Inuit Annuraangit

Illustrated booklet to accompany exhibit. Text, in English and Inuktitut syllabics, describes clothes of Mackenzie and Copper Inuit, Caribou Inuit, Netsilik Inuit, Igloolik Inuit, Baffin land and Belcher Island Inuit.

Inuit--sometimes referred to as Eskimo--art is the primary art form of Canada and has a large international following, particularly in the United States, Japan, and Germany. Despite its popularity, the complete history of Inuit art has never been presented. This is the first chronological synthesis of Inuit art, following its development from prehistory, through early American and European exploration, to the recognition of Inuit art as a commercial possibility, and up to the present. There is a particular emphasis on contemporary art and artists, and the years 1950 through 1997 are each given separate, detailed treatment in regard to important shows and events. This history is appropriate both for the beginning admirer of Inuit art and for those already well immersed in it.

Betty Issenman examines all aspects of winter and summer Inuit clothing, going back 4000 years, with particular emphasis on northern Canadian Inuit. She also describes the kinds of material and tools used to make the clothing. The focus is on on Inuit clothing as protection, identity, and culture bearer, roles it has played for thousands of years. No other book brings together contemporary and historical material from the circumpolar worlds with original research. Sinews of Survival is a fascinating study of Inuit clothing, past and present. It includes over 200 illustrations of various kinds of clothing. The voices of the Inuit are heard throughout the text in quotations from consultations and the literature. By describing one component of Inuit society, the author opens a pathway to understanding the culture as a whole.

Archaeological digs have turned up sculptures in Inuit lands that are thousands of years old, but “Inuit art” as it is known today only dates back to the beginning of the 1900s. Early art was traditionally produced from soft materials such as whalebone, and tools and objects were also fashioned out of stone, bone, and ivory because these materials were readily available. The Inuit people are known not just for their sculpture but for their graphic art as well, the most prominent forms being lithographs and stonecuts. This work affords easy access to information to those interested in any type of Inuit art. There are annotated entries on over 3,761 articles, books, catalogues, government documents, and other publications.

This study offers a detailed description of historical and contemporary skin clothing production techniques used by Inuit in Coppermine, Bathurst Inlet, Cambridge Bay and Arviat.

An authoritative and comprehensive compilation of the ancient knowledge of Inuit elders.