New Carvers Washing Their Hands Of Old Traditions

This relief carving of a moose was done using glycerin soapstone instead of regular soapstone.

But ivory and whalebone are extremely hard to obtain in a modern cash economy, and soapstone is increasingly difficult to find in the isolated Arctic expanse. What was once as cheap as a herring sandwich in an Iqaluit deli, is now more expensive than a caribou-skin area rug in a posh Toronto gallery.

However, there are new alternatives to soapstone that are making it easier for traditional Inuit carvers to remain competitive in the Native Art market--alternatives like glycerin soapstone, a cheap, natural byproduct of modern soap manufacturing.

"There are several advantages to glycerin soapstone," said Nate Tovindian, owner of the Whale Oil Beef Hooked feed store and gift shop in Paulatuk, Northwest Territories. "The soft rock alternative is very malleable and easy to carve. It's lighter than soapstone, which makes it easier to transport by traditional dogsled team. Plus you can work with a variety of colours and scents, which adds an extra dimension to the carvings and sculptures."

Glycerin soapstone bear prints are very popular with the tourists.

Inuit artisans have tried working with other substitutes, imitation ivory, and a gelatin-based fake whalebone, but the artificial materials haven't measured up to the discerning Inuit ethnic groups that rely on the trade.

"I used to work with regular soapstone," said Bob Oomluk, a fifth-generation Inuit artist. "But it's getting too expensive to work with, and honestly, it's really just a dull gray rock. Glycerin soapstone, on the other hand, is exciting, innovative, and bubbly. It allows the carver more freedom...and it smells nice."

"We're not compromising Inuit culture--we're embracing it," said Bob. "And adding a hint of colour. There's just so much more that can be said with a vibrant jade-coloured soapstone carving than with a dull gray one."

Traditional soapstone carvings have often shown Eskimo and Inuit hunters fishing, kayaking, or riding on a pet mammoth. Other familiar representations showed Inuits holding spears while tracking down a seal, a walrus, or a herd of wild baffins.

While these customary pieces represented the simple lifestyle of the Northern people, they were pretty bland. But with glycerin soapstone, new carvings are more dynamic, and can reflect a virtual rainbow's worth of ideals and expressions. Plus, they can be purchased in any colour to match the customers' needs. And best of all, if a recipient of a glycerin soapstone carving isn't satisfied with the product, they can always use it to wash their hands.

Bob is confident that the new glycerin soapstone carvings will add life to a depressed soapstone carving market. Bob, who's familiar with fickle art trends, used to work with ice sculptures, but he found that his work didn't leave a lasting impression, and didn't sell very well in the warmer markets.