An exhibition of rare Inuit art featuring major gifts from UD donors was opened Sept. 16 at the University Gallery in Old College by Peter Irniq, commissioner of the Canadian territory of Nunavut, and drew an overflow crowd of students, faculty and staff.

"Land of Ice, Hearts of Fire: Inuit Art and Culture," on exhibit through Dec. 14, 2003, featured important gifts of Canadian Inuit drawings from the Frederick and Lucy S. Herman Native American Art Collection, as well as closely related artifacts and archival materials from the Mabel and Harley McKeague Collection of Alaskan Inuit Art. Other Inuit Art in the exhibition included sculptures, prints and tapestries recently donated to the University Gallery.

"The works in this exhibition show the pride, strength, creativity and talent of the Inuit people and also speak about the presentation and preservation of our culture," Irniq said at the opening.

Until recently, the Inuit were a semi-nomadic people who roamed from British Columbia to the Arctic Circle. Although known as carvers of whalebone and soapstone, it was not until the late 1940s and early 1950s that Canadian Inuit were introduced to the concept of drawing as it is understood in the Western sense. Drawing was introduced to the Inuit culture by Canadian Northern Services Officer James Houston in 1949 as a "make work" project of the Canadian government. This project encouraged the development of native art forms as a way to bring economic growth and financial stability to Inuit communities.

The works of art in the exhibition at UD reflected a spiritual and cultural heritage that has been handed down orally for thousands of years, Irniq said, noting that one of his favorite works in the exhibition was "Shaman Tupilak," a painting by his cousin, Simon Tookoome, of Baker Lake, Canada. "Shamanism is the name of our religion," Irniq said. "The shaman is said to have special powers, and acts as a healer for the sick and can also be invoked to bring good weather."

In addressing the size and scope of exhibition and the collections on which it is based, Irniq said the Inuit people appreciate UD's efforts to showcase the Inuit cultural heritage.

"The Inuit feel extremely good about UD being the home of this great collection of Inuit art," Irniq said. "At first it was a pleasant surprise, but now we are very happy."

The success of Inuit art and artists influenced the evolution of the Inuit from a semi-nomadic culture to a political entity in contemporary Canadian society. On April 1, 1999, the Canadian government officially recognized Nunavut, home of the Inuit, as a newly formed territory. Formerly part of the Northwest Territories, Nunavut stretches north above the tree line from Hudson Bay up to Ellesmere Island National Park, near the North Pole. The Inuit make up 85 percent of the total population of 30,000.

Irniq, who himself was born in an igloo, told his Delaware audience that UD's exhibition was an important part of the 29-year Inuit struggle for political and cultural self-identity. "This movement actually had its beginnings in the late 1950s and 1960s," Irniq said. "We realized that we were losing control of our way of life. This was also when we started telling others that the Inuit were the equal of other Canadians. It marked the beginning of the political development of our people and led to the creation of our land, the territory of Nunavut."

There were many times, Irniq said, when negotiations between the parties would break down, but the end result was well worth the wait.

"It took a lot of patience," Irniq said, "but we finally got our own territory. It is a very challenging and very rewarding thing."

While the leaders of the movement were working for political recognition with the Canadian government and society-at-large, Inuit artists and their works also played an important part in the creation of the new territory.

"Through our art and exhibitions, the elders of our people were able to promote their culture in a much bigger way," Irniq said.

Before starting a print and broadcast journalism career in Churchill, Canada, and a stint at the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC), Irniq spent his first 15 years living in an igloo.

"I have seen both the traditional way of life and that of the modern age," Irniq said. "I have gone from the world of igloos to that of laptops, cell phones and Palm Pilots."

The typical igloo of that time, Irniq said, measured about 17 feet in diameter and was as tall as the height of the tallest person in the family. A half-moon shaped oil lamp was used to boil water, cook and dry clothes. Irniq said the movement toward living in wooden houses began in the late 1960s.

"We don't live in igloos anymore," Irniq said, "but we still have them."

The UD exhibit was planned in observance of the concluding year of the United Nation's International Decade of the World's Indigenous People 1994-2004. During his campus visit, Irniq also met with classes.