Qaqaq (Kaka) Ashoona

Qaqaq Ashoona was born in an outpost camp called Ikirasak, and lived on the land as a hunter well into his teenage years. At this time, he settled in Cape Dorset, but frequently moved back to live out on the land in camps for extended periods. Qaqaq began carving around 1953. No longer able to survive through hunting and trapping exclusively, Qaqaq soon started carving as a means to support his family. Taking his boat to mine his own stone, Qaqaq did much of his carving at his outpost camp, and took great care with detail for each sculpture, using only hand tools to carve.*

*”An Interview with Qaqaq Ashoona” (conducted by Simeonie Kunnuk, translated by Taina Ipellie), Inuit Art Quarterly, Summer 1996, Vol. 11, No. 2, page 21-27

excerpt ©1997 Inuit Art Section, INAC

wife: Mayureak Ashoona
son: Ottokie Ashoona
son: Ohito Ashoona