When his family moved to the nearby community, they travelled by dog team.

"I remember bits and pieces. My dad was leading the team. I remember crossing a crack of ice and some of the dogs being in the water. I never forgot that somehow," he said.

Maniapik doesn't remember ever being told why his family was moving to Panniqtuuq. He thinks it was because the government wanted children to start going to school.

He was a shy kid and that for him it was the hardest part of going to school.

Panniqtuuq is his home. But in January, he moved to Iqaluit for a new job at Nunavut Arctic College as the North Baffin co-ordinator for community programs.

He supervises and supports the adult educators in the region and helps them with the programs they offer.

It's the longest he's stayed away from Panniqtuuq. He moved to the capital with his one-year-old son, Mosessee, and common-law partner, Saa Pitsiulak. Maniapik is proud to say Mosessee is learning to walk. He has three other children who still live in Panniqtuuq.

One of Maniapik's biggest accomplishments is his artwork. The image in a tapestry unveiled at the territory's legislative assembly on Sept. 4 is based on a watercolour painting he created. The tapestry was woven in Panniqtuuq. It took more than seven months to complete, and is the largest piece ever woven in Nunavut. It's more than 6.6 metres wide and three metres long.

"I was kind of surprised they chose my one painting. It's during hunting season. The men are out hiking and looking for caribou. It's something I always enjoyed," he said.

It was his parents that passed on their artistic talents, according to Maniapik. He said his father was a carver and his mother did a lot of sewing. He started drawing in elementary school and knew instantly that he enjoyed it.

Maniapik will be instructing an evening course once a week in Iqaluit on drawing and painting starting in February. He said it will be a good opportunity to get back into art.