Western Arctic women artists’ perspectives on education and art ...

• Main Author: McNeal, Joanne Carolyn
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2009
• Subjects: Arctic; inuit
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0054851; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0054851

In the Western Arctic, women from two indigenous cultures, Inuit and Dene, have made art for hundreds of years. Women's art was different from men's, but was essential to the survival of families. Their skills were also used by colonial explorers and traders. Now a third group of women, of European heritage called 'others' or 'non-natives', are also making art in the Western Arctic. Each cultural group has a rich heritage, and where the cultures mix and co-exist, mutual influence is observable, and unique forms of art have developed. Women of all cultural groups make artwork to contribute to family use as well as for sale. While their artwork is known, as individual women they have remained unseen, unheard, and unrecognized outside their communities. This study focusses upon the women who produce the artwork; what they call art; how they influence each other; how new materials and techniques have changed their work; how they learn their skills; their ideas for how future generations should be taught; what ...