Exploring The Journey Of The Human Spirit

Shamanic traditions, modern art and life in the Arctic Circle all play a role in the creations of this contemporary Métis artist

- Rick Rivet

I was born November10, 1949, in Aklavik, Northwest Territories, part of the Canadian Arctic. Aklavik is situated at about 68 degrees north latitude in the Mackenzie River Delta, well above the Arctic Circle in the Beaufort Sea area. My early years were spent growing up in the delta in a Métis family which made their living by trapping, hunting and fishing.

The Métis are a people of mixed heritage, a combination of Native Indian and European stock. The Métis were originally settled in the Prairies of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and parts of British Columbia. They are a people descended from the influx of French, Scottish and English traders from the Hudson’s Bay and Northwest Companies who intermixed with Native peoples of these regions and elsewhere across Canada.

The Métis are at present a composite of Native and European ancestry generally, including the above historical backgrounds. Many are descendents of the people who participated in the Métis rebellions in Manitoba and Saskatchewan during 1870 and again in 1885, people who tried to protect their land and way of life in the face of colonialism.

Aklavik was a trading centre for the region, with people of varied backgrounds congregating there, such as Métis, Indian, Inuit and European. Depending on the season, my family lived on the land or in town. At age seven, I began attending school in Aklavik with other students from the region.

The Arctic landscape and seascape have always had, and continue to have, a profound influence on my artwork.