February 5, 2003

Dennos celebrates Inuit culture

Dennos Museum offers Inuit stone carving, throatsinging and printmaking

By Carol South
Herald contributing writer

      The Dennos Museum is in the midst of a week-long celebration of all things Inuit, hosting a series of events that feature Inuit artists, films, demonstrations, music and discussion.
      Coming to fruition after two years of planning, the Dennos Museum's Inuit Week features filmmaker John Houston as well as native artists from the northernmost regions of Canada whose work reflects their stark arctic lifestyle.
      The museums permanent Inuit Gallery serves as the backdrop to the events, which also feature printmaking and carving demonstrations, the ancient Inuit art of throatsinging, lectures and discussions. Sixth-grade schoolchildren from around the region will visit the museum throughout the week and a Family Day on Saturday offers the public an opportunity to participate.
      "It was very exciting for this to happen," said Kathleen Buday, curator of education and interpretation. "Because of our permanent collection, this is a way to promote the Inuit culture and their art and really build awareness."
      "This year marks the 50th anniversary of Inuit art being brought into the United States so this fall we hope to have some special exhibitions brought in with that," Buday noted.
      Houston will screen two films of his arctic trilogy as a cornerstone of the week's events: "Songs in Stone: An Arctic Journey Home" and "Nuliajuk: Mother of the Sea Beasts." Houston has a unique perspective and connection to the Inuit people as his parents, James and Alma Houston, first brought the artwork to the attention of the world beginning in the 1950s.
      Houston, who now owns an Inuit gallery in Nova Scotia, lectures around the world on Inuit art and culture. During a presentation to school students Monday, Houston said he was very fortunate to have grown up immersed in this unique culture, including lengthy stays in Cape Dorset on Baffin Island as a child.
      "I was privileged to grow up among them and learn to speak their language," said Houston, who is fluent in Inuktitut.
      Houston also introduced an exhibition of throatsinging to the students, discussing its roots as ancient competitive pastime that helped the Inuit people pass the long dark winter days.
      "There is no scorekeeping, you admit defeat by laughing and then go on and do it again," Houston said. "It is a beautiful game by a beautiful culture."
      Members of Patty Barrons' sixth-grade class from Sabin Elementary School visited the Dennos Museum Monday afternoon to immerse themselves again in Inuit culture. When they were at the museum last November, her students played Inuit games, tried throatsinging and made their own Inuit-style prints and carvings.
      The visit on Monday reinforced their interest in Inuit culture and art, Barrons said.
      "I think one reason they were so interested in going back is because of the whole program they have built up for students around the Inuit exhibit," said Barrons, noting that sixth-grade curriculum focuses on Canada. "We read the novel 'Frozen Fire' by James Houston and of course we were doing our social studies theme around Canada when we read it, so they were excited."
      "This has been a wonderful resource and it fits right into our studies," she noted.
      Upcoming museum events for this week are:
      - Inuit Cultural Event at Milliken Auditorium, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Includes stone carving and printmaking demonstrations, throatsinging and discussions between artists and visitors. John Houston's film, "Nuliajuk: Mother of the Sea Beasts" will also be shown. Cost is $10 per person or $5 for museum members or NMC students with ID. Tickets are available at the Milliken Auditorium box office. For more information, call 995-1553.
      - Family Day, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Features live demonstrations of stone carving and printmaking, throatsinging, hands-on arts activities, films and gallery hunts. Cost is $5 per adult at $2 per child or $12 per family. Museum members and NMC students with ID are free.
      For more information on these events, call the Dennos Museum at 995-1055.