Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Whale Cove (Jun 28/00) - It was only a matter of time before Barbie came North.

The world-famous doll is now fully-equipped to handle harsh Nunavut winters, thanks to the efforts of a Kivalliq craftsperson.

Annie Napeyok of Whale Cove has been making amoutiks for Barbie dolls for the past two years. She thought it would be a good idea because the celebrated doll is outfitted with fashions from all over the world.

She is still making the amoutiks, but says the Barbie accessory is not easy to manufacture.

"For a while there I almost gave up on them because they're really hard to make. They're so small," says Napeyok.

"There's really not enough money in it for all the hard work, but I'm keeping at it because I enjoy it so much."

Napeyok has been selling her Barbie amoutiks in Whale Cove and Rankin Inlet. She also sold a number of them this past May at a trade show and convention in Brandon, Man.

Napeyok also makes ookpiks (owls) out of sealskin and decided to take along the amoutiks when she went to the show.

"I sold the ones I had and the people there really seemed to like them."

The Whale craftsperson turned entrepreneur, who calls her creations Canadian Mist, can make two amoutiks a day using her sewing machine.

Napeyok's mother first taught her how to make traditional clothing at a young age and she continues to improve on her skills.

Traditional skills are still very important to living in the Arctic, but youth today are not learning enough skills of Inuit way of life, she adds.

"The problem is everybody is looking for money. That's the big problem today," says Napeyok.

"It was always a family thing in the past, with grandparents and parents handing down the skills to their youth. But today, everybody seems to be too busy with different things for this to continue.

"It's a more modern life and people are so interested in making money, it takes up all of their time."