AVI1O

Mrs. Dykstra

INUIT & THEIR CULTURE

The Inuit are indigenous people who live in Arctic regions (northern territories of Canada, Greenland, and Russia). The term indigenous refers to the earliest people group known to live in a particular area. Previously called Eskimos, a term which implies disapproval. The people prefer the term Inuit because Eskimo has been used in a racist way in the past (like the word nigger for people of African background).

FOOD & TRANSPORTATION

Historically, the Inuit people gathered needed materials for tools and housing from whaling. Traditionally they have hunted whales, walruses, caribou, seal, polar bears, muskoxen, and birds for food. Farming is not possible in their northern lands, but the Inuit sometimes gather the grasses and berries that grow naturally. The Inuit eat mostly sea animals, and their typical diet is high in protein and very high in fat. The Inuit hunted sea animals from qajaq, what we call kayaks. Inuit also made umiaq, larger boats for transporting people, goods, and dogs. They had a flat bottom so that the boats could come close to shore. After all, no one would want to get wet in the Arctic regions. The Inuit would use stars to navigate at sea. On land, the Inuit use dog sleds pulled by huskies for transportation. Huskies came from the Inuit breeding dogs with wolves. The Inuit would use landmarks to navigate on land. Where natural landmarks were insufficient, the Inuit would erect an inuksuk, piles of stones, to help navigate. An inuksuk is found on the flag of Nunavut (a northern territory of Canada) as seen below.

In addition to pulling sleds, huskies were used as pack animals in the summer (dragging up to 44 lbs of baggage). They would also assist in hunting by sniffing out seals holes and pestering polar bears. They also served as protectors of Inuit villages by barking at bears and other strangers.

ART & CLOTHING

Art is a big part of Inuit history. People made small sculptures of animals and humans out of tusk ivory, bone, and soapstone. Usually their art would depict everyday activities like hunting and whaling. Clothes were made of animal skins, sewn together using needles made from animal bones. The anorak or parka, a heavy jacket with a hood often lined with fur, was a typical Inuit garment.

HOUSING
During the winter, Inuit lived in temporary shelters made from snow, called igloo. During the short season where temperatures were above freezing, they lived in tents made of animal skins and bones . They are a nomadic people, meaning they often move between hunting grounds, never settling down permanently.

Gender Roles & Family Structure

Men were usually the hunters and fishermen. The women traditionally cared for children, cleaned huts, sewed, and prepared food. However, there are several examples of women who hunted out of necessity or out of personal choice. Marriages, which were not always monogamous, were often arranged by the community. Divorce and remarriage were fairly common. Some Inuit groups required the approval of the community for a divorce if there were children. A household sometimes included a man and his wife/wives, the mans parents, the in-laws, children, and adopted children. It could also include several siblings and their families (wives, children, in-laws). In each household, the oldest or most respected man was the head or leader. The Inuit were communityoriented. Generally several families would share a place in the winter. Goods were shared in a household and with the whole community.

TRADITIONAL BELIEFS & MYTHOLOGY

Inuit mythology came from their environment. Their mythology included adventure stories of whale and walrus hunts and stories of ghost appearances. Some Inuit believed that they could see images of their family and friends in the northern lights.

The closest thing to God was the Old Woman Sedna, who lived under the sea, the Inuits central food source. According to one myth, Sedna was like a mermaid who took a dog for her husband. She controls the marine animals, and when angry she will lock up all the sea creatures. So the Inuit would have no food. The Inuit believed that all things had a spirit the snow, the wind, the sea animals. So the Inuit followed a set of rituals in their daily life. For example, there are hunting rituals. If a hunt didnt show respect to the animals it killed, the spirits of those animals would get revenge. Because of the difficulty of life in the Arctic, a streak of bad luck (or the spirits revenge) could destroy an entire community. Every community had a shaman, a spiritual leader and a healer. The shaman would tend wounds, offer advice, and ask the spirits to assist people in their lives.

Bibliography Anonymous. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit#Traditional_beliefs . Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., March 13, 2009. March 18, 2009 Anonymous. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit_culture . Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., March 16, 2009. March 18, 2009 Anonymous. http://www.native-languages.org/iaq23.htm . Native Languages of the Americas. March 18, 2009. Gardiner, Lisa. http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/polar/inuit_culture.html . UCAR, June 5, 2007. March 18, 2009