Apayata Kotierk

Apayata Kotierk is an actor from Iglulik (Igloolik), Nunavut, who has performed in both movies and TV shows. In addition to his film credits, Kotierk is a prolific hunter who raises his own sled dogs.

Kotierk’s first role was as the camp leader Kumaglak in the film epic Atanarjuat: The Fast
Runner (2001), which was the first film ever to be written, acted and directed entirely in
Inuktitut. Atanarjuat won the Caméra d'Or at the 54th Cannes Film Festival, six Genie awards,
including Best Motion Picture, and a host of other award at various festivals [1]. Following
Atanarjuat, Kotierk played Anguillianuk in The Journals of Knud Rasmussen (2006) and had a
recurring role in the television series The Terror, where he played a shaman, Lady Silence’s
father. Kotierk was also credited as a dog wrangler on the set of Knud Rasmussen.

Kotierk was cast as the titular character in Isuma’s One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk
(2018). Nephew to the real-life Piugattuk [2], Kotierk has remarked that the role was an easy
one, as the film chronicles his own family history. One Day premiered in the Canada Pavilion at
the 59th Venice Biennale, before returning to Canada to screen at the Toronto International Film
Festival in September 2019. Kotierk’s performance was heralded as “brilliant” by GalleriesWest
Magazine [3].

Kotierk’s seven children and several grandchildren have taken cues from their father’s artistic
pursuits and are luminaries in their own rights: daughter Jessica Kotierk is the current president
of the Archives Council of Nunavut, and was recently hired as manager of the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum in Iqaluit, NU; daughter Beth Kotierk is past contributor to the IAQ;
and daughter Aluki Kotierk is the current president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.