Lazarusie Epoo was a sculptor born in Inukjuak, Nunavik in 1932. His wife Emily worked in the craft industry and his son Daniel also became a sculptor. Epoo was a father of 9 children, both biological and adopted. 

Epoo was part of the High Arctic relocation to Resolute Bay in 1953 along with his cousins. He later testified on their behalf in front of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. He is known for his sculptures, but also his literary writings and political engagement. Epoo authored an autobiography that has remained largely unpublished, except for 2 sections. These sections deal primarily with the difficulties of surviving in the High Arctic. 

In 1971, Epoo was a cofounder of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association (NQIA), and became the leader of the association in 1972. He then became the vice-president of the Makivik Corporation, which succeeded the NQIA in 1978 after the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement in 1975. In 1980 he became the mayor of Inukjuak. He was a fierce defender of Inuit setting their own hunting quotas, and was posthumously awarded the Order of Nunavik for his contributions to the community in 2018. Epoo died in Inukjuak in 2012, and his family received the honour on his behalf.

Exhibitions

• By the Light of the Qulliq: Eskimo Life in the Canadian Arctic, Smithsonian Institution, A travelling exhibition of Inuit art from the Feheley Collection

Collections

• Musee de la civilisation, Quebec City