Two prestigious book awards for
Across Time and Tundra publication
Gatineau, Quebec, June 8, 2004 - Across Time and Tundra: The Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic, published by the Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) and Raincoast Books, has won two prestigious awards: the Lela Common Award for Canadian History, presented by the Canadian Authors Association, and the Clio Award for the best book on the North, presented by the Canadian Historical Association.
Across Time and Tundra: The Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic is the first definitive, illustrated history of the Inuvialuit, Inuit people of the Canadian Arctic. This compelling book reveals the cultural heritage, struggles and return of a people from the near brink of extinction to the rebuilding and sustaining of a culture and lifestyle. It was co-written by three authors, Dr. David Morrison, Eddie Kolausok and Ishmael Alunik.
Dr. David Morrison is Director of Archaeology and History at the CMC. His many works include the best-selling Inuit: Glimpses of an Arctic Past and the CD-ROM Land of the Inuit. He is also joint lead curator of the CMC's new First Peoples Hall, the largest exhibition on Aboriginal culture and history ever mounted in Canada, and sole curator of the current exhibition Across Time and Tundra: The Inuvialuit of the Canadian Arctic.
Eddie Dean Kolausok is of Inuvialuit and Gwich'in descent. A Senior Advisor to the Inuvialuit Regional Director General, Mr. Kolausok is also the author of Aurora Shining and the editor of Call Me Ishmael. He is a director on the board of Frontiers Foundation: Operation Beaver and continues to volunteer and involve himself in community initiatives.
Ishmael Alunik is an Inuvialuit Elder who was raised on the land, hunting and trapping with his family. He worked as a CBC radio announcer in the Inuvialuit language for 17 years. In 1998, ten years after retiring, he wrote his first book, Call Me Ishmael: Memories of an Inuvialuit Elder.
"I would like to congratulate the authors on winning these two awards for their remarkable book honouring the Inuvialuit people," said Dr. Victor Rabinovitch, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. "The publication, co-authored by Ishmael Alunik and Eddie Kolausok, and the successful CMC exhibition are the culmination of 20 years of research by Dr. Morrison. They tell a story every Canadian should know."
The Lela Common Award for Canadian History is presented by the Canadian Authors Association for full-length English-language adult literature of historical non-fiction on a Canadian topic by a Canadian author. It honours "writing that achieves excellence without sacrificing popular appeal." Winners receive $2500 plus a silver medal. Previous winners include: Phil Jenkins for An Acre of Time, Rod McQueen for The Eatons and Will Ferguson for Canadian History for Dummies.
The Clio Awards are presented by the Canadian Historical Association "for meritorious publications, or for exceptional contributions by individuals or organizations to regional history." Publications having received the Clio Award for the best book on the North include Shelagh D. Grant's Arctic Justice: On Trial for Murder, Pond Inlet, 1923 and Renée Fossett's In Order to Live Untroubled: Inuit of the Central Arctic 1550 to 1940.
The award-winning publication accompanies the exhibition Across Time and Tundra: The Inuvialuit of the Canadian Arctic, presented at the Canadian Museum of Civilization from November 6, 2003 to January 9, 2005. It is the first CMC exhibition - the first major exhibition anywhere - to focus exclusively on the history and culture of the Inuvialuit. It is also the first CMC exhibition to present the substantive history, from earliest times to the present day, of a particular Aboriginal group in Canada.
Media Information:
Media Relations Officer
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Tel.: (819) 776-7169
Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Tel.: (819) 776-7167
Fax: (819) 776-7187
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