An old carving from Anowtalik dating from 1974.

Anowtalik is a respected carver from Arviat (Eskimo Point). Carvers from Arviat work primarily with basalt stone, a very hard media to work with, which may explain their unique, almost modern, style with a minimum of lines.

One can find quite a few references to Luke Anowtalik on the web with a google search.

This carving of a sitting Inuk measures 4" x 3.5" x 4.5"


A lovely portrait of Anowtalik can be seen at:
http://www.portraitsofthenorth.com/portrait/lukeanowtalik.html

from which is the following quote: "Anowtalik started carving for income in Whale Cove and continued in Arviat. He was considered one the Keewatin region’s great founders of contemporary art."

A very nice sculpture of two ivory narwhals carved out of one tusk. The dimensions are 2.25" x 1.5" x 10" ( dimensions with the narwhals tusk) . The carving originates from Pangnirtung but I do not know who the carver is.

This is a whalebone carving of a hunter with pack by Isa Piungituk from Clyde River. I am not sure about the carver as the information I have gives the name as reproduced above. I do wonder if it is the same person as Regilee Piungituk. Names are not always unique in Inuit culture. there can be variations in spelling and variations in combinations of names. The measurements are 6.5" x 8" x 9" and this carving dates from 1973. What I find attractive about whalebone carvings is the eery sense, or the mystical, spiritual sense that very often goes with a whalebone carving. Maybe it is the bone material, or maybe it is the lack of details, the vagueness of the outlines.
This carving shows nicely the heavy burden that this hunter was under while traveling. The minimal details of he face do give a good sense of the stoic nature of the traveler.