Buzz
Eskimos, also called Eskimaux, Inuit-Yupik, and Inupiat-Yupik, are the hardy people of the North who endure some of the most unforgiving environments known to humankind, navigating icy waters in their kayaks.
But how much do we truly understand about them? Beyond the iconic igloos, harpoons, and fur-lined hoods, many people know little about these ancient hunter-gatherers and their descendants today.
10. The Origin of the Name
While the term 'eskimo' is often used in neutral contexts, it is generally regarded as somewhat offensive, similar to how the term 'Indian' is considered derogatory by Native Americans. Despite this, it remains an accepted and widely used scientific term with a relatively clear etymology. The word 'eskimo' is believed to originate from either Danish or French (from 'eskimeaux'), but it's more likely derived from an old Algonquian word 'askimo.' Researchers disagree on whether it means 'meat eater' or 'snow-shoe netter.'
Nonetheless, many Eskimos themselves find the term insulting. Out of respect for this proud group, we’ll refrain from using it wherever possible. The term 'Inuit' is widely accepted and used by many within the community, although it’s a term that can be misleading as well: Inuit people belong to various Yupik and Inupiat cultural groups, each with numerous subgroups.
When referring to Inuit people, it’s important to note that the term is plural. The singular form for one member of the group is 'Inuk.'
9. The Inuit Nose Touch
An Eskimo kiss involves two people rubbing their noses together as a gesture of affection. It is often believed that the Inuit people replaced traditional kissing with this nose-to-nose action to avoid the risk of freezing their saliva and getting their lips stuck together in an awkward or dangerous way. However, there’s more to this gesture than most people realize.
The Eskimo kiss is actually called 'kunik,' and it has little to do with kissing or rubbing noses. It’s a form of intimate greeting, often shared between couples or parents and children. While it may seem like noses are being rubbed, the individuals are actually sniffing each other’s hair and cheeks, which contain scent glands. This allows them to quickly recall each other's scent, strengthening their connection after being apart.
Though kunik isn’t technically a form of kissing, it is considered an intimate gesture and is typically not performed in public.
8. Traditional Cuisine
While the shift to Western-style diets has influenced the traditional Inuit eating habits, their historical food practices remain intriguing. A vegetarian would find it difficult to adapt to the diet of a traditional Inuit tribe. Due to the harsh, cold environment they inhabit, their diet consists mostly of meat, with occasional additions of berries and seaweed. Even today, fruits and vegetables are rare and costly to import, so they continue to depend heavily on what the land provides.
The Inuit have long been skilled hunters, able to capture almost anything they encounter. Their diet includes meats such as caribou, narwhal, walrus, seal, as well as various fish and birds. Occasionally, polar bears are also part of their meals. There are several traditional food preparation methods, including drying, cooking with seal oil, or fermenting by burying. Some foods are consumed raw, such as frozen whitefish, which is considered a delicacy by some.
It may seem that a meat-heavy diet would lead to health issues, but surprisingly, the Inuit who maintain this diet are among the healthiest people globally. This phenomenon, known as the 'Inuit Paradox', has captured the attention of scientists for years.
7. Igloos
The igloo is an iconic structure of the Inuit people, an innovative dome-shaped shelter made from blocks of ice and snow. Ingeniously crafted from the very elements that necessitate a shelter in the first place, the igloo harnesses snow's insulating properties to provide a warm and comfortable refuge.
While most people envision igloos as small snow domes, they actually come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. For the Inuit, the word 'igloo' simply refers to any 'building people live in.' It doesn't matter what the size, shape, or materials are; an igloo can be any structure used for living. So, there's a good chance you’re reading this article right now inside an igloo.
6. Qallupilluk
Every culture has its mythical creatures, even those surrounded by real dangers in their everyday lives. The Inuit navigated treacherous ice fields and hunted formidable animals like walruses and polar bears. While terrifying tales of mythical monsters might not have been enough to scare children, there was one creature that even the Inuit children feared.
Qallupilluk (also known as Qalupalik or Kallupilluk, which translates to 'The Monster') was the Inuit people's version of a bogeyman. According to legend, it was a grotesque humanoid lurking beneath the water, ready to drag unsuspecting individuals into the cold, unforgiving sea. This was a well-founded and understandable fear in an Arctic society where a fall into the water often meant certain death.
5. Blond Eskimos
In 1912, explorer Stefansson discovered an unusual Inuit tribe entirely made up of blonde, tall, Scandinavian-like individuals. This sparked intense debate regarding the origins of the tribe. Most people came to the conclusion that these blonde Inuit from the Canadian Arctic were descendants of Viking explorers who had settled there centuries earlier.
Although suspicion about the Viking theory persists, especially since the tribe has not been seen since, a 2003 DNA study disproved the idea. Nevertheless, even the scientists who disproved Stefansson's claims acknowledged the theory's allure, suggesting that there might be some kernel of truth behind it. According to them, the widespread myth of the fair-haired people of the Arctic may indeed have some basis in reality, even if Stefansson's conclusions were ultimately incorrect.
4. Words For Snow
One common stereotype about the Inuit is that they have an overwhelming number of words for snow. Depending on who you ask, the Inuit language is said to contain anywhere from 50 to 400 different words, each one carefully crafted to describe a particular type of frozen precipitation.
However, this notion isn't entirely accurate. The myth of an abundance of snow-related words was unintentionally popularized in the 19th century by anthropologist Franz Boas, who lived with the Inuit and studied their culture. Boas was struck by the variety of terms the Inuit used to describe their snowy environment: Aqilokoq referred to 'softly falling snow,' piegnartoq was 'snow that's perfect for sledding,' and so on. What Boas overlooked, however, was that the Inuit language allows multiple words to be combined into a single term, creating the impression of an enormous vocabulary for snow.
In truth, the Inuit language has roughly the same number of words for snow as English does. The difference lies in how the Inuit language combines words, so what may seem like a single word could convey anything from 'yes, that's definitely snow' to 'that snow seems unusually yellow now, and it definitely wasn't yesterday.'
3. Poverty
As modern life continues to advance and legislation evolves, the Inuit have endured a fate similar to other semi-nomadic communities, such as the Aboriginal Australians. Their transition into a 'modernized' lifestyle has led to significantly higher levels of poverty and unemployment compared to many other Western regions. This, coupled with systemic discrimination and cultural neglect by officials—especially in the U.S.—has contributed to social problems, including a rise in alcoholism. Additionally, the Western diet and a less physically demanding lifestyle have given rise to a range of health concerns.
The future of Inuit culture is uncertain, but one potential avenue for survival lies in the growing interest of major corporations in the North and its rich natural resources. The Inuit possess a deep knowledge of the land and have access to a largely untapped workforce, offering hope for a more secure financial future.
2. Weapons
A distinctive tool in Inuit culture was the ulu, a large, curved knife traditionally wielded by women to slice through frozen meat. Its sharp blade also made it an effective self-defense weapon when necessary. Inuit men used a specialized tool called the kakivak, a spear with three prongs designed to impale the target with one prong while the other two trapped it from the sides to prevent escape.
Inuit weaponry was primarily designed for hunting and butchering, emphasizing tools capable of inflicting maximum damage. The blades were typically sharp, sometimes serrated, and built for tearing and rending rather than clean slicing. This rugged approach to weapon design, combined with their use in warfare when necessary, made Inuit warriors formidable and feared by their enemies.
Inuit weapons were specifically crafted to maximize the effectiveness of hunting and butchering, with a focus on inflicting as much damage as possible. Sharp, serrated blades were standard, built to tear into flesh and cause maximum harm rather than offering clean cuts. Their use for combat only added to their deadly reputation when warfare was required.
Armor played a significant role in the survival and protection of the Inuit people, providing crucial defense during harsh conditions and in conflict situations.
Traditional Inuit armor was a form of lamellar armor made from bone plates, often carved from walrus tusks, or walrus ivory. These plates were held together by leather straps. Interestingly, the design of this armor shares a remarkable resemblance to the armor worn by ancient Japanese warriors, known for its high effectiveness. The ingenuity of the Inuit in creating such functional protection using only the materials they could gather from the animals they hunted is a testament to their survival skills and resourcefulness.
The Inuit's traditional armor was composed of bone plates, typically from walrus tusks, fastened together with raw leather straps. This lamellar armor design has striking similarities to the armor used by ancient Japanese warriors, revered for its effectiveness. The fact that the Inuit could craft such a highly functional armor from materials obtained through hunting showcases their exceptional ingenuity and talent for survival.
