pursuit of game and sea animals. Until the early 20th century, their way of life was little disturbed and their contacts with Southern Canada were  limited to occasional trade and some missionary expeditions.
 
Historically, Inuit women scraped and chewed caribou and seal skins to soften them in the course of creating clothes, using sinew for thread.
The Inuit experienced great turmoil and cultural upheaval in the mid-20th century, from a combination of natural factors and the inevitable advance of modernity. Severe fluctuations in their traditional hunting and fishing stock brought their nomadic lifestyle near collapse and many groups suffered deprivation and periods of starvation. In addition, the drop in the price of fur on the world markets took away from the Inuit one of their main sources of revenue. The Canadian government intervened and encouraged the creation of permanent settlements in the Arctic region around trading posts, missionary churches, and police stations. By the 1960s, nearly all Inuit lived in these communities, which also included schools, medical facilities, and stores.
 
However, as part of a modern economy, the Inuit found themselves in a situation where none of their traditional survival skills were of any use. Job opportunities were very limited, few Inuit understood English or French, and they became dependent on social assistance. During this period of change, some Canadian government officers working in the Arctic noticed that the Inuit possessed a skill of great value that could improve their economic situation – an innate talent to adeptly fashion artifacts out of locally available materials. In order to survive in the inhospitable climate of the Arctic, the Inuit had developed a spontaneous creativity born out of the necessity to create tools and clothing with natural materials. These skills, adapted to their modern living conditions, quickly transformed these nomadic hunters into a nation of artists.
 
Starting from the 1950s, Inuit artist cooperatives were established with the help of the government of Canada in a few Northern villages. Stone, ivory, and bone sculptures first presented the artistic skills of the Inuit to the world, and rapidly gained tremendous acclaim. As the popularity and commercial value of Inuit sculpture climbed encouragingly, graphic artists started to make their mark, and gradually textile arts also gained prominence. Nowadays, art is one of the most important sources of revenue in Nunavut, and nearly one in three Inuit is involved in the artistic community.
 
From Seamstress to Artist
 
The application of women’s traditional sewing skills to the production of textile art first started in the settlement of Baker Lake, Nunavut, in the 1960s. After making wool duffle mittens, socks, and clothing, seamstresses used the leftover multi-colored pieces of fabric to make art to hang on walls. In embracing a foreign artistic medium, the women of Baker Lake made their wall hangings a vehicle for expressing centuries-old Inuit traditions, and gave birth to a uniquely Canadian art form.
 
Traditionally, sewing was a vital survival skill for Inuit living on the land. The women’s ingenuity and skillful stitching transformed animal hides into clothing, blankets, tents, and even into seafaring vessels such as the kayak. The entire family depended upon the sewing ability of women, from the men on the hunt to babies cuddled in their mother’s parka hood. In the long winter months in their igloos, as women decorated their parkas and garments with lavish colorful decorations, their daughters would learn to sew by observation. All these age-old skills have been transferred to the modern textile art of today’s Inuit women. These talented seamstresses easily apply their distinctive and complex abilities to their modern wall hangings, on which they depict the animals of the Arctic, the lifestyle of the Inuit, and the spiritual perceptions of their ancestors.
 
“These were all made in the homes of the artists,” Judith Burch says, “and frequently tell a story of the culture of the Inuit who live in Baker Lake. They are one of a kind and I am thrilled to be able to share them with others. I don’t even sew a button, so I am in awe! I have had the wonderful opportunity to know a number of the tapestry artists, which is a treat for me. I am passionate about what I am doing and I am delighted to have this collection be seen in Maine and at the Smithsonian, and hope it will continue to move much further afield.” The collection has been exhibited in Canadian embassies worldwide, including Guanajuato, Mexico; Monterey, Mexico; Mexico City; Tokyo; Beijing; Kunming; Guongquing; Nanjing; Shanghai; Seoul, Korea; UlaanBaatar, Mongolia; Jaipur, India; Riga, Latvia; Moscow to Salekhard, Siberia; Tourouevre, France; Chalons en Champagne, France; Paris; El Salvador; Guatemala; Paraguay; Costa Rica; Neuquen, Patagonia; Trinidad; and Tobago. “And I have been sent to most of these by the Canadian government to lecture,give classes, participate in  roundtables, and also work with 8-12 year olds to create their own culture on cloth.”

CAPTIONS:
TOP: “Polar Bear Hunt” by Mary Yuusipik
Born and raised on the land, Mary Yuusipik settled permanently in Baker Lake around 1960 when her son started school. She learned to sew from her mother, the famous Jessie Oonark, who also encouraged her to make wall hangings. For inspiration she recalls the stories that her grandmother used to tell her as a child. Although Mary Yuusipik is mostly known for her wall hangings, she is also a recognised carver and occasionally does graphic art.

MIDDLE: “Dancing in the Moonlight” by Irene Avaalaaqiaq
Irene Avaalaaqiaq is one of the best known Baker Lake tapestry artists. Her style is bold and colorful, much like the artist herself. Her subject matter tends always to be shamanic in origin and is based on Inuit myths, legends, and beliefs of traditional times. “My grandmother used to tell me stories . . . she told me that the animals used to turn into people. My grandmother told me stories to put me to sleep at night. I wondered how I could to something to put these stories my grandmother used to tell me into art” (from an artist interview, 2004).

BOTTOM: “Transformation” by Irene Avaalaaqiaq

In addition, Leslie, an interior designer, along with Debbie Chatfield of Chatfield Design, will offer brief presentations of design concepts and answer questions about Interior Design for your home. There will be door prizes and time for relaxed conversation.

The Reading Room is particularly suited for this kind of tea party with its graceful high ceiling, large windows, and glorious view. Library members have been generously donating elegant and fancy tea cups and pots for this event for the past month and more are still needed, please bring them to the library Circulation Desk.   

The Camden Public Library must raise over 50% of its operating expenses from individual donations, foundations, and grants. Events such as this contribute to our ability to offer a quality library to the town of Camden.

Contact:  Kathy Young, 236-3440 x 16

Beatrice M. Szantyr, M.D.
Dr. Szantyr graduated magna cum laude in an honors curriculum with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Fordham University. She received her Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Connecticut and completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at St. Louis University Hospitals and Cardinal Glennon Memorial Hospital for Children.  She is board certified in both internal medicine and pediatrics,  a member of the American College of Physicians and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Her exploration of Lyme disease and other chronic debilitating illnesses began more than ten years ago and now consists of thousands of hours in related activities. She is a member of the Vector Borne Disease Workgroup in the state of Maine as well as a member of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society. She has lectured to professional and community groups throughout Maine and New England on Lyme Disease and Associated Tick –borne Disorders.

Last year Maine enjoyed an early spring, but was accompanied by a noticeable increase in the incidence of both deer ticks and Lyme disease. This recent winter was even more mild which could increase the number of insect pests. Maine’s Center for Disease Control & Prevention published the “Lyme Disease Surveillance Report – Maine, 2011” which includes the following information. The full report can be downloaded at  http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/publications/2011-Lyme-Surveillance-Report.pdf. The report shows that Knox County has the highest incidence rate by far of all the Maine counties, with a count of 259.2 cases per 100,000.

“Lyme disease is a tickborne illness with variable dermatologic, rheumatologic, neurologic, and cardiac manifestations. It is caused by a type of bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi,that is carried by infected deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis). Transmission occurs when individuals have an infected deer tick attached to their bodies for at least 24 hours. The first clinical sign of the disease is a skin lesion referred to as the “bull’s-eye” rash or erythema migrans (EM), which occurs in 70-80% of cases nationally 3-30 days after a tick bite. Untreated infections can lead to late clinical findings in skeletal, cardiac, and nervous systems. Late manifestations of disease include: arthritis characterized by recurrent, brief attacks of joint swelling; lymphocytic meningitis; cranial neuritis (such as Bell’s palsy); encephalitis; and second or third degree atrioventricular block.”

All songwriters are invited to attend; the final Session before the June performance is on May 24, 6:00 to 8:00 pm. For this final session the group will meet in the Picker Room to try out their music with sound equipment in preparation for the Songwriters Coffeehouse performance on June 7. Jim James will lead the final Session and also MC the June Coffeehouse.

Please contact Ken Gross at the library to enroll, 236-3440 or info@librarycamden.org. Drop-ins are also welcome, but pre-registering ensures a space in the series. $4 donation per session suggested.

The series continues a tradition of helping songwriters prepare their work for presentation. Songwriters in the past have found the sessions to be very helpful in providing regular feedback as the songs progress, and have found the monthly meetings to be a great advantage in helping provide the discipline to keep writing. The sessions are round-robin style, with each writer taking a turn listening and providing positive and respectful responses, and in turn performing their own songs, with the guidance and suggestion of a professional songwriter. The sessions are also an opportunity to find like-minded musicians to perform with.

Learn why a balanced portfolio is important for your financial health.  Explore the various components of a balanced portfolio and understand how those components may change over time as your needs and the markets change.

This program for the novice investor will consider why we invest, understanding our investment needs, identifying our expectations, considering a variety of investment vehicles and locating sources of information about stock investments. This program is supported by FINRA and Better Investing to provide information about the world of investing to Maine residents.

The grant also enables the library to offer a newsletter on financial planning and related local events and to offer Quicken Premier software. The Quicken package will be made available to all participants in the Brown Bag Lunch Series for free. The goal of the library is to create a financially literate community and to make online financial tools more accessible to library and community members.

Children’s Librarian Amy Hand stirs the raffle tickets, and, with help from the kids at Story Hour, pulls the winner.

The Camden Public Library is one of the first libraries in the state to launch an independent app. “Our intention in launching the App is to provide a virtual anchor for our community,” says Nikki Maounis, Director of the Camden Public Library. “We are here to bring you the best services and service practices demanded of a library in the 21st century.”

Nikki recalls a quote from Chris Tonjes of the DC Public Library Foundation describing the role of the new app in a library, “The traditional function of a library, of being a place where people can come to get information, to learn, to relax, to kind of lose themselves in books, is going to continue. It’s just not going to be constrained by physical boundaries.”

To download the free Camden Public Library App, search for it by name in your device’s app store, or simply point your mobile browser to camden.boopsie.com, which will determine the type of device you are using and automatically direct you to the right location to download the app.

Next week, April 22-26 at 2:00 pm, the library will hold daily workshops demonstrating how to download the app and get the most out of its features.  “I’m so excited to share the new app with our patrons,” says Olga Zimmerman, Library Technician, who will host the demos. “It’s not just a new, fun gizmo; it’s a valuable tool that bridges the traditional functions of the library with the growing population of members who are frequently on the go.”