Luke Anguhadluq

Luke Anguhadluq spent much of his life as a camp leader in the Back River area (Chantrey Inlet) north of Baker Lake, living the traditional way of life on the land. In the early 1960s, he settled in the community of Baker Lake with his wife, Marion Tuu’luq, who later became a prominent tapestry and graphic artist. Luke began drawing in 1968 at the age of 73, and participated in the printing program in Baker Lake since it began in 1969.

Although Anguhadluq was known as a skillful hunter when he lived on the land, in the community of Baker Lake he was known for his skillful drawings depicting subject matter such as drum dances or hunters in kayaks and caribou. Many of Anguhadluq’s drawings were used to make prints. His sons, Thomas Iksiraq (1941-) and Barnabus Oosuaq (1940-) who are both printers in Baker Lake, often made the prints of their father’s original drawings.

Anguhadluq died at the age of 87. The eternal hunter, Anguhadluq was buried on one of his favourite hills out on the land, where he used to watch for caribou. His casket was brought to this site by dogsled, as per his final request.

Excerpt courtesy Inuit Art Section, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), 1997.