Agnes Kuptana

Inuit Art Foundation

Biography

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Agnes Kuptana is a textile artist and educator based in Ulukhaktok (Holman), NT. She learned to sew from a young age and now shares her skills and knowledge with younger generations through sewing workshops. Kuptana is also motivated to share her knowledge of Inuktitut and traditional land-based activities such as hunting, to ensure that future generations are able to continue important cultural practices.

Kuptana also created a block for the Quilt of Belonging. This 36 metre quilt is a collaborative textile artwork that includes 263 blocks to highlight various Indigenous communities within Canada and other regions around the world [1]. Kuptana's block represents Inuit families and communities within the Inuvialuit region, or the Western Arctic [2]. It was crated with sealskin and sinew, and depicts the "Alaskan High Kick," which is a traditional game that is also part of the Northern Games and Arctic Winter Games [3].

This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
Ce projet est financé en partie par le gouvernement du Canada.

Agnes Kuptana est une artiste textile et une éducatrice basée à Ulukhaktok, dans la région désignée des Inuvialuit, NT. Elle a appris à coudre dès son plus jeune âge et partage aujourd’hui ses compétences et ses connaissances avec les jeunes générations dans le cadre d’ateliers de couture. Kuptana est également motivée à partager ses connaissances de l’inuktitut et des activités traditionnelles basées sur la terre, comme la chasse, afin de s’assurer que les générations futures soient en mesure de perpétuer d’importantes pratiques culturelles.

ᐊᖕᓂᔅ ᑯᑉᑖᓇ ᒥᖅᓱᒐᓕᐅᓲᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᑎᑦᑎᓲᖅ ᐅᓗᒃᕼᐊᒃᑐᕐᒥ, ᐃᓅᕕᐊᓗᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓂ, ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᖅ. ᐃᓕᑦᑎᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᒥᖅᓱᕆᐅᖅᖢᓂ ᓂᕕᐊᖅᓵᖑᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒫᓐᓇ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓃᖅᑎᑦᑎᕙᒃᑐᖅ ᓴᓇᑐᔫᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᒪᒃᑯᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᑕᒪᐅᓐᓇ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᑎᑦᑎᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ. ᑯᑉᑖᓇ ᐅᓇᖅᑕᐅᖅ ᑲᔪᖏᖅᓴᐃᓲᖅ ᑐᓴᕐᑎᑦᑎᓪᓗᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᐅᓯᑐᖃᖏᑦ ᓄᓇᒥ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᓯᖏᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ ᐊᖑᓇᓱᖕᓂᖅ, ᑕᐃᒪᓗ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᕆᓂᐊᖅᑕᓂ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᓐᓂᐊᕐᒪᒍ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᔪᖅ ᐱᐅᓯᑐᖃᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᑐᖃᖅ.