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Akavak juggles art, fishing to make a living

Chris Windeyer
Northern News Services
Friday, January 29, 2007

IQALUIT - Even during the first major blizzard of the year, Peter Akavak is out selling his carvings.

The Iqaluit resident enjoys carving as a way to earn a living with his hands, by fashioning from stone birds of prey, polar bears, seals and walrus.

"It's my best hobby and it puts food on the table," he said.

Now 39, Akavak said he started carving at age 13. He was born in Kimmirut, but moved to Iqaluit at 18 after his father died, needing a fresh start.

"The first three years was very hard for me, but after that it got easier," he said.

During the summer, Akavak lives in a tent down by the causeway. There he's a full-time fisherman, trading what he doesn't eat for other kinds of country food.

He sets out two nets, which he checks twice a day and, he said, he finds fish in them every time.

"It's nice and peaceful there," he said.

This fall, while camping with friends on the far side of the Sylvia Grinnell River, he caught a wolf. In fact, Akavak rattled off the exact date and time: "November 9, 7 a.m."

He had the beast skinned, sewed and sold all the same day. A wolf pelt fetches at least $500 on the open market, with larger wolves commanding up to $1,000.

"The heads (on those ones) are humungous," he said.

Wolves have made news in the capital for appearing in greater numbers close to the community.

Akavak said he's seen more wolves venturing nearer to people this year due to a lack of food.