Her daring, determination and talent brought her success. But it's how Tanya Tagaq used that success that lands her on our shortlist.
Written by Herb Mathisen
Tanya Tagaq weaves magic at a homecoming show in Yellowknife last July. Photo by Hannah Eden
They lure teenagers with free pizza. They listen to them. Let them swear if they want to. They answer questions about sex, relationships, health and politics. And that's how Candice Lys and Nancy MacNeill are helping the North's youth face the world.
Written by Samia Madwar
Candice Lys, left, and Nancy MacNeill are FOXY's founders. The costume-filled suitcase, known as Ruby, is a staple in their workshops. Photo by Hannah Eden
Every day aboriginal culture is borrowed, copied, dressed up or watered down. Is that art? Or is it stealing? Appropriation, it turns out, is all about the attitude.
Written by Samia Madwar
“How do you teach someone the complexities of a situation without alienating them? Talking about cultural appropriation in the bathroom of a bar is the worst way to learn.” Jeneen Frei-Njootli Artist, Old Crow, Yukon. Photo courtesy of Jeneen Frei-Njootli
A dirge for Jim Fowler, who lived for the great Yukon outdoors
Written by Gord Yakimow
Jim Fowler with his wife Jacquelin in 2009, with the Yukon's Tagish Lake in the background. Photo courtesy of Gord Yakimow
Lessons from a late night dance session in Baker Lake
Written by Daniel Campbell
If you're invited to dance during a Baker Lake community event at 1:00 a.m., how can you say no? Photo by Hannah Eden/Up Here
Catching heat in Fort Liard--and loving it
Written by Herb Mathisen
Fort Liard's ball diamond, where you have to dodge the bison patties in the outfield. Photo by Samia Madwar
Back in California, his biggest worry was his kids getting too much sun. But when Zac Unger moved his wife and children to Churchill, Manitoba, they had to adapt to a furry, four-legged danger, and accept a scary fact: that in the Arctic, polar bears are part of the family.
Written by Zac Unger
Illustration by Monika Melnychuk
Shapeshifters, a haunted hotel, the echoes of past wars—here’s what happens in the North when the sun goes down.
Written by Daniel Campbell, Laura Busch
Illustration by Beth Covvey
Fiddling and dancing have entertained Northerners for the past two centuries. But in this age of constant distraction, will music survive?
Written by Samia Madwar
Wesley Hardisty performs at the Alianait Arts Festival in Iqaluit. Photo: Angela Gzowski
