#Marjorie Tahbone

[uwmspeccoll]

The author, Angela Hovak Johnston.

Johnston and Marjorie Tungwenuk Tahbone, traditional tattoo artist.

Catherine Niptanatiak: "I designed my own, something that represents me and who I am, something that I would be proud to wear and show off, and something that would make me feel confident and beautiful. . . . I have daughters and I would like to teach them what I know. I would like for them to want to practice our traditions and keep our culture alive."

Cecile Nelvana Lyall: "On my hand tattoos, from the top down, the triangles represent the mountains. . . . The Ys are the tools used in seal hunting. . . . The dots are my ancestors. . . . I am so excited to be able to truly call myself and Inuk woman."

Colleen Nivingalok: "The tattoos on my face represent my family and me. The lines on my chin are my four children -- my two older boys on the outside protecting my daughters. The lines on my cheeks represent the two boys and the two girls on either side. The one on my forehead represents their father and me. Together, we live for our children."

Doreen Ayalikyoak Evyagotailak: "I have thought about getting traditional tattoos since I was a teenager. . . . When I asked the elders if I could have my own meaning for my tattoos, they said it wouldn't matter. My tattoos symbolize my kids."

Mary Angele Takletok: "I always wanted traditional tattoos like the women in the old days. I wanted them on my wrists and my fingers so I could show I'm Inuk."

Melissa MacDonald Hinanik: "As a part of celebrating my heritage and revitalizing important traditional customs that form my identity, I believe I have earned my tattoos. I am a beautiful, strong young woman. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, and an active community member. I reclaim the traditional customs as mine, I re-own them as a part of who I am."

Star Westwood: "We still have some of our culture, but some things are slowly dying. Having tattoos helps us keep our culture alive. . . . . My tattoos represent my dad and my dad's dad. The ones closest to my wrists represent my sisters."

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National Tattoo Day

July 17 is National Tattoo Day. To celebrate, we present some images from Reawakening Our Ancestors' Lines: Revitalizing Inuit Traditional Tattooing, compiled by Angela Hovak Johnston, co-founder with Marjorie Tahbone of the Inuit Tattoo Revitalization Project, with photographs by Inuit photographer Cora DeVos, and published in Iqaluit, Nunavut by Inhabit Media Inc. in 2017.

For thousands of years, Inuit have practiced the traditional art of tattooing. Created the ancient way, with bone needles and caribou sinew soaked in seal oil, sod, or soot, these tattoos were an important tradition for many Inuit women, symbols etched on their skin that connected them to their families and communities. But with the rise of missionaries and residential schools in the North, the tradition of tattooing was almost lost. In 2005, when Angela Hovak Johnston heard that the last Inuk woman tattooed in the old way had died, she set out to tattoo herself in tribute to this ancient custom and learn how to tattoo others. What was at first a personal quest became a project to bring the art of traditional tattooing back to Inuit women across Nunavut.

Collected in this book are photos and stories from more than two dozen women who participated in Johnston's project. Together, these women have united to bring to life an ancient tradition, reawakening their ancestors' lines and sharing this knowledge with future generations. Hovak Johnston writes: "Never again will these Inuit traditions be close to extinction, or only a part of history you read about in books. This is my mission."

Reawakening Our Ancestors' Lines forms part of our Indigenous America Literature Collection.

Angela Hovak Johnston (right) with her cousin Janelle Angulalik and her aunt Millie Navalik Angulalik.

View other posts from our Indigenous America Literature Collection.

[indigenouscontemporaryart]

Recognize Indigenous Art and Visual Culture in all its forms

[oosik]

Inuit Kakiñiit

Traditional tattooing revitalization

[frog-wash]

Current inspirations: Jeri Redcorn, Marjorie Tahbone, Tamara Francis-Fourkiller

[phonaesthemes]

The word is Tinaaq (De-NAH-q). It replaces the current word, Itqaliq, which can be interpreted as offensive.

The elders came up with the new word during a two-week language program, called Ilisaqativut, in northwestern Alaska.

The old word, Itqaliq, is  "not a very nice word," said Marjorie Tahbone, an Iñupiat woman from Nome, Alaska, who took part in the language program with her husband, Dewey Putyuk Hoffman, and their newborn daughter.

The word Itqaliq is from a time when Indigenous nations were warring over lands to hunt and fish, she said.

"It can mean lice-ridden people. It can mean people with no asshole. It was definitely a term that wasn't meant to be friendly," said Thabone.

"It's kind of outdated because now we live in harmony. We unite, we collaborate, we make babies, and so it's time for a new word."

Hoffman is Koyukon Athabascan from the interior. Tahbone said that when he introduces himself using the old Iñupiaq word for Dene Athabascan people, laughter often ensues.

"Everybody would giggle ... because we all kind of know what [Itqaliq] means," she said.

Hoffman joked about wanting a better Iñupiat word to describe himself.

Elders and some youth at the language camp obliged. They gathered and "Iñupia-tized" the word "Dena," or people of the interior, said Tahbone.

"Now he could just say ... 'I am Tinaaq.' There's no giggling. There's no inside joke about what we used to call Athabascan people, and I'm happy," she said.

[sugarmoonaki]

Indigenous Tattoo Gathering

In September of 2017, we will host a two-day traditional tattoo gathering to celebrate the resurgence of Indigenous tattoo practices in North America. This GoFundMe campaign is to cover the travel expenses to bring in 10 Indigenous Traditional Tattoo artists to the North Shore of Lake Huron. We also want to feed everyone who comes. Our gathering will be hosted in the "bush" on the land in a traditional setting. For thousands of years Indigenous Peoples and Nations practiced the traditional art of tattooing, but because of the influences of colonization, this practice became severely diminished in the last 150 years or so until recently. In recent years, there has been an exciting resurgence movement of traditional tattooing practices from North to South, East to West all over North America. Our goal is to raise funds for the following: - Travel/Accomodation for 10 Indigenous traditional tattoo artists; including Jay Soule, Kanenhariyo Seth Lefort, Dion Kazsas, Marjorie Tahbone and others. - Food to feed 200 people (traditional Indigenous foods) - Offerings and gifts for Elders to lead the ceremony - Travel for 10 Indigenous youth to apprentice & learn - Supplies for the camp including: wood, rental of trappers tents, rental of dishes (we don't use styrophom or any disposable items that would damage the environment), water, porta potties, etc.

During the gathering we wish to share techniques and to tattoo people who sign up to attend and celebrate our resilience as Indigenous Peoples and our connection to the lands and waters.

There will be no cost for those attending. And no cost to us for a venue rental.   Our gathering is being organized entirely by volunteers.

https://www.gofundme.com/indigenous-tattoo-gathering

[laresearchette]

Tuesday, June 23, 2020 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT GREENLEAF (TBD - OWN Canada) CELEBRITY SHOW-OFF (TBD)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME/CRAVE/NETFLIX CANADA/CBC GEM: CHAAKAPESH (Documentary): The chamber opera CHAAKAPESH, THE TRICKSTER'S QUEST is brought to the Inuit and Indigenous communities with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal.

GIANT LITTLE ONES (Drama) Giant Little Ones is a heartfelt and intimate coming-of-age story about friendship, self-discovery and the power of love without labels.

HUMAN FLOW (Documentary):  Human Flow is director and artist Ai Weiwei's detailed and heartbreaking exploration into the global refugee crisis.

KUESSIPAN (Drama): The bond between two best friends from an Innu community is tested when one falls in love with a white boy and starts dreaming of leaving the reserve that's now too small for her dreams.

LIKE A PEBBLE IN THE BOOT (Documentary):  While the world's attention is riveted on rescuing survivors fleeing to Europe, this takes an intimate and unflinching look at the Sub-Saharan immigration phenomenon Italy, one of the countries hardest hit by migration.

ROAD TO ROXHAM (Short Documentary): When the refugee crisis hit, American taxi driver Mary Ann started transporting asylum seekers to the Canadian border at Roxham Road. The people she’s helped have changed her world.

SADIKA'S GARDEN (Documentary): This is the story of Sadika, a Syrian refugee, who immigrated to Canada with her husband and seven children in 2015 to escape the deadly war in their hometown of Raqqa. For a chance to give her children a better life, Sadika, 32, made the gut-wrenching decision to leave behind her parents and three young siblings and start a new life.

SEAHORSE (Documentary): Filmmaker Jeanie Finlay documents a trans man's path to parenthood after he decides to carry his child himself.

STANDING ON THE LINE (Documentary): This doc about homophobia in sports explores the difficulty and impact of coming out in this macho world. Through a series of touching personal stories, the film examines homophobia.

YOUNG AND PROMISING (Drama Series - Season 1-3): When do you go from being young and full of potential to over the hill and pathetic? In the heart of Oslo, three girls are all trying their best to break into their careers and adulthood.

CRAVE TV 30 MINUTES OR LESS HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA ZOMBIELAND

NETFLIX CANADA ERIC ANDRE: LEGALIZE EVERYTHING THE MEG

KOREAN BASEBALL (TSN3) 9:00am:  Doosan Bears vs. SK Wyverns

IRON RESURRECTION (SEASON PREMIERE):  The Martins face the challenge of trying to fit a 6'5" former football player into the cab of a 1967 Chevy C10, requiring customization of the firewall, motor, frame and interior.

MOHAWK GIRLS (CBC) 9:00pm: Anna learns the rules of the rez; Bailey searches for love; Zoe calls her online dating stranger.

WHERE TO I DO? (CTV Life) 9:00pm:   Tommy attempts to strike a balance between a groom who prefers the hustle and bustle of the city, and a bride dreaming of a wedding in the woods.

HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS (BBC Canada) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE):  Amateur artists compete to win a special new commission for one paying homeowner, creating artworks for people they've never met.

SKINDIGENOUS (CBC) 11:30pm: Marjorie Tahbone, Alaskan artist of Inupiaq heritage.