The Inuit People

My post is solely devoted to Inuit people who live within one of the most barren, cold environments there is. The Inuit people are more commonly known as Eskimos, since this is politically incorrect and offends Inuit people I am going to cease from using it. I have always been fascinated by how these people live and survive in such harsh climates like the northern circumpolar region from eastern Siberia (Russia), across Alaska (United States), Canada, and Greenland.

What surprises me is that although these people’s diets are heavily based on different meats and only occasionally features some berries and seaweed, they are known as one of the most healthiest people in the world.The Inuit go to great lengths to get food, they spend their days traveling across treacherous ice fields, hunting massive walruses and aggressive polar bears. They live completely different lives than most of us were food is as simple as walking into a shop or home farming in our back yards. Im simply amazed by their bravery, I definitely wouldnt fancy hunting down a polar bear considering they are one of the most ferocious animals in the world.

The igloo is where an Inuit lives, its an ingenious dome-shaped building made from blocks of ice and snow. When you think of an igloo most of us see them a small tent like structures but these buildings can actually be huge. Its a clever shelter aint it ? One that is created to shelter these people from what it is actually made off. The Igloo snow’s insulating properties create a warm comfortable dwelling, which I was always surprised by as its made from such a cold property.

When we typically think of the Inuits we automatically assume that life is hard because lets face it- it is! Most of us are aware of the way they live and what they call home (igloo’s). One thing you may not have known is how they kiss- Yes how they kiss. We thought the climate had just about made lives for the Inuit people difficult enough.

For the Inuit people kissing is just not possible as it could freeze their saliva and lock their lips together, so to save this dangerous embarrassment they have their own way of showing a similar affection. An Inuit kiss involves two people rubbing their noses together as a sign of affection. So there you have it; the climate doesn’t just affect how they live, what they live in and what they eat, but how they kiss too.

If looking for further information on the Inuits these books are what you need!

U, Steltzer. (1985). Inuit: The North in Transition.Washington: Publication Washington press.

A, Balikci. (1989). The Netsilik Eskimo.Michigan: Publication University of Michigan