Inuit Soapstone Carving of Smiling Figure, c. 1970 19th century medicine with stripes on the figure

with stripes on the figure suggestive of a soccer (football) player

really a wonderful piece

One interior tray shows part of the name of a cigar box from which it was constructed - Garcia & Vega

but he has a fantastic presence and patina

Inuit Soapstone Carving of Smiling Figure, c. 1970 19th century medicine with stripes on the figureThe tag still attached to this carving when I purchased it identifies it as being the work of Daniel Weetaluktuk (1951 1984), which, in addition to being a very charming piece (that fantastic smiling face!), makes it notable for another reason: Weetakluktuk (originally from Inukjuak, in Nunavik, Northern Quebec), was the first Inuk archaeologist in Canada and seen by many as the father of community archaeology in Canada. (This form of archaeology