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9781772441499

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This nonfiction book describes the compelling relationship between a university professor, David Turner, and an Inuit artist, Piona Keyuakjuk. Piona grew up in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, and currently lives in his community, making a living from the sale of his art to tourists and art galleries. A fascinating relationship grows between Professor Turner, who returns several times to the community, and the artist, who tells stories about Inuit shamanism through sculpture and later his pencil crayon drawings. The book is 175 pages; the last 105 pages are dedicated to reprinting Piona's sketchbook in full color. Many of the drawings show a shaman's ability to transform, taking on features of animals and drawing on them as helpers, for example, humans riding on the backs of birds or calling various helping animals such as ravens, owls, polar bears, and wolves. Turner's purpose for writing the book is to revitalize lost knowledge about shamanism in the Arctic. In doing so, he supports Piona's act of Inuit shaman revival by including his drawings. The strengths of the book are that it promotes a talented artist and his artwork by providing access to his story and works of art.... Overall, this book would appeal to the general interest of people wishing to learn about Inuit culture, art, history, anthropology, cultural geography, Indigenous studies, and religious studies. -- Tara Rose Hedican, Native American and Indigenous Studies

Author Information

David Turner is Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, having taught and conducted research in the Department of Anthropology and Centre for Religious Studies since 1975. His early interest in the Australian Aborigines took him to the University of Western Australia in Perth, where he completed his Ph.D. in Anthropology (with special commendation) in 1971. Following this he established the Aboriginal Studies program at the Australian National University. In 1973 he returned to Canada to teach, first at the University of Manitoba and then at the University of Toronto. His other books include Tradition and Transformation: A Study of Aborigines in the Groote Eylandt Area, Northern Australia and Return to Eden: A Journey through the Promised Landscape of Amagalyuagba. He currently resides in his home town of Perth, Ontario.

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