Uriash Puqiqnak has played an important role in safeguarding his culture and his ancestors' way of life for future generations. A renowned carver whose soapstone work has been exhibited across the country, he helped gather information on Inuit customs and knowledge as a member of Parks Canada's History Steering Committee. Mayor of the Hamlet of Gjoa Haven, he has provided considerable leadership to the North as chair of the Nunavut Tourism Board and as a founding member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.