Canada gives an Inukshuk to India
An Inukshuk was unveiled today in New Delhi as a symbol of the friendship and co-operation shared between Canada and India.
Bill Nasogaluak, originally from Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., and Kuzy Curley, originally from Cape Dorset, Nunavut, were commissioned to create the piece.
"I'm proud of what my people, my culture, the Inuit, have done to make the Inukshuk a symbol of Canada," said Nasogaluak. "I hope that it will become in India the symbol of who we are, not only as Inuit, but Canadians."
The Inukshuk is 2.5 metres high and 1.5 metres wide, and is made up of eight massive stones.
Nasogaluak and Curley used a naturally coloured purple-red armour stone from India for most of the structure.
Three stones are placed together at the heart — one from the Inuvialuit region in the Western Arctic, one from the Qikiqtaaluk region in the Eastern Arctic and a third red stone.
Nasogaluak said the Inukshuk was initially shaped and constructed in Toronto, then taken apart and shipped by air to India, where the artists re-built it.
The Inukshuk is in the front of a traffic circle leading to the street where the High Commission of Canada and other world embassies are located.
"Our challenge was just to stay alive trying to get into the Inukshuk area." said Nasogaluak.
Its arms-out position in the roundabout makes it look like it's directing drivers, he said.
The orientation of the arms are to the northwest, towards Canada.
