2011 WAS A BUSY year for traditional artists, actors and musicians in Nunavut, as 2011 carved some landmark achievements for Nunavummiut all over the territory.

Malaya Qaunirq Chapman of Iqaluit represented Nunavut at the Miss Canada International Competition at the end of June. - photo courtesy of Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association

Seven films, either filmed in Nunavut or directed by Nunavummiut made the imagineNative Film and Media Art Festival in Toronto in October.

Amaqqut Nunaat: The Country of Wolves came home with two awards. The film won Best Canadian Short Animation and Clyde River-raised Louise Flaherty, a first-time director, took home the award for Best Emerging Talent.

The award for Best Youth Work went to Rankin Inlet-born Ippiksaut Friesen for her six-minute short animation, The Dimming.

Friesen also took home the award for best animation film at the Toronto International Film Festival's Student Film Showcase in May.

"It feels great," said Friesen. "I didn't expect that; they had a lot of great films.'

Friesen also debuted as an actor with the starring role in Throat Song, a film directed by Toronto filmmaker Miranda de Pencier and produced by Kugluktuk/Iqaluit filmmaker Stacey Aglok MacDonald. The film was showcased on the big screen at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. The 17-minute film was shot in Iqaluit with nearly 40 residents taking roles in the film.

"We brought 32 Inuit youth from the Northwest Territories and from Nunavut here to Iqaluit to work with an acting coach and work with Inuit performing artists to develop their performance skills, acting skills and how to create theatre groups in their communities," Aglok MacDonald said.

True North, a document that showcased a futuristic Nunavut as seen from the perspective of the Canadian government in the 1950s, aired on the CPAC television network in March.

The film, produced by Ottawa journalist Holly Doan, was part of a nine-part series, titled the Fifties, that chronicled the post-war decade in Canada.

Cape Dorset artist Shuvinai Ashoona took centre stage in Ghost Noise, a documentary produced to showcase the artist and draw attention to the art community in the hamlet.

The film was shot by Ontario filmmaker Marcia Connolly, who met the Ashoona while filming another project in Cape Dorset back in 2005.

"I am a huge fan of Shuvinai's work," Connolly said. "I think she's a brilliant artist."

Premier Eva Aariak attended the launch of a 24-box film set to showcase Inuit life during the film festival. The footage was taken and compiled from the National Film Board of Canada archives from their expeditions to the North beginning in the 1940s. While over 100 films on the Arctic and its people were taken, only 24 made it into the box set, with more available for free screenings from the National Film Board's website.

International travel

2011 was a busy year for Nunavut artists and their work outside the territory. Arts-related travel within Canada and overseas put Nunavummiut on the world stage.

Three budding Nunavummiut artists represented their territory at the Canada Winter Games in Halifax in February. Abraham Eetuk of Arviat, Abraham Iksiraq of Baker Lake and Ita Kanayuk of Iqaluit participated in the National Arts Program.

Eetuk showcased her jewelry designs, Iksiraq is a designer who draws inspiration from his surroundings and Kanayuk's throat singing and sketch art skills earned her a spot on the tour.

After a whirlwind European tour, the Combs of Our Ancestors tapestry, a seven-and-a-half-foot-long and five-foot-high piece, came home to Canada in April.

The tapestry, woven by women at the Pangnirtung Tapestry Studio at the Uqqurmiut Centre for the Arts and Crafts, was on display in England, Scotland, Switzerland and Vienna.

The woven piece depicts an image of three combs, each one decorated with its own original

traditional paintings.

A collection of Inuit and aboriginal dolls went on display at the Scott Polar Research Institute Museum in Cambridge, England, last May. The collection made the tour to raise awareness of the Canadian North. Cambridge Bay artist Lizzie Angootealuk said it was a worthwhile exhibition.

"We think it's very important to share the doll-making culture to others as a glimpse into why the ladies make dolls, what they represent and the knowledge and skill that goes into making them," Angootealuk said.

Angootealuk was one of four Northern artists that created the well-travelled dolls. The dolls remained on display for four months.

Students from John Arnalukjuak High School in Arviat travelled south to lend their voices to an upcoming children's book illustrated by artist Graham Flatt.

The students travelled to Lloydminster Alta./Sask as part of a program sponsored by the Society for Educational Visits and Exchanges in Canada.

The story, The Sting and the Ivalu (caribou sinew), focuses on a magical trail that brings two groups of students together.

Malaya Qaunirq Chapman took to the stage last summer representing Nunavut at the Miss Canada International Competition in Missisauga, Ont. Born and raised in Iqaluit, Qaunirq Chapman works as a Nunavut Court of Justice worker.

Although she did not take the crown, Qaunirq Chapman raised awareness of an anti-suicide campaign and said she planned to enrol in law school to become an Inuk lawyer.

Groundbreaking moments

After more than half a century, the Cape Dorset Print Collection continued to exhibit art produced in the hamlet.

The 2011 51st annual collection celebrations were dedicated to Kananginak Pootoogook, an Inuit artist and elder who died in November 2010.

The collection of art travelled throughout the NWT and to galleries world-wide.

"It's very lively. It's a strong mix of contemporary visions and traditional values, which is what Cape Dorset excels at," said Inuvik Northern Images manager Marnie Hilash.

The Inuit Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) moved closer to its goal of creating a Media Arts Centre in Iqaluit.

The IBC announced in April that the project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2013, with the help of a $100,000 donation from the Qikiqtani Inuit Association. The aim of the project is to bring media arts in the territory to a new, internationally competitive level of production, service and capacity.

Iqaluit musician Ellen Hamilton released her debut solo album, Distant Early Warning, in February. The album title is a metaphor for the current environmental concerns facing the North.

The songs feature her partner, Chris Coleman, another local musician, and other special guest singers from around Canada.

Two-hundred fans came out to see nationally-acclaimed musicians of Tumivut play at Iqaluit's Inuksuk High School in September.

Student mural

Iqaluit performer Joshua Qaumariaq was the opening act.

"It was good. It wasn't my first show - I regularly play the (Royal Canadian) Legion - but it was fun music for music's sake," said Qaumariaq, who also helped out behind the scenes with the sound.

Fifteen students from Qiqirtaq Ilihakvik High School in Gjoa Haven created a mural to show their pride for their hometown.

Montreal artist Gene Pendon flew in to help the students create the mural, which features a depiction of elders wearing traditional caribou parkas, a dog team, and the snowy owl mascot of the school.

"The kids just became really very positive and I was just really impressed and proud to see them in a different light," said Lee Bird, a teacher at the school.

World-renowned Cape Dorset printmaker Kenojuak Ashevak was selected to represent Nunavut in the 2011 Provincial and Territorial Confederation Boulevard Banners to be displayed on Confederation Boulevard in Ottawa. Kenojuak's artwork is among 13 others selected.

Iqaluit-born-and-raised painter, Naya Maurice, won the Raven Harmonies Design Competition in June. The winning painting was used as the official logo for last summer's Alianait and Nunavut Arts Festival.

As well as a spot in the art exhibition, the artist also won a cash prize of $1,500 and five Alianait T-shirts with her artwork displayed on the front.

Seven photographers from communities throughout Baffin Island took part in a professional photography course in May hosted by Yellowknife photographer Dave Brosha and the Hamlet of Arctic Bay.

The budding photographers learned the basics needed to capture the perfect image. Clyde River photographer and Nunavut News North contributor Clare Kines took part in the courses and took in some valuable information on selling his photographs.

"It was quite simply one of the best workshops that I ever attended. Everybody was enthusiastic, everybody was engaged, there was just so much to take in," said Kines, who helped organize the workshop.

It was busy and successful year, for both young and old, near and far. Art and crafting is alive in Nunavut. We can only expect more great achievements in 2012. Happy New Year.