IQALUIT - One of Nunavut's most enduring legends was the inspiration for an exhibit at the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum in Iqaluit earlier this month.

Nunavut Commissioner Ann Meekitjuk Hanson, left, attended the opening reception for Baker Lake artist Nancy Aupaluktuq's 25-drawing exhibit on The Legend of Kiviuq at Iqaluit's Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Morris Schneiderman

Baker Lake artist Nancy Pukirnak Aupaluktuq had 25 drawings exhibited at the museum that depicted the five different episodes of The Legend of Kiviuq.

The exhibits were selected from 50 drawings commissioned by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) in 1989.

The Iqaluit showing ran from March 17 until April 8 and marked the first time the drawings were exhibited.

Museum curator Brian Lunger said the show went extremely well.

He said many people came to view the drawings and the museum received a lot of positive response on the exhibit.

"Once the drawings were completed and went into INAC's collection, they were sort of archived," said Lunger.

"Although people could view them in the collection room of the INAC facility in Hull, Quebec, it wasn't until Diane Webster saw them while doing some work for the Baker Lake Inuit Art Centre that the wheels started turning to bring them here.

"She thought they'd make a good exhibit and produce a great catalogue."

The collection is done in coloured pencil to illustrate the five episodes of the legend, including the creation of fog with grizzly bears, the bee woman Kiviuq finds living in an iglu and his goose, fox and wolf wives.

Kiviuq had two children with his goose wife and once rode the ocean on the back of a giant fish trying to follow his wife and kids.

Lunger said people at the exhibit were fascinated by the wild adventures illustrated in the drawings and the amount of detail they contained.

He said many Inuit in Iqaluit know the story, even though it's slightly different in the Baffin.

"It's an old story known throughout Nunavut, so there can be some variations in the way it's told in different areas.

"It was interesting to hear Inuit comment on the different parts of the legend as they knew them from stories told by their parents or grandparents.

"We also had groups of students come in and Nancy (Aupaluktuq) was able to take them around and talk about her work and the legend.

"It was nice to hear her tell the story, as she knew it, to the young people."

The drawings have been returned to Hull, but Lunger would like to see more showings in the future.

"There's nothing scheduled that I'm aware of, but it would be great to see them travel to other locations in Nunavut, across the Arctic and the rest of Canada."