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Carver pleases the Pope

Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Pelly Bay (Jan 22/07) - The Vatican has one of the world's largest collections of art, and a woman from Kugaaruk has joined the ranks of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Her carving has made it to Rome.
NNSL Photo/graphic

Pope Benedict XVI holds a piece of Nunavut in his hands. The ivory nativity scene the pontiff is examining was carved by Emily Illuitok of Kugaaruk. - photo courtesy of Jeannie Illuitok

Emily Illuitok from Kugaaruk was asked by the bishop to create a piece of art for Pope Benedict XVI, and she was happy to do it.

"The bishop told her to carve a nativity scene for the Pope and she did it, said Illuitok's daughter-in-law, Jeannie Illuitok. "She carved it out of ivory, walrus tusk ivory. The iglu it made from white rock."

When our priest came back, he told her that he (the Pope) liked the carving. She was proud to get a picture of the Pope holding the carving."

Last week Emily was working on an ivory bracelet, but ivory can cause problems. American clients can't have ivory shipped to them, due to border restrictions. Emily substitutes caribou antler when ivory is a political issue.

Her success is shared with the entire family.

"When she is carving, she supports everybody. She has 19 grandchildren, and she helps us all out. She feeds everybody, we all have lunch here every day," Jeannie said.

She carves a wide variety of items, but a few sell better than others.

"The most popular are dogteams, polar bears and the nativity scenes," said Jeannie.

Emily doesn't carve every day, but she tends to work until a project is complete.

"Most of the time it takes one day, all day. Last week, she did an ivory bracelet," Jeannie said. "Right now, she isn't working on anything." The pontiff didn't receive any special treatment. If you buy a piece of her work, you'll get was something very similar to the carving he received.

"She carves them all the same, but each carving is different. The bigger ones are easier for her, they are easier to hold on to," Jeannie said.