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Aug 29, 2023

Red amautiit honour missing, murdered Inuit women and girls

Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada’s Red Amautiit Project is on full display at

Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada's Red Amautiit Project is on full display at the Nunavut legislative assembly in Iqaluit.

The project uses five traditional Inuit women's parkas to raise awareness about missing and murdered Inuit women and girls.

Looee Mike, Pauktuutit's board member for Qikiqtani South, speaks at the legislative assembly Tuesday evening. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)

Each amauti was made by a different seamstress from each of the four Inuit regions in Canada: from Nunavut, Eunice Tunraluk of Arctic Bay, and Nancy Pukinaq Aupaluktuq of Baker Lake; from Nunavik, Sarah Samisack of Inukjuak; from Labrador, Heather Angnatok of Nain; and from Northwest Territories, Shirley Elias of Inuvik.

Pauktuutit held an unveiling ceremony Tuesday evening following the conclusion of the day's legislative sitting, with most MLAs in attendance.

"The healing work must begin and end with Inuit women, girls and gender-diverse Inuit as they are experts on MMIWG, and they must have autonomy in determining the solutions to address it," said Looee Mike, Pauktuutit's board member for Qikiqtani South.

"Today is the first time all five amautis have been displayed, as you can see. We are honoured and pleased to share them with you in this legislative assembly."

The Red Amautiit Project will be in Iqaluit until June 6, and appear in other places in Canada later in the year.

Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News