Inuit Culture and Traditions

• The Inuit are Indigenous people residing in the northern regions of Canada
• They call their homeland Inuit Nanangat (land of ice and water).
• They valued family and lived peacefully.
• They spoke Inuktitut.

Spiritual Life

• Believed all things possess a spirit that lives on in the spirit world after death.
• Religious leaders, Shamans or Angakas, communicated with spirits through dance and charms.
• Drums were made of caribou skin.

Daily Life and Seasons

• They were nomadic, adapting to seasonal changes.
• Summers are short, winters are long.
• Summer activities included hunting caribou and fishing in open water.
• Winter survival depended on stored food and hunting sea mammals, such as seals.
• Seasonal shelters included winter igloos and summer tents.
• They used clothing and tools designed for the harsh climate.
• Winter travel was by foot or dogsled.
• Summer travel was by kayaks, umiacts, or foot.

Interactions with Europeans

• They guided Europeans and shared survival skills.
• Europeans brought knowledge and diseases like smallpox, which caused many Inuit deaths.
• Overfishing and overhunting by Europeans led to resource depletion.
• The Inuit were forced to relocate due to scarcity.

Traditional Practices in Nunavut

• Throat singing is still practiced.
• Traditional clothing, such as parkas and boots made from animal skins, are still worn.
• Hunting and fishing using traditional methods continue.
• The Inuit language, Inuktitut, is still spoken and taught.
• Inuit art forms like carvings and storytelling remain vital.