Uqalurait : An Oral History of Nunavut

An authoritative and comprehensive compilation of the ancient knowledge of Inuit elders. Contents 10 List of Black and White Illustrations 14 List of Figures 18 List of Maps 19 Acknowledgments 20 Foreword 22 Introduction 26 A Note on Language and Spelling 32 Colour Plates following page 34 PART ONE: Inuit Identity 50 1 Naming 52 2 The Family 60 3 Animals 92 4 Hunting 99 5 Gathering 127 6 Food Sharing 135 7 Leadership 144 8 Justice 148 9 Music and Dance 155 10 Astronomy 160 11 Navigation 162 12 The Land 167 13 External Relations 175 Inuit 175 Indians 186 14 Tuniit 192 15 Unusual Beings 199 16 Cosmology 209 17 Shamanism 225 18 Singaijuq (Pregnancy) and Irnisuktuq (Labour) 245 19 Medicine 258 20 Death and Burial 270 21 Architecture 275 Introduction 275 Dwellings 276 Caches - Preserving for the Future 295 Inuksuit/Inuksugait - Indicators of the Past 304 22 Material Culture 311 Introduction 311 Hunting Equipment 317 Boats 321 Qimmiit (Dogs) 329 Qamutiit (Sledges) 338 Domestic Equipment 346 23 Skin Preparation and Clothing 356 Skin Preparation 356 Clothing 364 PART TWO: Regional Identity 386 24 Inuit Seasonal Rounds 388 25 Seasonal Round of the Ahiarmiut 391 26 Seasonal Round of the Arviligjuarmiut 409 27 Seasonal Round of the Amitturmiut 432 28 Seasonal Round of the Inuinnait 458 Conclusion 484 Glossary 486 A 486 H 489 I 489 K 491 M 491 N 492 P 493 Q 494 S 496 T 496 U 498 Bibliography 500 Index of Elders Quoted in the Text 506 A 507 B 508 E 508 H 508 I 509 K 509 M 510 N 511 O 511 P 511 Q 512 S 512 T 513 U 513 General Index 514 A 514 B 514 C 515 D 516 E 516 F 516 G 517 H 517 I 517 J 518 K 518 L 518 M 518 N 519 O 519 P 519 Q 519 R 520 S 520 T 521 U 522 V 522 W 522 "Uqalurait" presents a comprehensive account of Inuit life on land and sea ice, in the area now called Nunavut, before extensive contact with southerners. Drawing on a broad range of oral history sources - from nineteenth-century exploration accounts to contemporary community-based projects - the book uses quotes from over three hundred Inuit elders to provide an 'inside' view of family life, social relations, hunting, the land, shamanism, health, and material culture. For the first time, the reader encounters Inuit culture and traditional knowledge through the voices of people who lived the life being described. Based on a larger research project developed under the guidance of six Inuit from across Nunavut, "Uqalurait" consists of thousands of quotations organised thematically into cohesive chapters. The book describes the seasonal rounds of four different groups, capturing the fact that while Inuit across Nunavut had much in common, there was also much to distinguish them from each other, living as they did in many small groups of people, each with its own territory and identity. Given the recent creation of Nunavut, and the current focus of attention on the Arctic due to climate change, "Uqalurait" is a timely source of insight from a people whose values of sharing and respect for the environment have helped them to live contentedly for centuries at the northern limit of the inhabitable world. "A compilation of the traditional knowledge of Inuit elders guided by Inuit from across Nunavut, Uqalurait consists of thousands of quotations organized thematically to cover all aspects of traditional life. The book describes the seasonal rounds of four different cultural groups, illustrating that while Inuit across the land now known as Nunavut had much in common, there was also much to distinguish them from each other, living as they did in many small groups of people, each with its own territory and identity."--BOOK JACKET.