Native Art Gallery


Sedna

Sedna

Artist: Palaya Qiatsuq

Community: Cape Dorset

Medium: Soapstone

Dimensions (in): W12.0 x H 17.0 x D5.0

Reference: 105743


Regular price $3,600.00 CAD
Regular price Sale price $3,600.00 CAD
Sale Sold

Sedna is known as Niviaqsiaq, Talilajuq, Nuliajuk and by manyother names. She is the Sea Goddess who drives the walrus and sealto the Inuit and ensures a bountiful hunt.Sedna's story is one of the most popular Inuit Legends.

The Sedna Tales tell of a willfull, strong young woman and a great storm.Long, long ago, when Sedna was a young girl she refused suitors from herown clan, instead Sedna chose a mysterious lover who turned out to be asea bird in disguise. On hearing what had really happened, her fatherset out to rescue his rebellious daughter.

Finding Sedna in the nest of the Sea Bird, he spirited her away. Fatherand daughter began the long journey home in a skin boat.The angry and abandoned seabird made a great storm to stop them.Fearing the great power of the Sea Bird, the father decided to rid himself of his daughter.Sedna was thrown into the sea by her fearful father. Trying to saveherself, she grasped the sides of the boat, pleading with her father topull her back into the boat. The selfish father, fearing for his own life,swung his knife chopping off her fingers.

When Sedna's fingers fell into the water, the fingers became whales,seals and polar bears, her nails became whalebone.As the young woman sank into the sea she was transformed into the mysticalbeing known as Sedna, Mother of Oceans and ruler over all life in the Sea. The blessings of Sedna are still sought by the people of the Northwho know it is She who sustains them.

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Palaya Qiatsuq

Also known as Padlaya, Qiatsoo, Qiatsuk

Born in 1965 in Cape Dorset, Nunavut, Canada,

He carries forward a long and rich heritage and culture in his carving. His grandfather, Kiakshuk, was a well-respected member of the first generation of Cape Dorset graphic and sculpture artists whose work was marketed in the “South”. Lukta Qiatsuq, Palaya’s father, continued the tradition, carving complex spirit, transformation, and
hunting scultpures. Several of Palaya’s brothers are also artists.


“I like to carve transformations. That's one of my favourite themes, and
shamanism… when I do transformation or shamanism carvings, I hope the younger
people will see the carving in a book or in a gallery. I want them to know that
these traditions have to be carried out. How do I put this? They have to know
that our ancestors had a hard time to live, to hunt. Sometimes they were
starving. Those carvings are important to me and I want to show these younger
people, and others, that this happened before."

Qiatsuq is frequently invited to attend the openings of the exhibitions and to give sculpture demonstrations in various places. Having an impressive exhibition record for
his age, this artist has exhibited in many countries, including Canada, the United States, France, Germany and Switzerland.

In 2006, he was invited to do a sculpture demonstration at Canada House (London), on the occasion of Canada Day.

He has been employed as a Community Constable for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, at the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative, and has served as mayor of his Community, Cape Dorset; he works hard to balance time devoted to his outside job, his carving and his family.