Interest in Eskimo

By: Carly Le Blanc

10/20/07

I looked through the Original Visions book for discussions of Inuit culture because that is a primal culture I know the least about. Plus, I find it fascinating that they are able to survive in such extreme conditions. Carmody and Carmody state that their myths have a “relative poverty” because of the bleakness of their snow covered land. Their culture has many taboos involving the fear of blood and appeasing the departed. Their excessive caution in interaction with the environment is probably based on the environment itself. In these areas there are threats of blizzards, exposure, winds, ice-breaking; weather is unpredictable. With such a tumultuous atmosphere it is natural for them to develop many guidelines for behavior. Their creation story dealt with a woman who is banished to live on the floor of the ocean and controls the sea animals. She was punished for having her father’s feet gnawed off. Whenever she is upset she tangles the sea animals in her hair and prevents the Eskimos from hunting game. If she does this it is because of the tribesmen have committed a taboo. It is important to be skilled but it is more important to be in tune with the spiritual realm. Reading this passage helped me understand the importance and relationship between time-space and tribal people. How their environment really shaped every single aspect of their lives. At the same time, I was surprised at how similar Eskimo tribes are to those in gentler climates.