Featured 2 inuït statues, how old?

Just bought these two inuït (first nations, or what is the apropriate term nowadays?) wooden statues (with fur fringes) on one of the flea markets on Kingsday in Holland, a couple of days ago. They look quite alike, but have different names in pencil on the underside of the base. David Katik (small one, 13 cm high) and Piamialok (larger one, 15 cm high). Also on the base some kind of (inventory?)nr (initial and nr) and 1,25 (dollar?), which make me think they were sold in the same shop.
They are actually growing on me. Some internet searching make me think they could be quite a bit older than i first thought (50's, 30's?). Any insights about age and/or more info about the artists?

 

Googling I did find some information which might be applicable, see below. I guess David Katik as mentioned below could be admitted in the mentioned TB sanatorium in the 50's too.
David Katik: some remnants in google search of an add on ebay.com and holidays.net which had been removed by then.



Pamialok: on walkersinuitart.com (i don't think it is Roy Pamialok)

 

I can see how they'd grow on you!! I like them!!!!

 

Walkers is usually a very good reference.....

 

Terms are complicated, and depend on which group of indigenous people you are talking about, in which country and which of the regions. Since they are probably from Quebec, both Inuit and First Nations would be fine.

Russia, the US, Canada, and Denmark all have different names for their northern related peoples, and the indigenous groups or nations themselves have different names as well.
Eskimo is considered not appropriate, but I have heard Greenland Kalaallit, and Yupik from both the US and Russia, refer to themselves as Eskimo. To them Eskimo was the general name, Kalaallit and Yupik the names of the specific groups.
Terminology is confusing.

 

@Mark London .......what say you pal ??

 

They are both nice but otherwise unremarkable pieces which were most likely produced in a sanitarium in either Alberta, Manitoba, or Quebec. In these hospitals the Inuit patients were provided with soft wood to carve which produced far less harmful dust than the soapstone provided to the patients in Hamilton, Ontario. Neither name appears on my Inuit artist database. I would put the dates to the mid to late 1950's.

 

Thnx Mark. Would have been interesting if there had been more info on these artists of course, but pretty clear info on where and when ​

 

These sanatoria where quite far from inuit country, weren't they?

 

Indeed but out of necessity. It is hard to build and staff a major hospital in the Arctic even today. In the 1950's it was next to impossible. The TB problem was one of epidemic proportions so patients had to be sent South for care.

 

& once there....they stayed there for long periods of time....away from home and family.....carving...of any type brought in some much needed funds...& I believe helped the patients stay grounded and sane, having nothing else to do during a long recovery...

 

And no doubt feel a bit more connected to their heritage. It must have been very difficult, not just being so sick, but also being uprooted and taken to an alien place. Add to that the tricks TB can play on the mind...
The figures may not be top notch, but in a way they are therapeutic and served a multiple purpose for their makers. And they are both smiling. On the road to recovery.

 

For the situation that they represent, I think they are beautiful. I'd be proud if they were part of my small collection

 

I feel the same. Happy to have found them, and to have learned more about them on this forum. Thnx everybody!