Native Art Gallery


Dancing Bear

Dancing Bear

Artist: Kooyoo Peter

Community: Cape Dorset

Medium: Soapstone

Dimensions (in): W3.5 x H 10.5 x D6.0

Reference: 106828


Regular price $1,600.00 CAD
Regular price Sale price $1,600.00 CAD
Sale Sold

Endearingly called the "King of the North", the Polar Bear, or Nanuq, is the greatest predator of the Arctic and a powerfully respected animal.  He is the one animal that is at home both on land and water.  He is built for his environment and has no troubles surviving the long, harsh winters.

Some Inuit believe that how we live our lives affects what we become in the afterlife. Apparently, the best reward for a life-well-lived is to return in the form of the polar bear.  This is because the ‘King of the Arctic’, as he is endearingly called, is strong enough to survive the long, cold winters. Instead of carving polar bears only in walking positions or other poses often seen in nature, Inuit carvers began to make bears in upright positions, often standing on one hind leg.  This pose represents the polar bear in a happy state of dancing and celebration. Some carvers claim that dancing bears represent a form of shamanism and transformation between a human and a bear.

The Dancing Bear shows gratitude for having been recognized and rewarded for his efforts.  May this sculpture celebrate the successes of your life.

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Kooyoo Peter

Kooyoo Peter was born in Cape Dorset on Baffin Island in 1966 and is the son of the celebrated Inuit artist Ejetsiaq Peter. At 18, Kooyoo began sculpting in his hometown, learning the craft from his late brother Joanasie, who recognized Kooyoo’s talent and invited him to sculpt alongside him. Joanasie taught Kooyoo the fundamentals of stone carving, including how to use tools like the ax and file, and the correct approach to carving different parts of the stone.

Kooyoo’s preferred sculptural subjects include bears, dynamic Inuit figures, and shamanic transformations. His work is known for its strength, precision, and evocative sense of movement, reflecting a unique and refined style. Since 1987, Kooyoo’s sculptures have been showcased in various locations around the world, including Canada, the United States, Switzerland, and Germany.