Ookpik
Encyclopedia
An Ookpik the Inuktitut
word for Snowy Owl
, was a popular Inuit
handicraft toy. It was a small, souvenir owl with large head and big eyes, a beak, and small black talons
. They are often made from wolf
fur, sealskin
and other traditional materials.
, now Kuujjuaq, for a trade fair
in Philadelphia in 1964. The Ookpik figures were created at the Ft Chimo Eskimo Co-operative in Quebec
in 1963. The Ookpik is a symbol by which Canadian handicrafts are identified internationally.
Many Canadians
and Americans
remember owning an Ookpik, and remember it as a popular symbol of Canada
. The figures are still available in several forms at a cost of about $30, though prices have been seen as high as $80 in Inuvik during the tourism season when Ookpiks are scarce.
's (NAIT) mascot is the Ook a shortened version of Ookpik. NAIT was presented this mascot in 1964 by the Federal Department of Northern Affairs and Natural Resources now Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
. Most of NAIT's sports teams are called the Ooks.
.
Inuktitut
Inuktitut or Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian Inuit language is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada...
word for Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl is a large owl of the typical owl family Strigidae. The Snowy Owl was first classified in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish naturalist who developed binomial nomenclature to classify and organize plants and animals. The bird is also known in North America as the Arctic Owl, Great...
, was a popular Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
handicraft toy. It was a small, souvenir owl with large head and big eyes, a beak, and small black talons
Claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. However, the word "claw" is also often used in reference to an invertebrate. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end...
. They are often made from wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
fur, sealskin
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
and other traditional materials.
History
The original Ookpik was created in the early 1960s and made from sealskin. The figure was recreated by Jeannie Snowball of Fort ChimoKuujjuaq, Quebec
Kuujjuaq is the largest Inuit village in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada with a population of 2,132 as of the 2006 census. This is up roughly 10% from 1,932 as of the 2001 Census. It is the administrative capital of Nunavik and lies on the western shore of the Koksoak River.Kuujjuaq previously was known...
, now Kuujjuaq, for a trade fair
Trade fair
A trade fair is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities...
in Philadelphia in 1964. The Ookpik figures were created at the Ft Chimo Eskimo Co-operative in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in 1963. The Ookpik is a symbol by which Canadian handicrafts are identified internationally.
Many Canadians
Culture of Canada
Canadian culture is a term that explains the artistic, musical, literary, culinary, political and social elements that are representative of Canada and Canadians, not only to its own population, but people all over the world. Canada's culture has historically been influenced by European culture and...
and Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
remember owning an Ookpik, and remember it as a popular symbol of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The figures are still available in several forms at a cost of about $30, though prices have been seen as high as $80 in Inuvik during the tourism season when Ookpiks are scarce.
Mascot
The Northern Alberta Institute of TechnologyNorthern Alberta Institute of Technology
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and provides technical training and applied education designed to meet the demands of Alberta's industries...
's (NAIT) mascot is the Ook a shortened version of Ookpik. NAIT was presented this mascot in 1964 by the Federal Department of Northern Affairs and Natural Resources now Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
The Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for policies relating to Aboriginal peoples...
. Most of NAIT's sports teams are called the Ooks.
Music
The Ookpik Waltz was published in 1965 by Frank RodgersFrank Rogers (record producer)
Frank Mandeville Rogers V is an American record producer, songwriter and session musician. In 1990, Rogers made the trek to Nashville, attending Belmont University and graduating with a Music Business degree. While at Belmont, he met friend and future collaborator Brad Paisley...
.
Books
Several books, mainly children's, have been written about this popular owl, including:- Kent Salisbury, illustrations by Beverly Edwards, Ookpik Visits the USA, which, when available, is valued at more than $1,500 (Little Golden BooksLittle Golden BooksLittle Golden Books is a popular series of children's books. The first 12 titles were published on October 1, 1942:#Three Little Kittens#Bedtime Stories#Mother Goose#Prayers for Children#The Little Red Hen#Nursery Songs...
) - Dudley Copland, illustrations by James SimpkinsJames SimpkinsJames Nathaniel "Jim" Simpkins was a Winnipeg born Canadian cartoonist and artist. He was one of the original artists for the National Film Board and worked for them for many years before launching a successful freelancing career...
OOKPIK the Ogling Arctic Owl (Canadian Century Publishers, 1965) - Barbara Hazen, illustrations by Irma Wilde Ookpik in the City (Big Golden Book, 1968)
- Bruce Hiscock Ookpik: The Travels of a Snowy Owl (Boyds Mills Press, 2008, ISBN 978-1590784617)
- Dennis LeeDennis Lee (author)Dennis Beynon Lee, OC, MA is a Canadian poet, teacher, editor, and critic born in Toronto, Ontario. He is also a children's writer, well known for his book of children's rhymes, Alligator Pie.-Life:...
, illustrations by Frank NewfeldFrank NewfeldFrank Newfeld FGDC is a book designer, illustrator, art director and educator.Newfeld has designed over 650 books and won more than 170 international awards...
, an ookpik features in the book of poems, Alligator PieAlligator PieAlligator Pie, first published in 1974, is a popular book of children's poetry written by Dennis Lee and illustrated by Frank Newfeld. It won the Book of the Year award from the Canadian Library Association in 1975....
(Macmillan Publishers of CanadaMacmillan PublishersMacmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
, ISBN 978-1-55263-338-0) - Douglas CouplandDouglas CouplandDouglas Coupland is a Canadian novelist. His fiction is complemented by recognized works in design and visual art arising from his early formal training. His first novel, the 1991 international bestseller Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, popularized terms such as McJob and...
, the ookpik was featured in the book about Canadian culture, Souvenir of CanadaSouvenir of CanadaSouvenir of Canada is a 2002 book written by Canadian author Douglas Coupland. A feature film based on the book was released theatrically in 2006....
, which was later made into a film (Douglas & McIntyreDouglas & McIntyreDouglas & McIntyre is an independent Canadian publishing company founded in 1971. They are the publishers for such noted authors as Margaret Atwood and Douglas Coupland; poet Lorna Crozier; actress Kim Cattrall; chef John Bishop; and politician Mike Harcourt...
, ISBN 978-1550549171)