Alootook Ipellie facts for kids

Alootook Ipellie (born 1951 in Nuvuqquq, Northwest Territories; died September 8, 2007, in Ottawa) was a talented Inuk artist. He was known for his amazing graphic art, cartoons, and writing. He also worked as a photographer and translated texts into Inuktitut.

Early Life and Learning

Alootook Ipellie was born in 1951 in Nuvuqquq. This was a small hunting camp near Frobisher Bay, which is now called Iqaluit, Nunavut. His family lived on Baffin Island.

When he was very young, his father passed away. His mother, Napatchie, then moved with him to Frobisher Bay. Alootook grew up during a big change for the Inuit people. They were moving from a traditional way of life to living in new settlements. His grandfather, Ennutsiak, was a famous sculptor.

There was no high school where Alootook lived. So, he moved to Ottawa to finish his education. He went to the High School of Commerce in Ottawa. There, he discovered his talent for art. Alootook eventually made Ottawa his home.

His Career

Alootook Ipellie worked as a journalist, cartoonist, and editor. He worked for a magazine called Inuit Monthly (also known as Inuit Today). This was during the 1970s and 1980s.

In 1974, he started a comic strip called "Ice Box." This comic became a regular part of Inuit Monthly. The cartoons showed the Nook family. They gave northern readers a funny look at life in the Arctic. The Nooks, like Ipellie, were living through a time of change. Traditional Inuit ways were meeting new ideas from the South.

He also helped with films. These included The Owl and the Raven and Legends and Life of the Inuit.

Later, in the 1990s, he created another comic strip. It was called "Nuna and Vut." These cartoons explored Inuit life as Nunavut was being created. He used humor and drawings to talk about social issues. He also highlighted unfairness in Inuit communities.

Some of his poems were published in a journal called Canadian Literature. These poems included "The Igloos Are Calm in the Camp" and "The Dancing Sun." Many people, like Professor Michael P. J. Kennedy, thought he was a great writer.

Ipellie also drew pictures for books by other authors. One example is Paper Stays Put: A Collection of Inuit Writing.

Alootook Ipellie made a big mark on Canadian literature. He published a collection of short stories called Arctic Dreams and Nightmares. This book showed the changes and challenges faced by the Inuit. It was the first book published by an Inuk author.

Poetry and Stories

In 1971, when Ipellie was 17, three of his illustrated poems were published. They appeared in a magazine called North.

One of his poems, "Hot to Warm and Cool to Cold," described nature:

"The mosquitos are at large today

As the wind stills, as the sun heats,

And we walk the rocks under,

Searching the hills for the meat

And hide of the useful caribou

that feeds and clothes my family,

Through four different seasons

When the winds change from

Hot to warm, and cool to cold."

—Ipellie Alootook. 1971.

Other poems like "Nipikti the Old Man Carver" were also published.

In 1980, Ipellie worked with Robin Gedalof. They created Paper Stays Put: A Collection of Inuit Writing. This book had stories, poems, and essays by Inuit people. Ipellie drew the pictures for it.

In 1993, his first book of only his own stories and drawings came out. It was called Arctic Dreams and Nightmares.

In 2005, Ipellie wrote the introduction for a book. It was about Abraham Ulrikab, an Inuk man from the 1800s. Ulrikab was part of a show in Germany.

His 2007 book, The Inuit Thought of It: Amazing Arctic Innovations, won awards. He wrote it with David MacDonald. It showed how Inuit people created clever things.

He also wrote content for Inuit.net with Carol Rigby. This content was about Nunavut.

After he passed away, his book I Shall Wait and Wait was published in 2009. It described the traditional Inuit seal hunt.

His Art in Public Places

Alootook Ipellie's artwork is displayed in many public places. You can find his art in galleries like the Carleton University Art Gallery in Ottawa. His work is also at the Richard F. Brush Art Gallery in New York.

Awards and Recognition

In 2019, Alootook Ipellie was honored. He was added to the Canadian Cartoonists Hall of Fame. This is a special recognition for great cartoonists in Canada.

His Passing

Alootook Ipellie passed away in Ottawa, Ontario, at age 56. He died from a heart attack. He is survived by his daughter, Taina Ipellie.