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Inuit Culture and Traditional Life

Inuit traditionally lived a nomadic lifestyle in the Arctic regions of Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and Russia. They developed unique tools and methods of survival in the harsh climate, such as igloos made of snow blocks and kayaks for fishing. The Inuit diet consisted almost entirely of meat from whales, seals, and fish. They wore thick parkas and boots made of animal skins and fur to stay warm. While modern homes and technology have changed Inuit life, traditional storytelling, language, and community values remain an important part of Inuit culture.

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Garret Morton-Brooke
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34 views2 pages

Inuit Culture and Traditional Life

Inuit traditionally lived a nomadic lifestyle in the Arctic regions of Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and Russia. They developed unique tools and methods of survival in the harsh climate, such as igloos made of snow blocks and kayaks for fishing. The Inuit diet consisted almost entirely of meat from whales, seals, and fish. They wore thick parkas and boots made of animal skins and fur to stay warm. While modern homes and technology have changed Inuit life, traditional storytelling, language, and community values remain an important part of Inuit culture.

Uploaded by

Garret Morton-Brooke
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Inuit Culture, Traditions, and History

Traditional Inuit way of life was influenced by the harsh climate and stark landscapes
of the Arctic tundra – from beliefs inspired by stories of the aurora to practicalities like homes
made of snow. Inuit invented tools, gear, and methods to help them survive in this
environment. Read on to learn more about traditional Inuit ways of life, and how Inuit culture
has been changed over the past century.

Geography
Inuit communities are found in the Arctic, in the Northwest Territories, Labrador and Quebec
in Canada, above tree line in Alaska (where people are called the Inupiat and Yupik), and in
Russia (where people are called the Yupik people). In some areas, Inuit people are called
“Eskimos” however many Inuit find this term offensive. The word “Inuit” means “the people”
in the Inuktitut language.

Inuit Homes
In the tundra, where Inuit communities are found, there are not many building materials. No
trees grow in the tundra so houses cannot be made from wood unless it is transported
from elsewhere. However, during a large part of the year, the cold part, there is a lot of
snow in the tundra. And it turns out that snow can be a very good construction material.
In the winter, Inuit lived in round houses made from blocks of snow called "igloos". In the
summer, when the snow melted, Inuit lived in tent-like huts made of animal skins
stretched over a frame. Although most Inuit people today live in the same community
year-round, and live in homes built of other construction materials that have to be
imported, in the past Inuit would migrate between a summer and winter camp, which
was shared by several families.

Getting Around
To travel from one place to another, Inuit used sleds made of animal bones and skins pulled
over the snow and ice by dogs. Strong dogs with thick fur like huskies, bred by Inuit, were
used. On the waters of the Arctic Ocean, small boats called “kayaks” were used for hunting
while larger boats called “umiaq” transported people, dogs, and supplies.

Finding Food
Because Inuit live in places where most plants cannot grow, the traditional diet consisted of
almost entirely meat. Inuit fished and hunted to get their food. Whales, walruses, seals, fish
were staples of their diet.

Clothing for Staying Warm


Traditional Inuit clothing was made from animal skins and fur. Boots were also made from
animal skins. Large, thick coats with big hoods called “parkas” were worn as an outer layer.
Today the parka style of coat is worn in other places in the world and it is made of many other
materials.

Traditions
Although Inuit life has changed significantly over the past century, many traditions continue.
Traditional storytelling, mythology, and dancing remain important parts of the culture. Family
and community are very important. The Inuktitut language is still spoken in many areas of the
Arctic and is common on radio and in television programming.

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