Puvirnituq, Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada)
Puvirnituq is one of the 15 Inuit communities in Nunavik in the Northern Quebec, well known by non Inuit people as Povungnituk or POV; about 1400 people live there.
In Inuktitut, « puvirnituq » means « it smells rotten meat ». Two explanations are commonly given for the name of this village, according to Taamusi Qumaq, an Inuit author. The first recounts, taht many years ago when migrating caribou attempted to cross the river many were swept downstream and drowned. Their carcasses, it seems, were washed up on shore were they began to rot, producing a putrid odour. The other explanation of the site’s name tells how everyone living in the area where once the victims of a deadly epidemic. In the end, there was no one left to bury the dead bodies. The flowing spring, the snow houses melted, and people found the corpses giving off the odour of putrefaction. The community was named Puvirnituq to commemorate the event.
In 1956, a catholic mission was founded in Puvirnituq by the Father André Steinman. Two years later and thanks to his help, Puvirniturmiut (people who live in Puvirnituq) established the Carvers Association of Puvirnituq which became the Co-operative Association of Puvirnituq. Today a symbol of the community’s solidarity and independance, it is one of the most dynamic co-operative which make up the Federation of Co-operative of Northern Quebec.
Carving
Towards the middle of the XXth century, carving expanded quickly in the Canadian Arctic while the artworks got larger stature, created from soapstone and serpentine, the raw material used for the qulliq -the traditional seal oil lamp.
Today, carvers as Davidialuk Alasua Amittu, Isah Papilakuk, Moses Aupaluktuk and Thomasie Sivuarapik for example are well-know on the international art market and their artworks are exhibited in the biggest museums.
The arctic animals like seals, polar bears, caribous, as well as shamanism, daily life, environment and hunting scenes are still today the very widespread subject linked to the individual and collective experiences.
Printmaking
Printmaking took roots in Nunavik in the early 1960s when a printmaking workshop was set up in Puvirnituq. By the end of the 1980s, the production of prints fell off due to decline in demand, and ended abruptly when a fire destroyed the Puvirnituq workshop.
Famous drawers and printmakers from Puvirnituq like Davidialuk Alasua Amittu, Josie Papialuk, Leah Qumaluk, Aisa Amittu, Joe Talirulini, Thomassie, Daniel Inukpuk, Paulosie Sivuark and Tivi Etook Echallok are the best references in this artistic domain.
In the last few years, Nunavik artists and various cultural organizations as Avataq Cultural Institute, launched a movement to try to revive the art of printmaking in the region thus opening a new print studio, in tandem with the Saputik Museum.
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