Iqaluit (May 10/04) - Levi Panipak shook hands with people as they stopped to look at his prints plastered around his table at the Nunavut Trade Show.

"Sold!" said a sign the Clyde River resident placed on top of a print of a hunter, and two throat singers.

Ame Papatsie handed out small "Hi from Pang" prints in the Panniqtuuq booth. Here he holds up one of his art works. There were 83 booths this year. - Kathleen Lippa/NNSL photo

Delegates from Labrador, Ontario and other parts of Nunavut took pictures and gawked at the various prints and carvings the likes of which they had never seen before.

This was the Nunavut Trade Show in Iqaluit last week: a mix of old and new, traditional and modern. A total of 83 booths of businesses, hamlets and groups vyed for attention.

Near the entrance, a new business started by artists in Iqaluit called "Nukigit" presented their prints and jewelry.

Artist Therese Ukaliannuk manned Nukigit's booth for a while, but took breaks to see what the hamlets of Clyde River and Iglulik were showing off in order to lure people and businesses to their communities.

Sileema Tunnillie was sitting at the Cape Dorset table where two large polar bear sculptures made by her husband, Ashevak, held court.

Elisapee Itulu and Kyra Fisher greeted visitors to the Kimmirut booth, a busy place filled with wall hangings, carvings, and jewelry all created by Kimmirut artists using Kimmirut gem stones.

There was a buzz about the 35-person strong Labrador contingent this year, the largest ever at the Nunavut Trade Show.

On Wednesday, Colin O'Brien, executive director of the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce, was excited about twinning with Iqaluit.

The twinning was made official on Wednesday night with a signing of a memorandum of understanding between the city of Iqaluit and Goose Bay, Labrador.

O'Brien feels the decision will make trade between the two regions easier in the future.

David Penner, business manager with the Innu Development Limited Partnership, said he saw a "natural link" between Iqaluit and Goose Bay, and said talks with South Baffin MLA Olayuk Akesuk about expanding the Baffin Fisheries Coalition went very well.

Nunavut culture was a powerful presence throughout the show.

Paul Quassa, with Isuma Productions of Iglulik, was pleased to show off their new "Inuit Culture Kit," which includes a new book, "Inuit Studies Reader," that comes with a teacher's research guide.

Over at the Resolute Bay booth, artist Saroomie Manik was busy making wool from muskox fur. The wool is incredibly soft, and Manik hopes people will pay $100 for her socks, and more for muskox wool sweaters.

Hans Arnonsen and Zipporah Kalluk from Resolute Bay were pushing their outfitting business, operating for two years now.

But for many people, the Nunavut Trade Show was all about the free stuff -- pens, fridge magnets and lapel pins.

Sexauer, a plumbing company based in Oakville, Ont., drew attention with exciting freebies like beachballs, stress reliever lightbulbs and pens that light up when you click them.

Canadian North offered cute stress reliever airplanes. The wings fit perfectly between your fingers. First Air, not wanting to be outdone, had their very own free yo-yo's.

"Next year, that's what we need. More yo-yo's!" said Iglulik's Paul Quassa laughing.