Three well-known northern stone carvers are promoting the historical and cultural significance of their craft with public workshops geared toward tourists.
John Sabourin, Derrald Taylor and Eli Nasogaluak are with the Frozen Rock Studio in Yellowknife’s industrial area. They have been active in Yellowknife for years, but this workshop venture is new.
Nasogaluak said the workshops are about more than cutting and filing small bears and inukshuks. He said it’s about the sharing of traditions and knowledge.
“We are providing an educational experience by teaching about the cultures, the nationalities in the North: the Inuit, the Inuvialuit and the Dene,” Nasogaluak said.
Eli Nasogaluak, standing, and John Sabourin, far right, offer a demonstration workshop at their Frozen Rock Studio in Yellowknife (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Nasogaluak and Taylor are originally from Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., while Sabourin is from Fort Simpson. All three men have made a name for themselves with their stone, snow and ice carvings.
Nasogaluak hopes the class work promotes a better understanding of Indigenous history and culture.
“It’s not just about the workshops. [People] get to learn about a skill that has been passed down through the ages and that is still very valuable,” Nasogaluak said.
A soapstone polar bear nears completion. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
So far the workshops have only been open to tour operators as a way of promoting the business.
Nasogaluak hopes to start booking more customers by the end of the week.