James Kivetoruk Moses


Inupiat/Inupiak, (1900-1982), "The Eskimo Giant", depicting him submerged in the Arctic sea, mixed media on paper, signed lower left, matted and framed. size (sight) 11 x 17in
|Attached to the back of the frame is a letter handwritten in longhand and reprinted more legibly by Kivetoruk's son, James: "There were three giant brothers born at Cape Espenberg where James was born. The parents had decided to send two away when they start to argue. When they grew up to manhood that he was the mightiest and best hunter than the other two brother. The next to oldest was taken up to Kobuk where he made the country safe from old fearful living from wild animals. The youngest was taken to other relatives at Buckland when he also helped his relatives in similar way. The oldest who was largest best helped his parents but when he want to see his brothers he goes up to Kobuk with his giant skinboat and stayed as long as he wants to. After spring hunting he was restless again and he start going to Buckland swimming just to show he was the strongest and best swimmer. He almost couldn't go into the Buckland river because he could swim through smelt fishes their short teeth keep on cutting to his skin so he walked after he came ashore. The Buckland people were glad to see him, because he always help where he went. Here you see cliff he went by go up. Many people don't believe such things but the geologist unearth their Innu (Big Igloo) in the 50s at Deering and I saw huge driftwood in the base of the Innu. The paintings shows their were giant Eskimos years back like the huge birds."