The Inuit People

If you were to go to the farthest region in the Northern Hemisphere, the coldest regions found in Alaska, Greenland, Canada and Russia, you would come upon a group of indigenous people known as the Inuit which in the native language means “the people.”

The Inuit are considered by some to be descendants from what was once known as the Thule culture. The Thule culture is thought to have developed along coastal Alaska in 1000 AD, eventually crossing the country eastwards through Canada and stopping in Greenland. In the process of this migration eastward another group of people who are thought to have become extinct were displaced, they were known as Tuniit . In some legends you will hear theTuniit referred to as giants, giants that lacked the knowledge of tools, knowledge, weapons and technologies to defend their territory and culture against the imposing Inuit.

The Inuit people speak mainly in the traditional Inuit tongue, Inuktitut. Some if not all of the Inuit dialects were not recorded until the 18^th century, this is due to the fact that the majority of the Inuit people could not read or write in their own language until the latter part of the 20^th century. The language can be seen written in several different fashions and how it is written not only depends on the region and dialect, but also the historical and political factors of the particular region.

Community is and was a major importance to the Inuit people. During the worst winter months whole families would winter down together. Wintering down could have been done out of necessity or even safety. Goods that were brought along to these shared housings were shared happily amongst all the members and to some extent the community. The work ethic and distribution between men and women was set, but not always followed. Occasional a female would choose to hunt either out of need or just a want. Whereas the men knew how to cook and took pleasure in learning to cook. Cooking was a necessity for men to be able to do while away on hunting or fishing trips.

The Inuit traditionally were hunters and fishers. Today the Inuit people still hunt whale, caribou, polar bears and seals. They have been known to hunt birds and some other not so commonly eaten animals including the arctic fox. A typically daily diet for the Inuit people consists of about 75% fat. As you can imagine the earth in these regions of the Arctic is unsuitable for planting and growing crops. Instead the Inuit people learned to adapt and forage for food sources elsewhere, such things like grass, stems, roots, berries and seaweed were common food staples.

The knowledge of forms of transportation was not lost to the Inuit people. In fact they used seal skin covered boats for fishing for sea animals. These boats were amazingly easy to right if tipped over, while the individual was still in it, thanks to its extraordinary buoyancy. The Inuit even built and used bigger boats made in this fashion to transport goods, woman and children, as well as their dogs. Dogs were a big factor in the transportation practices used even still today by the Inuit people. On land the Inuit used dog sleds to get around, in fact the Husky breed dog we know today came from the Inuit breeding of dogs.

In order for the Inuit people to have a thriving industry and economy they relied heavily on their surroundings. Tools were mad from animal bone and even ivory gathered from the tusks of walrus’s they killed for food. The ivory was also used to make knives for hunting and other daily needs. Small figurines were made from either the bone of animals or the ivory to be sold or traded for needed goods. Animal’s hides were often used to make the required clothing for the climate as well as for market. One essential article of clothing made by the Inuit that utilizes animal hide is called an “Anorak .” An anorak is similar to the parka; Inuit people would make the hood of the anorak extra big for women. This allowed for a mother with child to be able to carry their infant or toddler on her back under protection from the freezing cold weather. Depending on the time of the year and the seasonal situation the Inuit people made shelters in the form of a tent or an igloo. The tents were made from animal skins and animal bones and were utilized during the warmer months, igloo’s provided the much needed protection during the numbingly cold winter months.

Although life has changed dramatically for the Inuit people, their customs and beliefs live on. They live on through history, storytelling, dance and music all of which remain an important factor in the Inuit cultures of today.