Faced with economic hardship, the women of Taloyoak (formerly Spence Bay) turned their traditional sewing skills into a lifeline by forming cooperatives like Taloyoak Crafts Ltd. (1974-1986) [1], producing handmade works to support their communities. Among them, Pitkuti Ugyuk [2] pioneered the creation of packing dolls, a unique art form born from necessity and creativity.

Ugyuk, originally from Kinngait, brought her dolls to life with distinctive embroidered black thread faces, each figure expressing something unique [3]. Her designs became the foundation for a cooperative effort, adopted and expanded by fellow artisans. The present work by Tigaq continues this tradition, embodying the spirit of Ugyuk’s original creations.

Tigaq’s piece draws on the iconic packing doll form—a female figure with an amautiq carrying a child in her hood—while telling the lesser-known story of Kadlu. As recorded by Franz Boas in The Central Eskimo (Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1888, p. 192), story is as follows:

It is said that three sisters make the lightning, the thunder, and the rain. The names of two of them are Ingnirtung (the one who strikes the fire) and Udluqtung (the one who rubs the skins), whose second name is Kadlu (thunder), while that of the third I could not ascertain. They live in a large house the walls of which are supported by whale ribs. It stands in the far west, at a great distance from the sea, as Kadlu and her sisters do not like to go near it. If an Eskimo should happen to enter the house he must hasten away or Ingnirtung will immediately kill him with her lightning. Even the stones are afraid of her and jump down the hills whenever they see the lightning and hear the thunder. The faces of the sisters are entirely black and they wear no clothes at all.(?) Ingnirtung makes the lightning by striking two red stones together (flint). Kadlu makes the thunder by rubbing sealskins and singing. The third sister makes the rain by urinating. They procure food by striking reindeer with the lightning, which singes their skins and roasts their flesh. The Akudnirmiut say that beyond Iglulik, on the continent of America, a large tribe of Eskimo live whom they call Kakī´joq. The women of the tribe are said to have rings tattooed round their eyes. These natives offer the dried skins of a species of small seals to Kadlu, who uses them for making the thunder.

1. Taluq Designs Ltd. (ᑕᓗᖅ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᐃᑦ) is a cooperative established in Taloyoak (Spence Bay) in 1995. It continues the tradition of creating Inuit textile crafts, particularly packing dolls, while supporting local women artisans.

2. Sometimes called Pitkuti Ugyuk Peeteekootee Ugyak, Peeteekootee Charlie or Charlie Ugyuk (the latter not to be confused with the well-known Taloyoak carver).