Fishing. It's a family affair.

Distance and proportion melt away on the great expanse of Arctic ice- and the Inuit woman would disappear into the landscape if it were not for the brownish-grey earth tones of her animal hide parka. Even then, it would take a trained eye to spot the dot of contrast against the frigid white that defines the Arctic for most of the year.

The woman is huddled over a fishing hole. She has been there forhours. It's one of her husband's favourite spots where Arcticchar, whitefish and trout have been known to swim - and have sustained Inuit for millennia as they moved between land and sea, soil and iceto hunt and fish in harmony with nature's seasons.

Not a movement. Not a sound. Not even a breath, it seems. Even the baby tucked away in the mother's amautik seems to understand the importance of silence. Fish stay away from noise.

The stick twitches. Stillness shatters as the woman snaps her fishing pole up and away from the ice in one jubilant sweep, thankful the sea has offered up yet another gift for life - today, just as it has for thousandsof years past, and for generations to follow.

This coin is the first issue of the Contemporary Aboriginal Art collection.
The first coin of the series, released in June 2013, depicts the Mother and the baby ice fishing.
The second and the last coin of the series, released in October 2013, depicts the Father ice fisching.

CONTEMPORARY ABORIGINAL ART - MOTHER AND BABY ICE FISHING - 2013 CANADIAN COINS 01 is categorised COINS AND PAPER MONEY / 08- ROYAL CANADIAN MINT / CONTEMPORARY ABORIGINAL ART (2) and sold by l'Imaginaire, a store and specialised website.