New stamp honours Inuk singer-songwriter, filmmaker and activist Elisapie

Elisapie uses her voice to raise awareness of Inuit culture and traditions
This news release is also available to read in Inuttitut.

MONTRÉAL, June 13, 2024 /CNW/ – Today, Canada Post unveiled a stamp honouring Elisapie, an award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, director, producer and activist.

The talented storyteller, who writes and sings in Inuktitut, English and French, has devoted her life to sharing and raising awareness of Inuit language, traditions and culture through her many artistic endeavours.

This stamp is one of three Indigenous Leaders stamps that will be released on June 21. The set is the third in Canada Post’s multi-year Indigenous Leaders series.

Elisapie’s life and legacy

Born Elisapie Isaac in 1977 in the remote community of Salluit, in Nunavik (northern Quebec), Elisapie sang in church and performed on stage with her uncle’s band in her youth. After moving to Montréal to study communications, she wrote and directed the prize-winning documentary short, Sila piqujippat (If the Weather Permits, 2003) and won a JUNO Award as part of the musical duo Taima.

Elisapie’s love for her Inuit homeland and culture is entrenched in her work, including four solo albums: There Will Be Stars (2009), Travelling Love (2012), The Ballad of the Runaway Girl (2018) and Inuktitut (2023). The latter earned her a second JUNO Award for Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year. In 2021, she created and produced Le grand solstice for Radio-Canada – a musical and cultural celebration televised annually to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Elisapie currently lives in Montréal but frequently returns to Salluit to visit friends and family. Her many awards and honours include the Ambassador Prize at the 2011 Teweikan Awards for her work as an artist and activist; the Félix Award for Indigenous Artist of the Year (2020); being named Compagne des arts et des lettres du Québec (2021); and receiving an honorary doctorate from Concordia University (2023).

About the stamp

Cancelled in Salluit, Quebec (Elisapie’s birthplace), this stamp features a studio portrait of her. The background is a landscape photo of the Nunavik region of northern Quebec where Elisapie was born and raised.

The cancellation mark is an image of a tattoo Elisapie has on her hand.

About the Indigenous Leaders stamp series

Launched in 2022, the multi-year Indigenous Leaders series celebrates First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders who dedicated their lives to preserving their culture and improving the quality of life of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

This year, Canada Post will issue three stamps on National Indigenous Peoples Day in honour of Indigenous leaders Elisapie, Josephine Mandamin and Christi Belcourt. Two other stamp events will be held this month:

On Tuesday, June 18, the stamp commemorating Josephine Mandamin will be revealed at an event in Thunder Bay, Ontario.On Tuesday, June 25, the stamp recognizing Christi Belcourt will be celebrated at an event in Ottawa.

The new stamps and collectibles will be available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada starting June 21.

For links to images of the stamps and other products:

External folder with high-resolution images (access).YouTube video (watch video).Canada Post magazine article (read magazine).Social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Canada Post