September 7, 2001

Southern producers profit from "Nunavut-ware"

Southern-made Nunavut kitsch appeals even to Nunavummiut

JANE GEORGE
Nunatsiaq News

IQALUIT — The creation of Nunavut has spawned a booming industry in cheap "Nunavut-ware" — southern-made goods shipped up North to be sold as souvenirs.

"There are a lot of things now that are 'Arctic-oriented,'" said Claire Kennedy, the owner of D.J. Sensations, a gift shop in Iqaluit.

Her store carries many items that Kennedy says are "of the North," but not manufactured in the North.

These include vases decorated with tundra scenery and stoneware platters with images of Inuit or polar bears.

Some of the most exotic objects on sale include a wok with inuksuk-shaped cut-outs and a giant, silver-painted Inuk statue that doubles as a candleholder.

Their places of origin are anywhere but Nunavut — Ontario, Alberta, India and China.

Even the candles bearing Nunavut's flag aren't made in Nunavut.

"I will not mislead customers," Kennedy said. "If it's not locally-made, I will tell them."

But no matter where they're from, there's a growing market for these items, which, at the very least, are "bought-in-Iqaluit" as souvenirs and gifts.

The reasons for their popularity are obvious. Some are attractive and useful — just try finding a carving that can hold coffee or flowers. And they're cheaper than carvings or jewelry, because prices start as low as $9.95 per item.

Tourists in Iqaluit aren't the only people who pick up these knick-knacks.
Kennedy said imported merchandise is popular with Inuit shoppers. Even Inuit organizations purchase southern-made Nunavut-ware.

"I would like to see more local stuff, personally," Kennedy said. "I'd like more sealskin."

Kennedy has a selection of Inuit-made jewelry. She also carries ulus and carvings.
But she said she has trouble keeping good inventories of sealskin items as well as other made-in-Nunavut products.

More consistency and better quality control, Kennedy said, is what's needed.
Intellectual property issues don't stop southern Canadian or foreign producers from appropriating traditional Inuit scenes or symbols for commercial profit.

Businesses are ready and able to produce these items and people are ready to buy them.

"Our job is to sell consumers what they want and to access the products that the consumers want from whatever source we can find it," says Kenn Harper, owner of Arctic Ventures in Iqaluit.

Arctic Ventures sells a line of Nunavut-theme souvenirs, most of which aren't made in Nunavut — and may never be.

"There are some things which can't be produced by Nunavut," Harper said. "Nunavut will never produce in Nunavut a cost-effective mug."

From one wholesaler, Arctic Ventures can buy decals, hats, crests, cups and glasses made in China and stamped with the official polar bear logo of the government of Nunavut.

While the Nunavut flag is in the public domain and can be reproduced by anyone, the Nunavut government logo isn't supposed to be commercially reproduced.