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• NWT Arts

Arts & Culture

Ulukhaktok,(Once known as Holman) home to 460 people, is nestled in picturesque Queen’s Bay surrounded by high bluffs on the western shore of Victoria Island – a landscape often represented in the local art. The Community is alive with culture and tradition as many people are involved in drum dancing, producing a variety of soapstone and muskox horn carvings and ulu’s as well as sewing a multitude of crafts and wall hangings. Ulukhaktok is internationally renowned for its “Holman Prints”.

This is the home of the Holman Cooperative, whose artists are recognized around the world especially their printmaking. Intrepid golfers participate in Tournaments on a nine-hole grassless course each summer. Others come to experience Ulukhaktok’s fascinating culture, participate in workshops, or meet the print makers and other artists.

Father Henri Tardi came to Holman, from France, as an Oblate missionary in 1949, and taught the skills of printmaking. The stone cut method was once a prolific and distinct printmaking technique used in producing the Holman Print. A recent find on the site uncovered several original stones that will be on display at the new subsidiary craft centre.

For a number of reasons the Ulukhaktok Craft Centre has not produced prints since 2000 and has supplied the market with minimal crafts during that same period. On February 5, 2008, the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation (BDIC) announced it is establishing a new subsidiary in partnership with the Ulukhaktok Artists Association. The subsidiary will re-open the craft centre and will build on Ulukhaktok’s longstanding arts and crafts tradition by producing and selling prints, crafts, carvings, quiviut products and other items.

Drum Dancing

Music and dance are an important part of community life in Ulukhaktok. Drum Dancing consists of two styles – Western Style Drum Dancing where one group drums and the other group dances. The second one, Central Style Dancing is where one drums and dances at the same time. Each song and dance tells a story relating to the culture and portrayed by the actions of the dance. The Drums are generally made of cured caribou skin stretched over a circular wooden ring.