolak moved her family to Kinngait following the death of her husband where she first became involved with the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative as a seamstress creating and selling finely decorated handicrafts.3 In search of a better income for her family, Pitseolak followed in the footsteps of her cousin Kiakshuk and began to produce artworks depicting the traditional Inuit way of life.4 Of her first drawings Pitseolak said “I think I drew little monsters. I meant the drawings to be animals but they turned out funny-looking because I had never done drawings before.”5

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᓂ ᑭᙵᕐᓄᑦ ᓅᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏ ᐅᐃᖓ ᐃᓅᔪᓐᓃᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑕᐅᓕᖅᖢᓂᓗ ᐅᐊᓕᓂᕐᒥ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓄ ᑯᐊᐸᒥ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᑎᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᕆᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓂᐅᕕᐊᒃᓴᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑲᒪᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᖅᓯᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᓱᓇᕈᓘᔭᕐᓂᒃ.3 ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓕᐅᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖅᓴᒥ ᕿᓂᖅᖢᓂ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᖓᓅᖅᑐᓄ, ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᒪᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓪᓗᖓᑕ ᑭᐊᒃᓱᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖏᓐᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᖢᓂ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᑕᑯᑎᑦᑎᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥ.4 ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂ ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ “ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᑰᖅᑐᖓ ᒥᑭᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᑲᑉᐱᐊᓇᖅᑐᙳᐊᓂᒃ. ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᑕᒃᑲ ᓂᕐᔪᑎᙳᐊᖑᑎᓐᓇᓱᒃᑕᒃᑭ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑎᔅᓯᓇᖅᑐᙳᖅᑐᑦ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖏᓐᓇᒪ.”5

“I think I drew little monsters. I meant the drawings to be animals but they turned out funny-looking because I had never done drawings before.”

Pitseolak Ashoona, 1970

Pitseolak Ashoona, Birds, Beast and Caribou, 1968. Stonecut on Japanese paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᑎᖕᒥᐊᑦ, ᓱᓈᓗᑭᐊᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᒃᑐ, 1968. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

“ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᑰᖅᑐᖓ ᒥᑭᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᑲᑉᐱᐊᓇᖅᑐᙳᐊᓂᒃ. ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᑕᒃᑲ ᓂᕐᔪᑎᙳᐊᖑᑎᓐᓇᓱᒃᑕᒃᑭ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑎᔅᓯᓇᖅᑐᙳᖅᑐᑦ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᖏᓐᓇᒪ.”

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, 1970

Kiakshuk, Untitled No.2 (The Hunters Return), 1962. Engraving on paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᑭᐊᒃᓱᒃ, ᐊᑎᖃᙱᖅᑐᖅ ᓈᓴᐅᑖ 2 (ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒋᐋᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑎᑭᑦᑐᑦ), 1962. ᓴᕿᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

Pitseolak Ashoona, Mother and Children Drying Boots, 1962. Engraving on paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐊᓈᓇ ᕿᑐᙵᖏᓪᓗ ᐸᓂᖅᓰᔪᑦ ᑲᒥᖕᓂᑦ, 1962. ᓴᕿᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

Breaking from tradition, Pitseolak never remarried after Ashoona’s death and supported her family through the sale of her art.6 It is said that in her lifetime Pitseolak completed as many as 9,000 drawings.7

ᐅᖃᐅᓯᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐃᓅᓯᓕᒫᖓᓂ ᐱᔭᕇᖅᓯᓯᒪᓂᖓᓂ 9,000−ᓂᒃ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᓂᒃ.6 ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑕᖃᖅ ᓴᓂᕐᕙᒃᖢᒍ, ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᓄᓕᐊᖅᑖᒃᑲᓐᓂᓚᐅᖏᑦᑐᖅ ᐊᓲᓇ ᐃᓅᔪᓐᓃᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔪᓚᐅᖅᖢᓂᐅᒃ ᓂᐅᕕᐊᒃᓴᖃᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᓂᒃ.7

Pitseolak Ashoona, Furry Owl, 1963. Stonecut on Japanese paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐅᒃᐱᒃᔪᐊᖅ ᒥᖁᕆᒃᑐᖅ, 1963. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

Pitseolak Ashoona, Owl Attacking Fish, 1967. Stonecut on Japanese paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐅᒃᐱᒃᔪᐊᖅ ᓂᕆᓇᓱᒃᑐᖅ ᐃᖃᓗᖕᒥᒃ, 1967. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

Pitseolak Ashoona, Bird with Avatuk, 1970. Stonecut on Japanese paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᖁᐸᓄᐊᖅ ᐊᕙᑕᓕᒃ, 1970. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

While Pitseolak’s sons took up and mastered the art of stone carving, her daughter Napachie Pootoogook took up drawing alongside her mother. While their styles and content were similar at the beginning of Napachie’s career, once her mother passed away in 1983 her style began to evolve. The subjects of Napachie’s works shifted focus from the spirit world to scenes of life, offering a harsher view of reality than her mother’s idealized depictions.8

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚᑉ ᐃᕐᓂᖓ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᖅᐸᓕᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓃᖅᖢᓂᒃ, ᐸᓂᖓᓕ ᓇᐸᓰ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖃᑦᑕᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᓈᓇᖓᑕ ᓴᓂᐊᓃᖦᖢᓂ. ᓇᐸᔅᓯᐅᑉ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᖅᑎᐅᓂᖓᑕ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓗᓕᖏᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᐸᓗᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᖓ, ᐊᓈᓇᖓ ᐃᓅᔪᓐᓃᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ 1983 ᓇᐸᔅᓯᐅᑉ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᖓ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᓇᐸᔅᓯᐅᑉ ᓴᓇᓂᖏᑕ ᑐᕌᒐᖏᑦ ᑭᓲᓂᖏ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᓂᕐᓂᐅ ᒥᒃᓵᓅᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᒥ ᑕᑯᑎᑦᑎᔪᓄᑦ, ᑕᑯᑎᑦᑎᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᓅᓯᐅᑉ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐊᓈᓇᖓᑕ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᕐᓂᖓᑕ ᓴᓇᓂᐊᓂ ᑕᑯᑎᑦᑎᔪᓂᒃ.8

“I draw almost like my mother’s drawings. Perhaps the reason why is because I used to watch my mother drawing… Even though I don’t try to copy what she does, sometimes it turns out that I draw almost like my mother’s drawings.”

Napachie Pootoogook, 1979

Napachie Pootoogook, Inuit Sea Dreams, 1960. Stonecut on Japanese paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᓇᐸᓰ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᕆᐅᕐᒥ ᓯᓐᓇᑐᐊᖏᑦ, 1960. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

“ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᓲᖑᔪᖓ ᐊᓈᓇᒪ ᐊᔾᔨᐸᓗᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᑐᒃᓴᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᓈᓇᒐ ᑕᐅᑐᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᕋᒃᑯ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ… ᐊᔾᔨᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᓇᓱᒃᐸᖏᒃᑲᓗᐊᖅᖢᖓ, ᐃᓛᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᓲᖑᔪᖓ ᐊᓈᓇᒪ ᐊᔾᔨᐸᓗᖏᓐᓂᒃ.”

ᓇᐸᓰ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ, 1979

Sorosiluto Ashoona, Woman Juggling Stones, 1964. Stonecut on Japanese paper. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

ᓱᕈᓯᓗᑐ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐊᕐᓈᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᑭᓵᖅᑐᒃ ᐅᔭᖃᓂᒃ, 1964. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.

In addition to her daughter, Pitseolak’s artistic influence spread to many family members including her daughter-in-law Sorosilutu Ashoona, and her granddaughters Shuviani Ashoona, Goota Ashoona, and Annie Pootoogook. Exhibitions such as Akunnittinni: A Kinngait Family Portrait – Pitseolak Ashoona | Napachie Pootoogook | Annie Pootoogook organized by the Institute of American Indian Arts’ Museum of Contemporary Native Arts  (Santa Fe, New Mexico) in 2016 explore the works of the three women and the artistic legacy of the family in through time.9

ᐸᓂᖓ ᓴᓂᐊᓃᑎᓪᓗᒍᓱᓕ, ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓛᑉ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᕐᓂᖓ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᓄᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᒌᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᑯᐊᖓᓂ ᓱᕈᓯᓗᑐ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᕐᖑᑕᖏᑦ ᓱᕕᓇᐃ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᒎᑕ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᓂ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ. ᑕᑯᔭᒐᐃᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ Akunnittinni: A Kinngait Family Portrait – Pitseolak Ashoona | Napachie Pootoogook | Annie Pootoogook (ᐊᑯᓐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ: ᑭᙵᐃᑦ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᒌᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᖓ – ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ | ᓇᐸᓰ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ | ᐋᓂ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ) ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᖅᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᓴᓇᕝᕕᖕᒥ ᐃᖅᑭᓗᖅᓄ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᕐᓂᕐᒧ ᑕᑯᔭᖃᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐅᓪᓗᒥᐅᔪᒥ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓄ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᕐᓂᕐᓄ (ᓵᓐᑕ ᕙᐃ, ᓂᐅ ᒪᒃᓯᑰ) 2016−ᒥ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᐊᕐᓇᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᑏᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᓂᖓ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᒌᓄᑦ ᓯᕿᙳᔭᖅ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑎᓪᓗᒍ.9

Endnotes

1 Christine Lalonde, “Pitseolak Ashoona: Life & Work,” Art Canada Institute | Institut de ‘art canadien, 2015, https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/pitseolak-ashoona/, 4.
2 Lalonde, Pitseolak Ashoona: Life & Work, 7.
3 Ibid, 11.
4 Ibid, 11.
5 Pitseolak Ashoona and Dorothy Eber, Pitseolak: Pictures out of My Life (Montreal, QC: Design Collaborative Books in association with Oxford University Press, Toronto, 1978), 69.
6 Lalonde, Pitseolak Ashoona: Life & Work, 11.
7 Ibid, 53.
8 Ibid, 29, 77.
9 Andrea R. Hanley, “Akunnittinni: A Kinngait Family Portrait-Pitseolak Ashoona: Napachie Pootoogook: Annie Pootoogook.” Institute of American Indian Arts’ Museum of Contemporary Native Arts April 25, 2017. https://iaia.edu/event/akunnittinni-a-kinngait-family-portrait/.

ᐅᖃᓕᒫᒐᐃᑦ

  1. ᑯᕆᔅᑏᓐ ᓚᓛᓐᑎ, “Pitseolak Ashoona: Life & Work” [ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ: ᐃᓅᓯᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᓂᖓ], ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᕐᓂᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᓴᓇᕝᕕᒃ, 2015, https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/pitseolak-ashoona/, 4.
  2. ᓚᓛᓐᑎ, Pitseolak Ashoona: Life & Work [ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ: ᐃᓅᓯᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᓂᖓ], 7.
  3. Ibid, 11.
  4. Ibid, 11.
  5. ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᐊᓯ ᐃᐳ, Pitseolak: Pictures out of My Life [ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ: ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᓐᓂᙶᖅᑐᑦ] (ᒧᕆᐊᒃ, ᑯᐸᒃ: ᑕᖅᓯᖅᓱᒐᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐋᒃᕗᑦ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᖓᓂ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᖕᒥ, ᑐᕌᓐᑐ, 1978), 69.
  6. ᓚᓛᓐᑎ, Pitseolak Ashoona: Life & Work [ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ: ᐃᓅᓯᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᓂᖓ], 11.
  7. Ibid, 53.
  8. Ibid, 29, 77.
  9. ᓴᓇᕝᕕᖕᒥ ᐃᖅᑭᓗᖅᓄ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᕐᓂᕐᒧ ᑕᑯᔭᖃᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐅᓪᓗᒥᐅᔪᒥ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᑐᓄ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᕐᓂᕐᓄ

More Information

Lalonde, Christine. “Pitseolak Ashoona: Life & Work.” Art Canada Institute | Institut de l’art canadien, 2015. https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/pitseolak-ashoona/.

Ashoona, Pitseolak, and Dorothy Eber. Pitseolak: Pictures out of My Life. Montreal, QC: Design Collaborative Books in association with Oxford University Press, Toronto, 1978.

Hanley, Andrea R. “Akunnittinni: A Kinngait Family Portrait-Pitseolak Ashoona: Napachie Pootoogook: Annie Pootoogook,” Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), April 25, 2017. https://iaia.edu/event/akunnittinni-a-kinngait-family-portrait/.

ᓚᓛᓐᑎ, ᑯᕆᔅᑏᓐ. “Pitseolak Ashoona: Life & Work” [ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ: ᐃᓅᓯᖓ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᓂᖓ]. ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᕐᓂᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᓴᓇᕝᕕᒃ, 2015. https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/pitseolak-ashoona/.

ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᐊᓯ ᐃᐳ. Pitseolak: Pictures out of My Life [ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ: ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᓐᓂᙶᖅᑐᑦ]. ᒧᕆᐊᒃ, ᑯᐸᒃ: ᑕᖅᓯᖅᓱᒐᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐋᒃᕗᑦ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᒡᔪᐊᖓᓂ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᖕᒥ, ᑐᕌᓐᑐ, 1978.

ᕼᐊᓐᓕ, ᐋᓐᑐᕆᔭ ᕌ. “Akunnittinni: A Kinngait Family Portrait – Pitseolak Ashoona: Napachie Pootoogook: Annie Pootoogook” [ᐊᑯᓐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ: ᐊ ᑭᙵᐃᑦ ᖃᑕᙳᑎᒌᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᙳᐊᖓ – ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ: ᓇᐸᓰ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ: ᐋᓂ ᐳᑐᒍᖅ]. ᓴᓇᕝᕕᒃ ᐊᒥᐊᓕᑲᓂ ᐃᖅᑭᓗᖅᓄ ᑎᑎᕐᑐᒐᕐᓂᕐᓄ (IAIA), ᐊᐃᕐᕆᓕ 25, 2017. https://iaia.edu/event/akunnittinni-a-kinngait-family-portrait/.

ᐱᑦᓯᐅᓚ ᐊᓲᓇ, ᐊᐅᔭᒥ ᑐᐱᖓᑦ ᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ, 1969. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᖕᒥᑦ ᔮᐸᓃᓯ ᐊᓕᓚᔪᐊᓄᑦ. ᓗᕋᓐᓯᐊᓐ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᐊᓗᒃᒥᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃᒥ ᓄᐊᓯᒪᔭᖏᑦ, ᓴᓇᖕᖑᐊᖅᓯᒪᔪᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᔭᒐᖃᕐᕕᒃ ᓴᑦᐳᓕ.


Text by Ally Zmijowskyj Carlos in consultation with Deanna Nebenionquit

ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᐋᓕ ᔨᒧᔨᔅᑭᔾ ᑲᐅᓘᔅᓱ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᑎᐊᓇ ᓂᐸᓂᐅᑯᐃᑦᒥ

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