Kunuuksayuukka:
The Spirit of Winter Storms

publishing & celebrating inuvialuk elder rose kirby’s memoir and life story

This project was made possible with a $100,000 Canada Council for the Arts grant

author & Project director
Rose Marie Iriarr̂uk Nirliq Tuuqłak Kirby

editor & publisher
jason lau/ics

Project manager
tamara voudrach/ics

cover illustrator
mary okheena

aerial photographer
kristian binder

youth assistant editors
tyanna bain, marie carpenter

event photographer
elizabeth kolb

book publishing

writing & manuscript editing

creative & art DIRECTION

Print & layout DESIGN

cover design

event planning

grant writing

Kunuuksayuukka: The Spirit of Winter Storms is a story of Inuvialuk (Western Arctic Inuk) Elder Rose Marie Iriarr̂uk Nirliq Tuuqłak Kirby’s early life, beginning from her vibrant traditional life on the land, to being taken away on a “ship of tears” to residential school in Aktlarvik (Aklavik), before moving around different DEW Line sites following her father Joseph Saraana Thrasher’s work. I was honoured to work closely with Rose over 3 years to complete ICS’ first Elder’s Memoir project—a lifelong dream of hers more than 20 years in the making.

Kunuuksayuukka: The Spirit of Winter Storms honours the important lessons that Rose has learned from her Elders and family, through watching how they interacted with one another, as well as with the larger natural world. Rose uses Kunuuksayuukka—the spirit of winter storms—and its slow disappearance from her life, to describe her own transition from traditional, nomadic life on the land to moving into housing settlements created by tan’ngit (white people). Known for her powerful memory and storytelling skills, Rose vividly recounts stories from her childhood and even infancy.  

Through almost 300 pages, Rose’s book weaves through candid stories of human relationships, loss, love and care for one another, humour, pain, strength, and resilience. Most importantly, it is a heartfelt tribute to Inuvialuit culture, language, history, life, and experiences—all through the eyes of an Inuvialuk who has learned to move with the changing world as she grew up.

Book Launch Event (Sept 2024)

Book Pre-Launch (Great Northern Arts Festival 2024)