The Dorsets: Depicting Northern Culture Through Soapstone Carvings

John Jamieson, Governor General's Award Recipient (2002)

INTENDED AGE/SUBJECT AREA

Junior/Intermediate/Senior History, Art

INSTRUCTIONAL OUTCOMES

Students will:

• • be able to design relief soapstone carvings depicting an Inuit theme;
• • focus on the Dorset culture, present on the Belcher Islands 3000 years ago, and design a relief soapstone carving.

BACKGROUND

Review videotapes of elders discussing the Tuniti, the people who lived on the islands in the past. (The Tuniti are considered by archaeologists to be the Dorsets.)
Read the relevant information in the books listed under Materials/Resources.
Characteristics and ability of soapstone to show detail have been observed and learned.

INTRODUCTION

Archaeological work from the 1940s and the 1980s has determined that a pre-Dorset and Dorset culture existed on the Belcher Islands 3000 years ago. Many of the Dorset campsites have small tent rings, about 1.5 metres in diameter. A small tent makes sense, since this Dorset culture lacked dogs and all the camp gear had to be dragged by hand or taken by small watercraft. What makes this story so interesting is the fact that elders talk about the people from the past, called Tuniti, sleeping with their legs up against the tent. Does this contemporary belief have a factual past? Perhaps.

Although Dorset culture had specific areas around our islands for hunting and fishing, the archaeological record does not find them using the same tent sites more than once. The second time a tent was erected, there was a special separation from the first tent. Contemporary Inuit also will not erect their tent in the same location, moving it slightly or greatly to make sure that a 'sickness' does not result from the use of an old site.

Belcher Island Inuit talk about Tungaks who are small people who live on the islands and have the ability to influence humans. These Tungaks may have a link to the Tuniti of Dorset culture. Several students have been helped by Tungaks and their stories can be repeated before the lesson. The spiritualism seen in artifacts leads one to believe that the Dorsets were indeed an interesting cultural group.

ACTIVITY

List the Dorset characteristics from archaeologists and elders.

Translate the information into rough pencil images approximating that could be carved from a soapstone slab 8" x 12" and 1" deep. Remember the cultural context organizers: food, shelter, clothing, family, beliefs, and transportation. Arrange the images into a complete graphic display.

Explain the display to another person-use the words, texture, relief, icon, symbolize.
Modify your display if new information has been picked up from others.

Closure: a finalized carving put into an object box frame requires an explanation inserted into an envelop on the back of the frame. Write a brief outline of your design that might be attached to the artwork.

MATERIALS/RESOURCES

• Canadian Arctic Prehistory by Robert McGhee
• Sinews of Survival by Betty Issenman
• Paper
• Pencil
• Soapstone – 8” x 12” x1”

About the Educator

John Jamieson connects his students with their Inuit culture through archaeology, elders, art and entrepreneurship. Over 160 Inuit artifacts dating back 3,000 years are duplicated in his school and include fishskin dolls, model kayaks, and hunting tools. John established a picture frame shop where students assemble relief soapstone carvings bought from local artists. The carvings transmit cultural knowledge and have resulted in a new art form. John established a FM radio station, and a dedicated television channel, which are transmitting cultural knowledge to every home in the community.