Review of More Tales from the Igloo
As told by Agnes Nanogak
Illustrated by Agnes Nanogak
Published 1986 by Hurtig Publishers
ISBN Number: 0-88830-301-7
Approximate Reading Level: Upper Elementary/Middle School

The credited author of this book is Agnes Nanogak, a woman who, according to the foreword, was born in 1911 along the Mackenzie Delta in Canada, the daughter of a Canadian Inuit man and an Alaskan Inupiaq woman who came to live in Canada. The author of the foreword, Robin G McGrath, writes that Nanogak learned her stories from her grandmother-in-law when she was first married, and became involved in publication when she was asked to illustrate the book of Inuit stories, Tales of the Igloo, published in 1972. McGrath writes that then in 1976, the film The Owl who Married a Goose was made from a story Nanogak told. Finally, both Nanogak's stories and illustrations are presented in this book.

While McGrath gives us a good background and history of Nanogak, where is Nanogak's voice in this introduction? How did she decide to write down and publish these tales? Did she obtain permission from her community? Are the tales just as she heard them, or have they been "polished" by an editor? Additionally, McGrath attempts to categorize and rationalize the stories that follow, during which she ends up giving us a condescending and ethnocentric characterization of the stories, rather than the dignity the stories deserve.

The stories are divided into three sections: Tales of Birds and Beasts, Tales of Adventure, and Tales of Sorrow and Revenge. Most of the stories are very short, and some of them do remind me of other stories I have read before, in books like Sivuqam Ungipaghaatangi, a collection of stories from St. Lawrence Island. I really enjoy the illustrations in this book; Nanogak has a unique artistic style and uses interesting shades of colors. The scenes she chooses to illustrate are attention-getting.

The characters seem to be portrayed as complex and interesting, using full sentences and complete thoughts to express themselves. When they are presented with a situation that is confusing or bewildering, they are portrayed as doing the best they can and their motivations are often explained. Some of the tales describe people doing violence to others without such explanations, though, and I wonder how much we can gain from those types of stories without the context that a true storyteller would give for such a tale.

I feel fairly good about this book, as the stories appear to be authentic and indeed very interesting, though I recommend it with reservations. Without understanding its origins more completely, and without the proper context, it could be misconstrued and become ultimately a non-helpful addition to the cannon of indigenous tales.

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