Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

NNSL (July 12/99) - For their summer season, the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, located in Yellowknife, has combed through its collected artifacts and come up with an exhibit of precious curios and artwork, some of which have never been seen by the public.

The exhibit, titled Celebrating Nunavut, also shows the museum's history in this period of change and transition, explains curator of education and extension services Barbara Cameron.

Exhibit designer Terry Pamplin explains that currently, because of the division of the territories, a policy is being worked out to deal with museum items originating from Nunavut.

In the meantime, the museum sees over 30,000 visitors pass through its quiet, history-heavy rooms each year, and with tourist traffic high in summer it was time for these items to see the light of day.

The most eye-catching aspect of the exhibit are the walls hung with countless framed prints, some brightly coloured like Oonark's Woman, some simple black on white as with Hundreds and Hundreds, Herds of Caribou by Thomas Suvaaraq.

The centre has been collecting Inuit graphics since 1980. Each year they have acquired the collections of four Nunavut communities: Baker Lake, Pangnirtung, Cape Dorset and Clyde River. As well, from 1969 to 1972, the gallery collected 1,000 drawings by Baker Lake artists.

As for artifacts, clothing and carving, these are housed in glass cases by individual collection.

One especially enchanting and evocative collection is a group of objects that according to the accompanying card are related to historical events and activities in Nunavut.

"Objects from the 1800s inspire tales of a relentless search for the Northwest Passage and extensive Arctic exploration by European explorers such as James Clark Ross -- credited with locating the north magnetic pole in 1831 -- and Francis Leopold McClintock."

One whimsical article is Ross' own collection of Arctic flora, collected between 1821 and 1836. Each small plant was glued on separate decorative sheets of paper, identified in Ross' own handwriting, then stored in a special box. This perfectly preserved piece was intended for his sweetheart back home.

Other historical items include the Bell from the Nascopie, a Hudson Bay Company supply ship in the first half of this century; McClintock's charting tools.

Another historical collection focuses on the traditional clothing.

"The collection contains both historical and contemporary examples as well as models that illustrate the distinctive styles of different areas of Nunavut," reads the card.

One example is a loon-billed dance cap from Kugluktuk.

A vast array of archaeological items from Igloolik Island form yet another collection.

"Igloolik Island, in Northern Foxe Basin, has been occupied by people for almost 4,000 years. The island is rich with ancient tent sites, dwellings, caches and other features that are evidence of human activities."

The identifying card goes on to explain that the Igloolik archaeology field school has spent summer months since 1990 recording and excavating sites on the Island. Students from Attagutaaluk school benefit from these activities, which also form an educational program.

There are such items as a fishing rod, line and hook, a skin scraper, wound pins and an ice hole scoop.

Yet another glass case contains historical books.

"When the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre opened in 1979 one of its goals was to build a library for researchers working in the North. Over the years, many books relating to the history and exploration of the Arctic have been added to the collection."

Malvina Bolus (1906-1997), a Canadian historian and art collector, was "enamoured with the art of the Inuit."

"Over the years she gathered a small and cherished collection of Inuit sculpture."

The pieces the museum has selected for display come from the 1950s and 1960s, "reflecting an important transition from historical pieces to contemporary sculpture."

Individual pieces range from small and simple ivory, made to be held in the hand, to larger stone pieces.

Another change the collection demonstrates is "the use of multiple figures set in scenes depicting Inuit life."

These collections, showing such a range of experience and expression and brought together into one room, truly take your breath away. And it may be the only time all these pieces will be seen together.