Josephina Kalleo facts for kids

Josephina Kalleo (1920 – 1993) was a talented artist from Nain, Newfoundland and Labrador. She was famous for her bright, colorful drawings. Her art showed scenes from traditional Inuit life. She also created a special book called Taipsumane: A Collection of Labrador Stories in 1984.

About Josephina Kalleo

Josephina Kalleo was born in Nain in 1920. She went to school at the Moravian Mission there. She started drawing when she was in her sixties. By then, she had already raised five children.

Her Artistic Journey

Kalleo became interested in sharing her life experiences. This happened while she worked at the Torng'sok Cultural Centre in Nain. Her job was to write down spoken Inuktitut stories.

She used felt-tip markers to create her art. Her drawings were bright and full of detail. They showed scenes of Labrador Inuit life. She drew activities like hunting, fishing, and picking berries. She also showed marriage traditions and Christmas preparations. She drew on paper and attached her art to office folders.

Kalleo's drawings have been shown in important art exhibitions. These include North and South: Tradition, Invention and Intervention in Labrador in 2002. Her art was also part of SakKijâjuk: Art and Craft from Nunatsiavut in 2017.

Her Book: Taipsumane: A Collection of Labrador Stories

In 1984, 45 of Josephina Kalleo's drawings were put into a book. The book is called Taipsumane: A Collection of Labrador Stories.

What "Taipsumane" Means

Taipsumane is an Inuktitut word. It means "Them Days." The book shares Kalleo's own stories. It describes her childhood life in the 1920s and 1930s.

Stories and Drawings

The book has drawings with titles like Festive Dress and Traditional Foods. Other titles include The Spring Camp and Women as Trappers. These carefully labeled drawings show how people gathered food. They also show seasonal activities from the past.

One reviewer noted that Kalleo's art shows a longing for old traditions. The book's text appears in three ways. It uses Inuktitut syllabics, Moravian Inuktitut (using the English alphabet), and English.

Importance of the Book

Taipsumane is now part of the Newfoundland and Labrador school curriculum. It is seen as a very important document. It helps share Inuit cultural knowledge with young people. These are youth who grew up after contact with other cultures.

A 2018 article in The Globe and Mail newspaper mentioned the book. It said Kalleo's drawings and her recorded stories are among the best descriptions. They show how Labrador Inuit life changed in the mid-20th century.