Inuit Tradition Flashcards
Symbol
Inukshuk
Made out of stone
Representative of a person
Sense of being
Eskimo
Derogatory term
Arctic context - tundra
No trees to cremate Ground is permanently frozen Limited vegetation Winter dominant season Extreme cold
Polytheism (nature power)
Wind and rain sea storms
Snow storms
Moon and sun
Darkness
Henotheism
Sila above nature powers
The sky, wind, source of breath
One god above all
Monism (indwelling)
Unseen power of breath indwells all beings
Everything is one
Impacts hunting, sharing spirit with the animal
Sacralization of Sky/breath
Sila Air and wind Animating breath Gives. Breath to humans and animals Sky has a sense of Essense
Spirits: Angita
Inhabits the underworld for a year
Seasonal sense
Snow and ice are there for 9 months, things melt and then you can get out in the water and fish
Punished the dead for taboos they violated
Shaman can interact with the dead
Metaphysical categories
The breath soul: sila god of wind, imparts life to humans and animals
The name soul: individual soul returns to sila at death
The free soul: leaves body at death or travels out of body
Dogs and Inuit
Transportation
Fan out dogs
Hunting and protection
Polar bear
Nanuq Power and speed Luminescent fur Can talk to other bears when did Hunting is survival
The aurora borealis
Lantern of evil spirits
Red indicates a storm
Could be multiple lives and transmigrated to other life forms
The dancing spirits of children
The spirits of animals killed in the hunt (celebration light) green
Role of shaman.
Request the return of the animals
Kill and eat them but they need to be brought back
Responsibility on his shoulders
Attract animal to hunters Drive away evil spirits Healing power of spirits Communicate with spirits Helping spirits Evil spirits
Burial
Above ground (rock piles, caves)
Corpse dressed for journey
Weapons in graves of men
Thinking like hunters
Dog skull in graves of women and children
Protector of life and the after life
Keep their skills don’t kill them, but use them at appropriate times
