Agnes Kuptana

Agnes Kuptana is a textile artist and educator based in Ulukhaktok (Holman), NT. She learned to sew from a young age and now shares her skills and knowledge with younger generations through sewing workshops. Kuptana is also motivated to share her knowledge of Inuktitut and traditional land-based activities such as hunting, to ensure that future generations are able to continue important cultural practices.

Kuptana also created a block for the Quilt of Belonging. This 36 metre quilt is a collaborative textile artwork that includes 263 blocks to highlight various Indigenous communities within Canada and other regions around the world [1]. Kuptana's block represents Inuit families and communities within the Inuvialuit region, or the Western Arctic [2]. It was crated with sealskin and sinew, and depicts the "Alaskan High Kick," which is a traditional game that is also part of the Northern Games and Arctic Winter Games [3].