Germaine Arnaktauyok

Canadian, b. 1946

Takannaaluk, 1994

ink on paper

59 x 37 cm Image: 55 x 33.7 cm

Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery; Acquired with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Assistance program/Oeuvre achetée avec l'aide du programme d'aide aux acquisitions du Conseil des Arts du Canada and with funds from The Winnipeg Art Gallery Foundation Inc.

G-98-496

Categories:

Drawing, Inuit

Germaine Arnaktauyok was born in a camp near the present-day community of Igloolik. Since 1970 she has made illustrations for books, and her prints and drawings have been included in several group exhibitions. In 1999 her design of a drum dancer was chosen for use on a circulating two-dollar Canadian coin to commemorate the formation of the territory of Nunavut. The subject of this drawing is the powerful Inuit sea spirit known as Takannaaluk in the Igloolik area. She is shown, at the bottom of the drawing, under the sea with her father. Takannaaluk kept the game animals inside her crescent-shaped qulliq (stone lamp), and if people followed all her rules she would release the animals to the hunters.