On November 2, 2019 in Calgary, Alberta, the five CPL Awards were officially unveiled.

The Awards – each a unique piece of Inuit Art – are quintessentially Canadian. Every carving is made by a talented artist (listed below) from Kinngait (Cape Dorset), Nunavut, a small hamlet just off Baffin Island in Canada’s North, renowned as the epicentre of Inuit art.

GOLDEN BOOT (HUNTER)

Awarded to the Canadian Premier League’s top scoring Player in the Spring, Fall seasons and Finals.

True goal scorers are courageous and fearless in the hunt. They need to be versatile and adaptive no matter the conditions.

ARTIST: Pitseolak Qimirpik

Pitseolak Qimirpik is a young Cape Dorset carver who’s quickly established himself as both apprentice (his father is renowned Dorset carver Kelly Qimirpik) and contemporary artist. Qimirpik has successfully distinguished himself through this very juxtaposition, marrying pop-culture signifiers with traditional carving. He sits at the helm of a surging generation of Inuit artists who are reconfiguring their position onto history, traditional media, and narrative figuration. It’s a group who’s establishing itself through an aesthetic more easily situated in the contemporary artworld, while never fully divorced from its ancestral associations and formal base. Qimirpik, like so many of his contemporaries, continues to make the link between the two. From the age of thirteen, Qimirpik has established himself through an exceptional craftsmanship and an attention to contemporary signifiers. Producing figures like muskoxen, drum dancers, and dancing walruses, his works are often colored by their subjects’ props or profiles.

GOLDEN GLOVE (QIMMIQ or CANADIAN INUIT DOG)

Awarded to the Goalkeeper voted to be the best at this position based on performance and overall support for their Club.

Dating back thousands of years, the ‘Qimmiq’ is the original breed used by the Inuit people in the Artic. Importantly the Canadian Inuit Dog is a protector – playing a vital role in protecting their community and possesses traits of loyalty, toughness, bravery, as well as intelligence.

ARTIST: Kellypalik Etidloie

Kellypalik is the adopted son of print maker, Kingmeata and carver, Etidloie of Cape Dorset who both encouraged him to pursue art making. When Kelly was a young child in Cape Dorset, he would be out on the land hunting and fishing with his parents. He learned to carve by watching his elders and by helping his sister Omalluk. He delights in carving animals in movement, especially as they groom themselves or engage in some other characteristic movement.

COACH OF THE YEAR (OWL)

Presented to the Coach voted to have contributed the most to his Club’s all-around performance. The skillful Owl has been a symbol of heightened wisdom, guidance, and knowledge for centuries. Along with its heightened sense of vision which gives the Owl the ability to see what others cannot, the “all-seeing” bird is considered to be adeptly skilled and wise.

ARTIST: Palaya Qiatsuq

Palaya Qiatsuq was born in Cape Dorset and began carving around 1977. He learned to carve from his father, the well-known sculptor and print maker Lukta Qiatsuk. Palaya works in soapstone and bone and carves each sculpture with much attention to detail. For the past 20 years Palaya has been carving and keeping traditional stories alive through his work. Stories of transformation and shamanism from his childhood are among Palaya’s favourite themes. Palaya was also a highly respected and liked mayor of Cape Dorset for 6 years. He brought a lot of positive change to the community.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR (NIKISUITTUQ)

Awarded to the Most Valuable Player in the Canadian Premier League based on their overall play and importance to their Club. The ‘Nikisuittuq’, a stone landmark built by the Inuit, is a type of Inuksuk whose top stone points upwards towards the sky to the North Star. With the many months of darkness during Northern winters, the Nikisuittuq is used as an important landmark to navigate through the stars and lead a traveler home; sending them in the right direction.

ARTIST: Pitseolak Qimirpik

Pitseolak Qimirpik is a young Cape Dorset carver who’s quickly established himself as both apprentice (his father is renowned Dorset carver Kelly Qimirpik) and contemporary artist. Qimirpik has successfully distinguished himself through this very juxtaposition, marrying pop-culture signifiers with traditional carving. He sits at the helm of a surging generation of Inuit artists who are reconfiguring their position onto history, traditional media, and narrative figuration. It’s a group who’s establishing itself through an aesthetic more easily situated in the contemporary artworld, while never fully divorced from its ancestral associations and formal base. Qimirpik, like so many of his contemporaries, continues to make the link between the two.

From the age of thirteen, Qimirpik has established himself through an exceptional craftsmanship and an attention to contemporary signifiers. Producing figures like muskoxen, drum dancers, and dancing walruses, his works are often colored by their subjects’ props or profiles.

BEST UNDER 21 CANADIAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR (POLAR BEAR)

Awarded to the Player selected as the Best Canadian Under 21 based on performance and overall attitude on and off the pitch. The Polar Bear at birth is playful and adored by all. As ‘Atiqtalaaq’ – the young cub grows it shows promise to become “Nanook” one of the most respected and formidable animals roaming Canada’s North.

ARTIST: Taqialuk (Tuk) Nuna

Taqialuq is the son of Cape Dorset carver, Sharky Nuna who died in a boating accident while walrus hunting. After learning to carve by watching his father, Taqialuq made his first works when he was eight years old. He became more serious about carving in his late twenties and today carves when he is not out hunting. His rounded comfortable style suits the animal and human subject that he carves. He is known in the community for his outdoor studio overlooking the bay and mountains.

Resource: http://capedorset-inuitart.com/, http://www.dorsetfinearts.com/