Women’s hockey trophy almost hammered into shape

The Clarkson cup is nearly complete.

The trophy was commissioned last year by former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson as a prize for women’s hockey in Canada.

Artists from Nunavut’s Arctic College jewelry shop have worked on the project since last fall. Instructor Beth Biggs spent nearly four months hammering the sterling silver into shape.

Inuit artists engraved the cup. Okpik Pitseolak drew and engraved a picture of Sedna holding a puck and hockey stick on one side of the trophy.

“I’m not that young any more. I’ll be known as one of those who made it,” she said. “I hope one day my grandchildren will play hockey.”

The cup also features mask designs by Pootoogook Qiatsuk, and seals along the trophy arms by Therese Ukaliannuk.

Reporters were not allowed to photograph the foot-tall cup during a presentation on Friday, May 5, because Clarkson, who was in London, England, had not seen the trophy first.

The cup will be sent to Montreal for final polishing.