Welcome!

Hello Native Studies Class!

For this project I will be researching the Inuit people in the following areas:

Art 

Fashion

Hunting and Housing 

Social Status

And Beliefs

But before I can go into any more detail you guys gotta know the basics of the culture!

The Inuit People

The Inuit (meaning "people") originated in Alaska but have since spread all across the North American Arctic, the Bering Straight, Greenland, and even Russia. Even though they live in smaller groups, they are all united by a common language and culture. The Inuit are also whalers, and have many ties to the water and what it gives to the people.

Sources
- http://www.inuulitsivik.ca/northern-life-and-inuit-culture/who-are-the-inuits

Inuit Artwork

Hello Native Studies!

The Inuit people have been making art for 4,000 years, first being extremely skilled in making and decorating clothing. Now the Inuit experiment with many different designs and media, with the most impressive media being stone carving. They continue to carve the stones completely by hand with an axe and a file. Once the design has been carved, hours upon hours of polishing finished off the new piece. Many stones are of animals and hunters, and continue to stand the test of time.

Printmaking also became a significant part of their culture in the late 1950's. These pieces usually depict animals such as seals, loons, and whales. Yet, each print has a certain piece of the artist with it. Unlike other Inuit art forms, printmaking allows the artist to be more creative with their designs and colors. Even though these prints are extremely popular to those outside of Inuit culture, the People never liked how popular they became. But they are an incredible source of income to the community, and so these prints have continued to flourish.

Sources

- http://www.indians.org/articles/inuit-art.html

- http://www.historymuseum.ca/capedorsetprints/themes/animals.php

-http://icor.ottawainuitchildrens.com/node/51

Inuit Fashion

Hello Native Studies!

Because of the extremely cold, the Inuit People would use Caribou hides to make parkas and other layers. Some groups even used polar bear skins, and seal skin was common to make water-proof boots. In the summer only one layer was worn, while in the winter two layers were used-- one with the fur facing in on the body and the second with the fur facing out. Women and men wore similar garments, but women had "apron-like flaps" while men did not because it would get in the way when hunting. Modifications were also added to the outfits, for example, belts or amulets, which were seen to protect the wearer from uncontrollable forces and give luck when hunting.

For accessories both men and women wore necklaces, bracelets, and earrings made from all sorts of materials. They are also known for wearing headbands, and the women adorned their hair with different beads and pendants. Another distinguishing feature were the presence of labrets in post-pubescent men. These were made out of ivory or stone and were placed in one or two small slits in the bottom lip after a boy "became" a man.

Sources
http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/first_nations_inuit/clothing.cfm

http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/scripts/explore.php?Lang=1&tableid=11&elementid=70__true&contentlong

Inuit Social Structure!

Hello Native Studies!

The Inuit social system had no chief or central leader. Every igloo would have a small number of individuals, usually a family, which would then form a larger community. Families would often make ties with other families, which would come in handy when hunting during the winter and when marrying off children. Overall there was a strong sense of community; anything done was for the group, not just one individual.

Sources

http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_groups/fp_inuit6.html

Inuit Hunting and Housing!

Hello Native Studies!

The Intuit people never left anything to waste after a kill. They would hunt everything around them: caribou, seal, whale, polar bear, fish, etc. The skins would be made into cloths or blankets, while the fat would be used for cooking and lighting. The bones were used as tools or jewelry. Nothing was polluting or wasteful, and the people were completely one with the land and its inhabitants. Hunting is also a very respectful job; slackers were not tolerated or respected because they would never help but would demand food anyways.

Igloos were the housing for the Inuit people. They were fairly basic, some having a chunk of clear ice as a window. All were constructed by drawing a circle in the snow and then cutting and stacking pieces of snow around the circle. Each snow-brick must be bigger than the last in order for the blocks to form a dome. Additions would then be added, such as a hallway to another igloo, another room, and shelves that acted like bunks to sleep on. These igloos were never very big, otherwise there would be too much space that would be nearly impossible to warm.

Sources

http://www.arcticvoice.org/inuit.html

http://www.sfu.ca/archaeology-old/museum/danielle_longhouse/keepers/housing.html

Inuit Beliefs!

Hello Native Studies!

The Inuit have an extremely strong connection to nature and the animals on this planet. They believe that everything has a spirit, and that when it dies, it goes to the Spirit World. Shamans were the only people who could communicate with the spirits. Dressed in carved masks that are believed to have otherworldly properties and using pendants and dances, the Shamans were able to establish a connection with the Spirit World. This could be dangerous because the spirits would be angered if a person interrupted the ceremony or if the Shaman did not perform the ceremony correctly.

The spirits have great power over the living, and there are many guidelines that the Inuit must follow in order to keep them happy. Bad weather and illnesses were seen as the wrath of Spirits, and if respects to a hunt were not fulfilled, the spirit of the animal would come back as a demon. If respects were paid, then the spirit would return as another animal, ready to sacrifice its life once again.

There is also a highly held belief that a human is made up of 3 parts: a body, a name, and a soul. When a person dies, that name and soul are reincarnated into another human and will continue living. Many people name their new born children after elders who have passed, thus ensuring that the Spirit can continue on.

Sources

http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_groups/fp_inuit5.html