Carving on the Land

Author

RJ Ramrattan

Photography by

RJ Ramrattan

The following photographs were taken on August 25th, 2014 about five miles outside of the community at Puqiqnak’s summer cabin.

Photograph of a man kneeling on the ground outdoors with tools in his hand working on a stone sculpture just behind him, in the background is a red truck — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

Captured by RJ Ramrattan, General Manager for Canadian Arctic Producers, on his cell phone, the following images offer a special glimpse of the artist at work. The final piece, Proud Hunter (2014), tells the story of a poor young hunter hoping to take a wife.

Photograph of an unfinished stone sculpture of a figure with it’s head tilted, it is outdoors and a man is walking towards it in the background — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

Photograph of a man squatting with his hands together next to an unfinished stone sculpture of a figure, he is wearing all black and smiling — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

Explains the artist:

This story is part of a larger story my mom used to tell me at bedtime. It’s a story I’ll never forget. This man was a poor hunter, who wanted to marry an Inuit lady. He asked his mom, “Can you ask the parents of this woman I want to marry for their permission?” His mother said, “You cannot do that because you are a poor hunter.” He kept asking his mother for help until finally she went to the parents of the woman. She said, “My son wants to marry your daughter.” The woman’s parents said, “No because he is a poor hunter.” Still, the poor hunter continued to ask his mother and the parents, until finally they agreed. Before his new wife came, the hunter built a big igloo and assembled a dog team. He hunted walrus and caribou. When she arrived, he held up a bird and a fish. He said, “I have hunted, and I have made clothing for you. This is what I have. And I hope that you are proud to be my wife.”

Photograph of a landscape shot of a community behind a body of water past a rocky bank, the sky is blue and there is a boat in the water — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

Photograph of a stone sculpture depicting a figure with a tilted head, wide eyes and nostrils and inlaid teeth, there is a tuft of hair on the top of its head — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

I have hunted, and I have made clothing for you. This is what I have. And I hope that you are proud to be my wife.

Photograph of a landscape, there is a boat, generator, metal barrel and parts of a sled on the brown rocky ground and a blue sky — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

Photograph of a man standing outdoors while holding a jaw bone in each hand, he is wearing a ball cap and looking down, in front of a rocky ground and blue sky — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

The topography of Gjoa Haven and the surrounding area is characterized by wide open skies and rocky terrain. Beyond the community, King William Island’s expansive vistas are dotted with seasonal structures, like Puqiqnak’s cabin, as well as indicators of wildlife such as the caribou jaw bone Uriash holds here.

Photograph of a man wearing all black looking down at a rock he holds in his hands, against a rocky landscape, shed and blue sky — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

When Uriash asked me if I wanted to see his cabin, I didn’t think twice!

He and I jumped into the truck and we drove straight there.

I watched him carve a beautiful sculpture while he shared many stories with me.

He talked about himself, his wife and living in Gjoa Haven.

We shared a pot of tea, what Uriash calls “Arctic Ice Tea” and dried fish.

We chatted for hours. It was a beautiful experience.

– RJ Ramrattan

Photograph of a man reading a book indoors from the side, he is wearing reading glasses and a purple shirt — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

Photograph of a grey shed outdoors on a rocky landscape with a body of water and blue sky — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

Photograph of a man indoors talking on an orange radio, one hand is holding the receiver to his mouth the other is across his knees — PHOTO: RJ RAMRATTAN.

Uriash’s time carving on the land is complemented by reading or sharing a cup of tea and valuable knowledge with friends. In the above images we see the artist flipping through the pages of Adrian G. Morice’s Thawing Out the Eskimo (1943), preparing his famous glacier ice tea and speaking to a hunter in Arctic Bay through the CB radio he uses to assist people who are lost or stuck on the land. In addition to his role as respected artist, Puqiqnak actively contributes to his community and has served on municipal and territorial governments.