Anika Nochasak is a beader originally from Nain, Nunatsiavut, NL, who is currently based in Montreal, QC. She learned how to bead from her mother when she was 12 years old, and fell in love with the practice.
Nochasak specializes in making beaded earrings, often incorporating traditional materials like sealskin, caribou antler and fox fur alongside beads, pearls and crystals in her earrings.“Using sealskin is really important to me because it’s such a big part of my culture and identity…being able to wear it proudly is really important to me,” she says. [1] She is also inspired by other Inuit artists who showcase their beadwork online, like Nicoletta Qupanuaq, Anouapik and Nuutuittuq . Her earrings tend to feature bright, warm colours, particularly purples and pinks, such as in the two pairs of beaded tulip earrings she created in 2024. “I like to work with colours like pink and purple, because it makes me feel connected to my feminine side, and it's a way for me to express a softer side of myself”. She uses a lot of sealskin in her work, ranging from natural sealskin fur colours, to dyed sealskin in blues, magentas, reds and white.
In addition to beading, Nochasak is beginning to dip her toes into sewing, which she is also learning from her mother. In 2024 she completed her first part of sealskin mittens. “It was really time consuming, but worth it, and a really proud moment for me,” Nochasak says.
Beyond jewellery-making and sewing, Nochasak also has experience in filmmaking. She studied film at Concordia University in Montreal, QC, graduating in 2023. The same year, Nochasak participated in a cultural exchange called Through Our Lens, which sent Māori youth to other Indigenous communities around the world to collaborate and develop short films together. Through this workshop, she was able to direct a film called Indigiqueer, alongside other fellow Indigenous youth.
In 2024 she started a business selling her work. Since then, she has sold her work at several arts markets, such as the Ripples symposium market in Montreal in 2024 and the Aqsarniit Tradeshow and Conference in Ottawa, ON, also in 2024. She hopes to continue making jewellery, expanding her practice to bigger items like intricate necklaces, and to continue learning how to create mittens and hats. She also hopes to connect with other artists. “My real dream is to share my work at powwows and connect with other Indigenous artists and beaders, and have my work displayed in art galleries or exhibits.”