Agguaq Collective

Brenda Amaklak Panikpakuttuq Putulik

Three piece Inuk woman’s suit

This demonstrates the Inuit value of never wasting anything. All garments are designed so that even once worn out or damaged, parts of the garment may be repurposed in the future, and makers save scraps of caribou or seal skin in order to adjust patterns to make clothing bigger or even making a new garment by reusing the fur and hide that is still in good condition.

Inuit ancestors have always made something out of nothing. A caribou pelt or sealskin is just a hide, but through Inuk ingenuity, it then becomes something so beautiful, a garment that becomes expensive.

Lori Tagoona Randall

Anu / Dog Harness, Hannirut / Toggle

The artist created a dog harness that honours the interdependence between sled dogs and Inuit. Without dogs, Inuit were limited in their ability to travel and hunt. It is said that the wolves saw this, and offered themselves to live with Inuit and become their helpers. 

The harness features an X design across the chest, which is specific to the Kivalliq region, and is decorated with tuilik-inspired beadwork. Her brother Roger Tagoona contributed to the antler toggle. Both Lori and Roger were guided by their uncle Joe Karetak in creating this harness.

Mishael Gordon

Arna - 1/2295 A

In this work, Gordon notes that she drew inspiration from an amauti that Agguaq had visited during a trip to the North American Museum of Natural History. “The intricacies of the design and details of the akuk drew me in, and I learned that the amauti was acquired from southern Qikiqtani in the 1890s.” This garment is a blend of traditional and contemporary, with vibrant colours and modernization of the bodice with an amauti shawl.

Rose Tina 

Paunnakuluk ᐸᐅᓐᓇᑯᓗᒃ 1869

This garment, who the artist calls “Paunnakuluk 1869” is made of tuttu (caribou) and sealskin leather, inspired by an amauti made in the 1800' from South Baffin.  The kini (front skirt) and akuq (back skirt) are actual sizes from the 1869 amauti.

Winifred Nungak 

Kukuppaalik

The colorful siniit on this kukuppaalik are inspired by the vibrant beadwork of the amautiit that Agguaq Collective visited at various North American museums. The hood and the hem have been repurposed into the piece from two different caribou amautiik. To create the hood and hem, Nunagak made an exact copy of an amauti from a collection, making the body of the garment out of fabric inspired by caribou skin.

The Agguaq Collective The Agguaq Collective is comprised of Inuit artists from across Nunavut and Nunavik who work together to strengthen their knowledge around sewing and Inuit piqutiit. They have worked together for over two years to visit Inuit collections and gather together to work on patterns and sewing as a collective. Through this collective work, Agguaq is fostering their creative skills in sewing and pattern-making, while at the same time revitalizing Inuit knowledge in their communities around traditional patterns. The Agguaq Collective includes Rose Tina Alivaktuk, Melissa Attagutsiak Mishael Gordon, Avery Keenainak, Winifred Nungak, Brenda Amak&ak Panikpakuttuq Putulik, Lori Tagoona Randall, and Krista Ulujuk Zawadski.

Brenda Amaklak Panikpakuttuq Putulik

(Nunavummiuq) Naujaat, Nunavut

Brenda Amakłak Panikpakuttuq Putulik grew up in Naujaat, Nunavut. She is a great-granddaughter of Lea Arngnaujaq of Aivilik, Noah Piugattuq of Amaittuq, and a descendent of Qillaqsuaq of Greenland. Brenda is artistic, and passionate about sewing today. Her namesake forbade Putulik to sew or prepare skins before her birth, but she still carefully observed sewing as a child. Later, Arngnaujaq stipulated women must know how to sew and make patterns before having a family, so Putulik drew on her childhood observations and learned these skills for the benefit of her family when she became a mother. Putulik now mentors young women in their sewing journeys.

Lori Tagoona Randall 

(Nunavummiuq) Kivalliq, Nunavut

Lori Tagoona Randall is an Inuk artist from the Kivalliq region of Nunavut. She draws inspiration from clothing and beadwork crafted by generations before her, particularly by the women in her family. Her work includes collaborations with Nooks Lindell from Hinaani Design and Victoria Kakuktinniq from Victoria's Arctic Fashion. 

Mishael Gordon 

(Nunavummiuq), Kangirłiniq, Nunavut

Mishael Gordon was born and raised in Kangirłiniq, Nunavut. She now resides in Ottawa, ON and still has strong roots to Nunavut. Mishael first began sewing as a child in culture class, but only began to learn to sew for her young family through trial and error, she slowly began a new passion. In 2019, Mishael created a bespoke garment for Canada Goose that is now housed with the Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq. Mishael’s favourite things she likes to sew are original works, and likes to merge current fashion designs with her personal style.

Rose Tina

(Nunavummiuq), Panniqtuuq, Nunavut

Winifred Nungak

(Nunavimmiuq), Kangirsuk, Nunavik

Winifred Nungak is from Kangirsuk, Nunavik. She is a fashion designer, having learned her sewing skills first from culture class in school and observing from her mother and grandmother, and later through fashion design school. Winifred has taught many young Inuit how to sew, holding parka making workshops in various communities in Nunavik and encouraging the next generation of Inuit to continue Inuit sewing traditions.