Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory facts for kids

Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, often called Laakkuluk, is a talented artist from Iqaluit, Nunavut. She is a Kalaaleq (Greenlandic Inuk) performer, poet, actor, storyteller, and writer. Laakkuluk is especially known for her unique Greenlandic mask dance called uaajeerneq. This dance tells stories and mixes two big ideas: fear and humor. She sees uaajeerneq as both an important cultural act and a way to share political messages.

About Laakkuluk's Life

Laakkuluk was born and grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She has family roots from both the Inuk people and British people. Her mother, Karla Williamson, was very important in bringing back the uaajeerneq dance. This dance was almost lost because of missionaries in Greenland many years ago.

Laakkuluk started learning uaajeerneq when she was thirteen years old. She practiced and performed with her mother throughout her teenage years. Today, she lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut, with her husband and three children.

Laakkuluk's Artistic Work

Her Special Dance: Uaajeerneq

Since the 1990s, Laakkuluk has been a big part of the Inuit, Indigenous, and Canadian art worlds. She says that uaajeerneq is the most important part of her art. In 2018, she explained that this dance helps her be brave and try new things. It helps her explore deeper ideas.

Laakkuluk writes poetry, tells stories, and creates theater and video art. All her work has some part of uaajeerneq in it. She says the dance explores four main ideas. These are: our place in the huge universe, our connection to our ancestors, fear, and humor. She often touches on all these ideas in one performance. Sometimes she moves between them very quickly.

In 2016, Laakkuluk shared her film Timiga Nunalu, Sikulu. This film means "My Body, The Land and The Ice." It was part of a project called #callresponse. This project brought together Indigenous women artists. Some of these artists included Christi Belcourt and Maria Hupfield. Parts of the #callresponse projects were shown in Vancouver, BC.

Working with Tanya Tagaq

Laakkuluk often works with Tanya Tagaq, an Inuk throat singer. They appeared together in Tagaq's 2016 music video for "Retribution." They also performed together in 2015 for the #callresponse project. In 2018, they performed again as part of the Beyond Worlds series.

Laakkuluk shared how amazing it is to work with Tanya. She said they both connect deeply when they perform. Tanya uses her voice, and Laakkuluk uses her mask dancing. They are unique but make each other's performances even better.

Helping Inuit Artists: Qaggiavuut! Society

Laakkuluk is also a founder of the Qaggiavuut! Society. This group helps Inuit performing artists. They are working to build a performing arts center in Iqaluit. The Qaggiavuut! Society has been run by volunteers since 2009.

In 2016, the society won the Arctic Inspiration Prize. This was the first time an arts group won this important award. Besides building a center, the society also helps artists get training. They create job chances for artists in the Arctic. They also work to keep old Inuit performance arts alive. And they help create new Inuit performing arts. Laakkuluk started working as a program manager for the society in 2016.

Awards and Recognition

In 2021, Laakkuluk won the Sobey Art Award. This is a very important award for Canadian artists. The judges said her performances bravely challenge old ideas. They praised how she uses her own life experiences in her art.

Laakkuluk's Performances

• Tulugak: Inuit Raven Stories, with Sylvia Cloutier, 2013
• Retribution, with Tanya Tagaq, 2016
• Kiviuq Returns, with Qaggiavuut! Society, 2017
• Visions and Dreams—Northern Light, CBC, VTPL, 2003
• Hunter's Journey—Dancing with Spirit TV series, Bravo, 2007
• Throat Song, Kajutaijuq, The Grizzlies (film)

Art Shows She Was Part Of

• The Fifth World, Kitchener–Waterloo Art Gallery, 2016
• Timiga Nunalu, Sikulu (film), for #callresponse, grunt gallery, 2016

Her Own Art Shows

• Naak silavit qeqqa? Art Gallery of Ontario, 2022-2023

Art Shows She Helped Organize

• Ilitarivingaa? exhibit, Art Gallery of Ontario, 2004
• Inuit Art in Motion exhibit, with Anna Hudson, Art Gallery of Ontario, 2003

Her Written Works

• "Talluriutiup Tariunga"—Oceans North Canada, 2015
• "We are a Nation of Lovers"—Up Here Magazine, 2015
• "Dog Children"—The North-South Project: An Anthology of the Lost, 2015
• From the Moon to the Belly postcard project, with Maria Hupfield, 2012
• "How Akutaq Came to Be"—Pith and Wry, 2011
• "Aqausiit: Can You Hear How Much Love You Evoke In Me?!"—Native Studies Review 20(2), 2011
• "Inuit gender parity and why it was not accepted in the Nunavut legislature"—Études huit 30(1), 2006