2024
Baffinland Unveils Inuit Art of Susan Qummiq Pryde
Baffinland moved into a new corporate office in Oakville, Ontario this past February and a lot of thought went in to decorating our new home. In the words of our CEO Brian Penney, “It’s obvious we’re a mining company. But we’re more than just that - we’re a Nunavut company! I want to make sure, as we decorate this new office, that that fact is made loud and clear, and that people understand that when they first arrive.”
The lobby of our corporate office is one of the many faces of the Company, and it’s important that this high-traffic space represents Baffinland’s diverse staff and company culture. To reflect this, we launched a Nunavut-wide art contest looking for a large piece of original, Inuit art to adorn our new space. Our Art Contest Committee reviewed the numerous submissions and were impressed with the samples of work submitted by Susan Qummiq ᖁᒥᒃ Pryde from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. As the winner of the contest, Susan was awarded $2,500 and a trip to Toronto for the unveiling of her piece.
After discussing and sharing more about our company, about Baffinland’s values, history, and Inuit community engagements, Susan got straight to work. She infused those elements into her one-of-a-kind piece, created just for us. Susan also did extensive research on life in North Baffin, and felt compelled to incorporate several specific elements of the region into her final piece.
“The Baffinland mine is way up there! I learned about the harp seals, their markings are different from where I am from. I also learned about narwhal, which I’ve never seen before,” she says.
“I was captivated by the mountains, and then I saw a story forming,” she adds. “That’s when I knew I wanted to start the wall hanging with the mountains outlined at the top.”
Before starting, Susan had to order the necessary supplies to create the piece, which includes the black background material that is a coarse, densely packed wool called duffel and is named after the town in Belgium where duffel coats were first made. The piece is purposely made in the shape of a shield, which is a signature style that Susan uses for all her pieces, as it’s more interesting and conversational than a simple rectangle or square. The figures on the duffel are made of felt, which are cut into shapes using tiny scissors and then sewed on using embroidery thread to add intricate details. The end result was an elaborate wall hanging, around 6' x 3', that took Susan about one month to complete.
Susan’s next challenge was getting over the stress of flying to Toronto from Regina, where she now lives. This was her first major flight in 45 years, but she overcame that fear and touched down in Toronto, along with her daughters Albanee and Rayna. The threesome enjoyed a few days of shopping and sightseeing in the big city. For the life-long sewer, one of the highlights was a trip to the massive fabric store, Fabricland.
On May 23rd, Susan and her daughters arrived at our corporate office for the unveiling ceremony. As employees gathered around, anticipation built and Brian and Susan finally removed the curtain to reveal the winning artwork. The piece boasts prominent mountains, the midnight sun, drum dancers, igloos, hunters, sled dogs, throat singers, and two narwhal framing Baffinland’s iconic red logo.
After the ceremony, Baffinland employees spent some time talking with Susan and her daughters, who beamed with pride all day, saying their mom “works so hard on her art,” and adding that “it’s nice to see her get this well-deserved recognition”.
Susan was raised by her maternal grandparents, and says her wall hangings tell the stories her grandmother, the local Shaman, told her as a child. She has been sewing and selling her art since she was 16, but said she has never seen her pieces framed before, and has never been publicly recognized in this way.
Susan’s stunning wall hanging is now a focal point in our lobby, and is a great reminder of Baffinland’s commitment to the land and the people of Nunavut.
Everyone at Baffinland would like to sincerely congratulate Susan on creating this beautiful and memorable piece of art.
ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑦᑎᑎᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖓᓂᒃ ᓲᓵᓐ ᖁᒻᒥᖅ ᐳᐊᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖓᓂᒃ
ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᓅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᑖᒧᑦ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖃᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ, ᐆᒃᕕᐅᓪ ᐋᓐᑎᐅᕆᔫᒥ ᕖᕗᐊᕆᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓱᒪᒃᓴᖅᓯᐅᕈᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᖢᓂ ᐱᐅᓴᖅᑕᐅᓇᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᕆᓕᖅᑕᕗᑦ. ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖓᒍᑦ ᐊᖏᔪᖅᑳᑦᑕ ᐳᕋᐃᔭᓐ ᐱᐊᓂᐅᑉ, “ᓇᓗᓇᙱᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖅᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᐅᓂᕗᑦ. ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᑕᒃᓱᒧᖓᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᖏᓐᓇᑦᑕ - ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᐅᕗᒍᑦ! ᓇᓗᓇᙱᓪᓚᑦᑖᖁᔭᕋ, ᐱᐅᓴᖅᓯᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᓄᑖᒥᒃ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓱᓕᔪᖅ ᓂᐱᖅᑯᖅᑐᓪᓗᓂ ᓱᖅᑯᐃᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᖢᓂᓗ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑐᑭᓯᓲᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥᒃ ᐃᓯᕌᖓᒥᒃ.”
ᐅᑕᖅᑭᕕᖓ ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖃᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐅᓄᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᑮᓇᖃᕐᒪᑦ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᐅᔪᖅ, ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᓪᓗᓂᓗ ᑖᓐᓇ ᐃᓯᖅᑕᐅᒐᔪᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᓂ ᑭᒡᒐᖅᑐᐃᓗᓂ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᕈᓘᔭᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᐅᓪᓗ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖓᓂᒃ. ᓴᖅᑭᔮᖅᑎᓐᓇᓱᒃᖢᒍ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ, ᓴᖅᑮᓯᒪᔪᒍᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᓗᒃᑖᒥ ᑎᑎᕋᐅᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓵᓚᖃᕋᓱᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᖏᔪᒧᑦ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᔪᒧᑦ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᖓᓂᒃ ᐱᐅᓴᖅᑕᐅᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐃᓂᕗᑦ. ᓴᓇᙳᐊᒐᕐᓄᑦ ᓵᓚᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᐊᓛᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᐅᒃᓴᓪᓚᕆᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᒐᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᓲᓴᓐ ᖁᒥᒃ ᐳᕋᐃᑦᒥᑦ ᐃᖃᓗᒃᑑᑦᑎᐊᖅ, ᓄᓇᕘᒻᒥ. ᓵᓚᖃᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓵᓚᒃᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᓇᓱᖕᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᓲᓴᓐ ᑐᓂᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ $2,500−ᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᓪᓗᓂ ᑐᕌᓐᑐᒧᑦ ᓴᖅᑮᔭᖅᑐᖅᖢᓂ ᓴᓇᓂᑯᒥᓂᒃ.
ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒌᓚᐅᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑐᓴᖃᑎᒌᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᓪᓗ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᑦᑕ ᒥᒃᓵᓄᑦ, ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᒋᔭᖏᓐᓂᑦ, ᐱᐅᓯᕆᕙᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᖏᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᑎᑕᐅᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ, ᓲᓴᓐ ᐱᓕᕆᓯᑲᐅᑎᒋᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ. ᐃᓚᓕᐅᑎᓪᓗᓂᒋᑦ ᐃᓗᓕᖏᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᐅᙱᑦᑐᒧᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖏᓐᓄᑦ, ᓴᓇᓪᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᐅᕙᑦᑎᓐᓄᑐᐊᖅ. ᓲᓵᓐ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖅ ᐃᓅᓯᕐᓂᒃ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓘᑉ ᐅᐊᖕᓇᖓᓂᕐᒥᐅᑕᓂᒃ, ᐃᒃᐱᒋᓪᓗᓂᒋᑦ ᐃᓗᓕᐅᑎᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᒐᓚᑦ ᓇᓕᐊᓪᒪᑦᑖᖅ ᐃᓗᓕᖏᑦ ᐋᕿᒃᓱᖅᖢᓂᒋᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓄᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖓᓄᑦ.
ᐹᕙᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖓ ᑕᑉᐹᓂᐊᓘᖅᑐᖅ! ᖃᐅᔨᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᖃᐃᕈᓖᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒋᙱᒻᒪᒋᑦ ᑕᖅᓴᖏᑦ ᑕᒫᓂ ᓄᓇᒋᔭᓐᓂ. ᖃᐅᔨᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖓ ᑑᒑᓕᖕᓂᒃ, ᑕᑯᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᙱᑕᓐᓂᒃ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ.
“ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓪᓚᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᖃᖅᑲᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᑕᐃᒪᓕ ᑕᑯᓕᓚᐅᖅᐸᕋ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᑉᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᖅ,” ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᔪᖅ. “ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓕᕋᒪ ᐱᒋᐊᕈᒪᓂᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑭᓐᓇᕐᒥᐅᑕᒥᒃ ᖃᖅᑲᖃᕐᓗᓂ ᐊᕙᓗᐊᓂ ᖁᓛᓃᑦᑐᒥᒃ.”
ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑳᖅᑎᓐᓇᒍ, ᓲᓴᓐ ᑎᑭᓴᐃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑐᕆᐊᖃᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓱᓇᒃᑯᑖᓂᒃ ᓴᓇᔾᔪᑎᒋᓂᐊᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᔪᑦ ᕿᕐᓂᖅᑕᖅ ᑐᓄᒋᔭᖓ ᔭᐸᒃᓴᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑦᑎᖅᖢᓂᐅᒃ ᓄᓇᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᐱᐅᔾᔭᒦᑦᑐᒥᒃ ᔭᐸᒃᓴᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᒥᒃ ᓴᓇᔭᐅᕝᕕᒋᓯᒪᔭᖓᓂᒃ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᓴᓇᓯᒪᔭᖓ ᓴᐳᔾᔨᓯᒪᔾᔪᑎᐅᔪᖅ, ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓕᖓᑎᑦᑎᒐᔪᒃᑐᖅ ᓲᓴᓐ ᐊᑐᖅᐊᒃᑕᖓ ᓴᓇᔭᓕᒫᒥᓄᑦ, ᐱᔪᒥᓇᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᑭᑉᐹᕆᒃᑐᑯᑖᒥᒃ ᑭᑉᐹᕆᒃᑐᑐᐃᓐᓇᒥᓪᓘᓐᓃᑦ. ᑭᓱᙳᐊᒐᓚᖏᑦ ᔭᐸᒃᓴᒥ ᓵᑦᑑᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓴᐸᒃᓴᕋᓛᖑᔪᑦ, ᑭᔾᔭᖅᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑭᔾᔭᐅᑎᕋᓛᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑕᖅᓯᖅᑑᑎᓄᑦ ᐱᐅᔫᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᔾᔨᕐᓇᐅᑎᖏᑦ. ᐱᔭᕇᖅᓯᒪᓂᖓ ᐱᐅᔪᓪᓚᕆᒃ ᐊᑭᓐᓇᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ, 6’ X 3’-ᐸᓘᔪᖅ, ᓲᓴᓐ ᓴᓇᓚᐅᖅᑖᖅ ᑕᖅᑭᓕᒫᐸᓗᒃ ᐱᔭᕇᕋᓱᒃᖢᓂᐅᒃ.
ᓲᓴᓐ ᑭᖑᓂᖓᒍᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕈᑎᒋᔭᖓ ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᒋᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᖃᖓᑕᓂᖅ ᑐᕌᓐᑐᒧᑦ ᕇᔾᔭᐃᓇᒥᑦ, ᓄᓇᒋᔭᖓ ᒫᓐᓇ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᕆᓪᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᐊᑯᓂᐅᔪᒃᑯᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓗᓂ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓂ 45 ᐊᓂᒍᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᓂ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐊᓂᒍᐃᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᑲᑉᐱᐊᒋᔭᖓᓂᒃ ᑎᑭᓐᓇᒥ ᑐᕌᓐᑐᒧᑦ, ᒪᓕᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᐸᓂᖏᑦ ᐃᐅᐸᓃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᕋᐃᓇ. ᐱᖓᓱᐃᑦ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒍᓱᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᓄᑦ ᖃᔅᓯᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕕᕋᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᓐᓈᖅᖢᑎᓪᓗ ᐊᖏᔪᐊᓗᖕᒥ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥ. ᐃᓅᓯᓕᒫᖓᓂᒃ ᒥᖅᓱᖅᑎᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᖁᕕᐊᒋᓛᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᖓ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᓯᒪᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᖃᓕᐹᒃᓴᖅᑖᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᓂᐅᕕᕆᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᕚᐳᕆᒃᓛᓐ-ᒧᑦ.
ᒪᐃ 23−ᒥ, ᓲᓴᓐ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐸᓂᖏᑦ ᑎᑭᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑦᑎᔭᖅᑐᖅᖢᑎᒃ. ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑏᑦ ᑲᑎᖦᖢᑎᒃ, ᓂᕆᐅᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᓪᓗᑎᓪᓗ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐳᕋᐃᔭᓐᑯᑦ ᓲᓴᓐᑯᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᑕᐃᓐᓇᖅᖢᓂᔾᔪᒃ ᓵᓚᖃᐅᓯᖓ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖅ. ᓴᓇᓯᒪᔭᖓ ᓴᖅᑭᔮᑦᑎᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᖅ ᖃᖅᑲᓂᒃ, ᓂᐱᑦᑕᖅᑐᓕᖅᖢᓂ ᓯᕿᓂᖅ, ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᒃᑐᑦ, ᐃᓗᕕᒐᑦ, ᐊᖑᓇᓱᒃᑐᑦ, ᕿᒧᒃᓯᖅᑐᑦ, ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖅᑐᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᕐᕉᒃ ᑑᒑᓖᒃ ᐊᕙᓗᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᐅᐸᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᖅᓴᕐᒥᒃ.
ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑎᖄᓂᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓲᓴᓐ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐸᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ, ᐅᐱᑦᑐᒻᒪᕆᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᓕᒫᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᓈᓇᖓ “ᐱᓕᕆᕐᔪᐊᖅᓯᒪᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖓᓄᑦ”, ᐃᓚᓪᓗᓂᓪᔪᒃ “ᐱᐅᒻᒪᕆᒃᖢᓂᓪᓗ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᐅᔭᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ”.
ᓲᓴᓐ ᐱᕈᖅᓴᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᓈᓇᒥᓂᑦ ᐊᓈᓇᑦᑎᐊᒃᑯᒥᓂ/ᐊᑖᑕᑦᑎᐊᒃᑯᒥᓂ, ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑭᓐᓇᕐᒥᐅᑕᖅ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓂᒃ ᐊᓈᓇᑦᑎᐊᖓᑕ, ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᐊᖓᒃᑯᖅ, ᐅᓂᒃᑳᕆᕙᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᓄᑕᕋᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ. ᒥᖅᓱᖃᑦᑕᐃᓐᓇᐅᔭᖅᑐᑦ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᒋᕙᒃᖢᓂᒋᓪᓗ ᓴᓇᔭᖏᑦ ᑕᐃᒪᙵᓂᑦ 16-ᓂᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖃᓕᓚᐅᕋᒥ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᑯᓚᐅᓯᒪᙱᓐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᕙᓗᓕᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᒥᒃ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖓᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓄᒋᐊᓂ ᐃᓕᓴᕆᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᓯᒪᓚᓂ ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ.
ᓲᓴᓐ ᐊᑭᓐᓇᕐᒥᐅᑕᑦᑎᐊᕙᖓ ᓴᖅᑭᔮᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᐅᑕᖅᑭᕝᕕᖕᒥ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᐃᓯᒋᐊᕈᑎᑦᑎᐊᕙᒃ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐱᓂᐊᕐᓂᕋᕈᑎᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᒧᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᓪᓗ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ.
ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓂ ᖁᕕᐊᓲᑎᖃᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᓲᓴᓐ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖓᓂᒃ ᑖᓐᓇ ᐱᐅᔪᐊᓘᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᐅᑦᑎᐊᖅᖢᓂ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᖓ.