IQALUIT
Germaine Arnaktauyok hears stories in pictures.

"People talk in pictures ... I see things right away if someone is telling me a story," said the renowned Iglulik artist and illustrator. Her specialty is monsters.

Illustrator Germaine Arnaktauyok visited Iqaluit for a Feb. 18 book signing held by Inhabit Media. - Beth Brown/NNSL photo

"I like doing legends and myths. I'm not interested in doing chairs or houses. It doesn't mean anything to me."

The storyline in myths and legends allows her to add her own flourish to written creatures and characters.

"And, they're weird," she added.

The artist, who has been illustrating books for education since the '60s, was visiting Iqaluit from her Yellowknife home, to participate in a book signing hosted by Inhabit Media at the Frobisher Inn on Feb. 18.

The event, which marks Inuktitut Language Month, featured a dozen authors, as well as limited edition prints from the 100 per cent Inuit-owned publishing company.

The organization, which started in 2006, aims to preserve traditional knowledge and promote Northern talent, and to create more accessible and relevant educational resources for Nunavut children.

"I grew up not having intricately illustrated books with my language in my culture," said Louise Flaherty, majority owner of Inhabit Media, who is originally from Clyde River.

While some of the authors focus on modern themes, and others teach children about the traditional way of life, many bring to life Inuit oral tradition, and with it a unique sub-genre of Canadian mythology - the Inuit folklore that Arnaktauyok passionately portrays.

"When you were growing up in a southern school system, you were exposed to super powers," said Flaherty, citing examples like leprechauns, fairies and mermaids. "We have those mythical beings as well, which our students did not hear often unless a storyteller came in."

Most of the books are available in the dialects of their respective authors. Inhabit Media uses the Inuit Cultural Institute writing system, which has been intended for classroom use in the North since the late 1960s, said Flaherty.

Her husband William wrote a book called The Polar Bear, to include in the Animal Illustrated Series.

"It's to teach the young kids, say age three to 10, the basic information about the polar bear," said the author of five stories. "I want to share my knowledge with the younger generation. If I die tomorrow, my knowledge is lost."

His niece, Sophie Salomonie, 9, visited the book signing to pick up a copy of her uncle's book. After having it signed, she said she was going to go straight home and read.

Salomonie also chose a copy of Fishing with Grandma, written by Iglulik author Susan Avingaq in collaboration with Maren Vsetula.

Avingaq, in a translated interview by her family member, said her favourite part of the story is how eager the children are to fish with their grandmother, who is already very busy mending clothes. She hopes the story will encourage other children to fish.

"It's not fiction, it's from the heart, it's something she knows," said Avingaq's translator. The story is based on the author's relationship with her own grandchildren. "Going out with grandma, going fishing brings them closer together," she said.

Pangnirtung author Roselynn Akulukjuk is acting in line with traditional oral storytellers by adding her own twist to a story structure that has been around since the 1900s. Her piece, The Owl and the Lemming, is an award-winning film script turned book. In the story, the lemming has to become a trickster to escape from a young and prideful owl.

"There are a lot of people like me that like traditional stories, and I like the short ones," said Akulukjuk.

Her focus, besides revamping old lore, is sharing Inuit language with her young audience.

"It was very important for me," she said. "Inuktitut language is so important to me, I want to keep it and I want children to be able to continue speaking their own language."

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