For Roberta Memogana, the Great Northern Arts Pageant in Inuvik is much more than a celebration of artwork and songs. Artwork is healing, she claims.
Memogana is an artist from Ulukhaktok, N.W.T. This 12 months, she’s getting a move absent from the workshops she ordinarily holds in order to provide as the festival’s gallery supervisor.
“Artwork is practically a therapeutic,” she mentioned. “It is a finding out course of action and mixing your mediums, from carving to sewing, and stitching to painting… it would make you want to develop additional factors and increase them jointly. I check out to find out as much artwork as I can from a single of the artists and obstacle myself to attempt and do it.”
The festival’s events are back again in total swing this year after it was cancelled owing to COVID-19. Functions started July 8 and operate via to Sunday.
Held at Jim Koe Park and the Midnight Solar Complicated, artists have occur from across the nation to participate — and even, in the scenario of one graphic novel artist, from Belgium.
Throughout the competition, individuals signed up for workshops with artists.
The pageant also featured Inuvialuit storytelling with Roberta Kuptana, displays by the musician, filmmaker and educator Miranda Currie, demonstrations of northern games demonstrations and performances from musicians The Beluga Boys, the 18-yr-old Ulukhaktuk accordion participant Devon Notaina and the Inuit collective Artcirq.
Painter, writer, and sports activities corridor-of-famer Antoine Mountain was scheduled to browse from his memoir Bear Mountain: The Life and Situations of a Dene Household College Survivor on Friday.
The pageant finishes July 17 with a trend display and final ceremonies.
