To enter, leave a blog post comment telling us who you would take with you to the show. Thus begins his trials and travels.

“Because they live off the animals, they won’t call them by name in fear the animals won’t come to them.”. -Christine Tootoo, When these Kiviuq stories were first told, only Inuktitut was spoken in the region. Long after we’re gone our art will remain. 1 lucky Mommy Moment reader will WIN a pack of 5 passes to see this show. When his family leaves him to fly south, Kiviuq sets out on a magnificent adventure to find them, meeting the “Bee-woman” and the “Father of fish” on his journey. It’s the part that makes everyone cry, says Hamilton.

Comparable to Homer’s Odysseus, Kiviuq is a wandering hero, a hunter who encounters and survives ever-present danger in harsh and unpredictable conditions in the Arctic.

Your email address will not be published. The percentage decreases the younger the age group. They’re engaging visually, if they’re told and understood.”, That’s what Kiviuq Returns is intended to do—share stories and language that newer generations may not otherwise learn. “They’ve started to share comfortably these values and belief systems they had to follow.”, And from what Tootoo can tell, the younger cast members are grasping the message: “It’s great to see that after they do the play—and while they’re learning the play—you see them gain confidence in themselves and in their culture. It’s a very emotional thing and very rewarding.”. Our magazine showcases award-winning writing and spectacular northern photos. Together, they created a story arc and script for a play—Kiviuq Returns—after narrowing 25 stories down to just six. Before she was cast in the play, Christine Tootoo of Rankin Inlet knew nothing about Kiviuq. Jumping a 450-pound vehicle 70 feet into the air is the preferred method of relaxation for this X-Games athlete from Yellowknife.

But that has all changed. He survives on his instincts, his kindness to others and through the power of his spiritual guides. "While they’re learning the play—you see them gain confidence in themselves and in their culture. Ellen Hamilton, executive director of Qaggiavuut, likens it to an English speaker’s first read of Shakespeare. “Stories weren’t transferred.

Contest will end February 8, 2015 @ 11:59pm CST. The play tends to spark an emotional response among the audience. **Winner must be able to attend the February 13 showing in Winnipeg at 7pm.**. But it’s not just about what’s happening to Kiviuq, the character. Kiviuq is an eternal wanderer in Inuit culture — as explained in a thorough program synopsis that helps audience members who don’t speak the production language of Inuktitut. We could sing them but we couldn’t interpret the stories, which meant we couldn’t put a visual picture to the story—and that’s what stories are.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Lost at sea, he journeys home, encountering animals he comes to love and others he battles. The Legend of Kiviuq tells the story of young Kiviuq who is blown off course by a storm while out in his kayak. Iqaluit artist Jesse Tungilik blasts off in his sealskin spacesuit.
Spirits, giants, cannibals, bears and sea monsters intermingle in Kiviuq's world, creating havoc for him. At the Iqaluit gathering, Kiviuq stories were recited in Inuktitut and each one was recorded on video to be later projected onto the stage during the play. Stonecut on Kozuke Kozo White paper white, Certified Limited Edition Print # 25 of 25 printed by Francis Kaluraq, Copyright DaVic Gallery of Native Canadian Arts 2020.

Stories about Kiviuq abound—Qaunaq Mikigaq of Cape Dorset knows more than 200 herself—and they’ve been told across the Canadian Arctic, and throughout Greenland and Alaska. Mamngushualuk often depicted scenes from legends, and sometimes several events within the same composition. Everyone abuses and makes fun of the boy except Kiviuq. She spares Kiviuq because he had been kind to her before, but he’s left at sea, seeking a way home. Note this is print number 25 of 25. Wayfarer Oyster House chef Brian Ng wants to broaden the Yukon’s palate. That was the icing on the cake.”, Everything you need to know about fishing North of 60, Northern Pike. Despite the wealth of stories of this Odysseus of the North, much of the audience, cast and crew had never heard of Kiviuq prior to landing in Iqaluit. And to those not familiar with Inuktitut, the language uses highly specific terms that don’t necessarily have a one-word English equivalent, says Ogina. Kiviuq is a hunter. “It’s the same with our values and beliefs from our ancestors,” she says. He is a wanderer and a legendary Inuit hero. The cast comes on stage to join her in singing, and bring their hero back to life. Tuktu becomes the one with the horns or the one who gives us warm clothing. She was fascinated.

From storytelling and music to film and painting, these will be the remnants of our collective experience that will allow future generations to learn about us and our time. It’s like walking into a room after people have been gossiping about you. And there’s a specific term for snow for each of those uses. “Just to hear them talking, saying their lines, playing Kiviuq, it was amazing to hear. Showtimes: February 6, 13 (7pm); Feb 14, 15 (1 and 3pm). It’s an uncomfortable, unwelcoming environment when you know that you’ve been talked about.

Lost at sea, he journeys home, encountering animals he comes to love and others he battles. There was no English to adapt to or challenge these terms.
Notes from DaVic Gallery:   Last print available. A little more than half of all Inuit in Canada speak Inuktitut, according to the 2016 census. “If snow is going to be used for tea drinking or if snow is going to be used for shelter building, we know what type of snow we need to be collecting,” she says. Kiviuq is a hunter. View Kiviuq Legend (2002) By Miriam MarealikQiyuk; Felt and embroidery floss; 36 x 57 in; Signed; . The production is complemented by an exhibition of the puppets – when they’re not in use – as well as drawings, prints, and sculpture of Kiviuq by celebrated Inuit artist Jessie Oonark, and her large family of artists. Condition:          Creasing of the paper overall and most noticeable on both left and right sides. In the final act of the play, Kiviuq meets a goose who he falls in love with.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

MPT’s The Legend of Kiviuq has received rave reviews throughout Canada and around the world, and returns after a 25-year hiatus with a special run at the WAG. This legend is multi-layered with life moral, ethics and survival lessons and as such we can see several different scenes in this representation with people fighting, talking, children playing, family gathering, and then a group of people carrying and Kiviuq in his travelling kayak while some appear to be licking the kayak with their tongue. Kiviuq is a great traveler, mapping the world as the Inuit knew it from his home where his parents waited for his return to the place where salt water did not freeze. Description by Artist:     No description by artist found. Photo and illustrations by Paul Vecsei, Wisdom and warnings on mushroom picking in the North, Shaggy mane, orange delicious, oyster mushrooms. “They wouldn’t label them by the names out of respect for the animals,” says Ogina. Tickets $8 • Available online below or at the WAG front desk. The legend is very long that might explain most of the behaviors and activities in this print.

No matter how difficult hi voyage, he would come home singing.

At her birthday party, Ogina and the other adults prepared food and decorations in the kitchen. He travelled over mountain ranges and huge water bodies where the goose people wintered. The production is complemented by an exhibition of the puppets – when they’re not in use – as well as drawings, prints, and sculpture of Kiviuq by celebrated Inuit artist Jessie Oonark, and her large family of artists. He survives on his instincts, his kindness to others and through the power of his spiritual guides. Our weekly newsletter brings all the best circumpolar stories right to your inbox. “I’m not fully bilingual,” says Tootoo.