PDF
Know Your Mace: Nunavut

On April 1, 1999, the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut sat for the first time. Six artists collaborated on the design and creation of Nunavut’s Heritage Mace and Working Mace: the late Mariano Aupilardjuk (Rankin Inlet), Inuk Charlie (Cambridge Bay), Paul Malliki (Naujaat), Mathew Nuqingaq (Iqaluit), the late Simata Pitsualak (Kimmirut) and Joseph Suqslaq (Gjoa Haven). The Heritage Mace is kept on permanent display in the Legislative Assembly Precinct. The Working Mace sees daily service during sittings of the House and other occasions requiring its presence. Both Maces are 150cm in length. A narwhal tusk forms the shaft of the Heritage Mace. A synthetic material forms the shaft of the Working Mace. A quartz crystal is set into the tip of the Heritage Mace. A 2.25-carat diamond is set into the tip of the Working Mace. Materials that are common to both Maces include amethyst, black quartz, citrine, garnet, granite, lapis lazuli, silver, soapstone, quartz and white marble. One of the ongoing outreach initiatives of the Office of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is the biennial Mace Tour, during which the Speaker visits schools and other facilities across Nunavut’s 25 communities to display the Mace and to discuss the work of the institution that it helps to safeguard. Earlier this year, the Speaker and the Mace paid visits to the communities of Baker Lake and Gjoa Haven.

Office of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut