So? Or Sew? Written by: Victoria Simigak

Victoria Simigak is a young Inuk woman from Nunavik. Her unique view of Nunavik, Nunavut and Greenland is advocated by a combination of her family bloodlines and life experiences. Her father Eyetsiak, comes from the small remote community called Kimmirut in Nunavut, and her mother Pasa, comes from another small village called Kangirsuk in Nunavik. Presently, Victoria has been living and working in Nuuk, Greenland for the past six years and writes editorials and commentaries for Nunavik’s Makivik Magazine.

Victoria has shared her personal perspective about traditional Inuit clothing, and how it correlates to Inuit society’s modernization. For instance, she views Canadian Inuit cultural icons such as the amautik (baby carrier), kamik (sealskin or leather boots) and pualuk (leather and fur lined mitts) as threatened cultural traditions due to economic and social influences. The mentality of self-independence has been transferred to the traditional grandmother whose children and grandchildren are not learning the ancestral life skills of traditional sewing. Since she lives in Greenland, she notes that Greenlandic Inuit do not make their home-made clothing, but commercialize their traditional clothing and profit through tourism and local employment. Victoria questions what is good and bad in Inuit fashion for eastern Arctic Inuit.

Q1: Do you think traditional Inuit clothing is threatened by popular western world fashion?

Q2: Do you think it is the woman’s primary role to kick start Inuit cultural esteem?

Q3. How can we ensure Inuit continue to sew and wear traditional Inuit clothing?

To read more of Victoria's commentary, click here.