Reawakening Our Ancestors’ Lines: Revitalizing Inuit Traditional Tattooing
Availability: In stock
For thousands of years, Inuit women practiced the traditional art of tattooing. Created with bone needles and caribou sinew soaked in seal oil or soot, these tattoos were an important tradition for many women, symbols stitched in their skin that connected them to their families and communities.
But with the rise of missionaries and residential schools in the North, the tradition of tattooing was almost lost. In 2005, when Angela Hovak Johnston heard that the last Inuk woman tattooed in the traditional way had died, she set out to tattoo herself and learn how to tattoo others. What was at first a personal quest became a project to bring the art of traditional tattooing back to Inuit women across Nunavut, starting in the community of Kugluktuk.
Collected in this beautiful book are moving photos and stories from more than two dozen women who participated in Johnston’s project. Together, these women are reawakening their ancestors’ lines and sharing this knowledge with future generations.
Published in 2017
Hardcover
Please note: When purchasing a book online, please consider the cost of shipping to certain destinations as it may be higher than anticipated. Please contact us for a shipping quote prior to placing your online order.
11.25 x 11.25 x 0.25" (28.58 x 28.58 x 0.64cm)
CA$29.95
In stock
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For thousands of years, Inuit women practiced the traditional art of tattooing. Created with bone needles and caribou sinew soaked in seal oil or soot, these tattoos were an important tradition for many women, symbols stitched in their skin that connected them to their families and communities.
But with the rise of missionaries and residential schools in the North, the tradition of tattooing was almost lost. In 2005, when Angela Hovak Johnston heard that the last Inuk woman tattooed in the traditional way had died, she set out to tattoo herself and learn how to tattoo others. What was at first a personal quest became a project to bring the art of traditional tattooing back to Inuit women across Nunavut, starting in the community of Kugluktuk.
Collected in this beautiful book are moving photos and stories from more than two dozen women who participated in Johnston’s project. Together, these women are reawakening their ancestors’ lines and sharing this knowledge with future generations.
Published in 2017
Hardcover
Please note: When purchasing a book online, please consider the cost of shipping to certain destinations as it may be higher than anticipated. Please contact us for a shipping quote prior to placing your online order.
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“A remarkably animated work for the artist whose style is comparable to his father’s (John Kavik). In an interview with the artist in 1993, which appeared in the winter edition of the Inuit Art Quarterly, Ugjuk describes the difficulty he had in deciding what to carve. This may be why there are not many of his works available on the market. Both Kavik and Ugjuk were self-taught artists and took to carving whenever they were not hunting.”
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