Weaving was introduced to Pangnirtung as an economic initiative in the early 1970s, with the Canadian government contracting Karen Bulow Ltd., a Montreal-based weaving firm to initiate the program. Much like print production in other parts of the Arctic, the creation of the weavings was a collaborative process that involved a graphic artist and a weaver to create each tapestry. This is where many elders saw an opportunity to add to the project. There was an entire generation that held knowledge of the way things were, and they were eager to share it. By submitting drawings to the studio, the stories and memories continued on to another generation, worked upon by many other members of the community

Now recognized as the grande dame of Pangnirtung graphic and textile art, Malaya Akulukjuk had minimal interest in learning how to weave and contributing to the project initially. The firm hired Donald Stuart as the first manager of the studio, and in the forward of Nuvisavik: The Pace Where We Weave, he speaks to bringing Malaya onboard as a contributor:

I approached Malaya Akulukjuk, a known shaman in the community, but she had never drawn before. I wanted her to use her imagination for inspiration, but “imagination” was a difficult word to explain until I suggested that she draw her idea of what the sea goddess Sedna looked like. Malaya developed into one of the most prolific and talented artists in Pangnirtung, and her designs quickly became a mainstay of the weaving studio. 1

1. Maria von Finckenstein ed., Donald A. Stuart, Nuvisavik: The Place Where We Weave, (Hull, QC: Canadian Museum of Civilization & McGill-Queen's University Press, 2022), p. viii.

Here we are treated to a fanciful rendition of some dancing geese; there is a sense of motion in the static stitches, a medley of feathers and wings across the woven background. The hues of pink give an almost tropical air to the work, further adding to the more otherworldly feel of these creatures!