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Inuit
5-16-2017
So far in our series about Canada’s Indigenous peoples, we’ve focused on First Nations – a preferred name instead of the erroneous term “Indians”. It is important to realize that in addition to First Nations there are two other groups officially recognized as Canadian Aboriginal peoples: Inuit and Metis - each with their own distinct histories, perspectives, and issues.
Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language. Previously, they were called “Eskimos”, a name often used in a derogatory manner but still used today, especially in Alaska. Canadian Inuit typically live in the northern regions of our country. The Inuit homeland is known as Nanangat, which refers to the land, water and ice contained in the Arctic region – as the traditional way of life expanded from the land into the surrounding sea. There are about 60,000 Inuit in Canada, with 75% of them living in the Arctic region spread out over an area 4 million kilometers squared mainly in Nunavut, northern Quebec, northern Labrador, Northwest Territories, and Yukon.
Inuit culture, language, and way of life are very distinct from the First Nations groups who do not live in the Arctic. For at least 4000 years, the Inuit were nomadic hunters, both on land and at sea, who knew how to survive in one of earth’s harshest environments above the tree line, where it is too cold for trees to grow and there is little vegetation. The centre of Inuit society was the close-knit family. Although semi-structured tribes existed, they did not form large permanent settlements or build cities. During the summer, families would travel on extended hunting or trading trips. In the winter, they would gather in small villages and spend the long dark months together playing games, telling stories, sewing clothes, dancing, and celebrating. Kinship and cooperation formed the basis of society.
Due to the severity of the climate, European settlers initially paid little attention to exploring the Arctic. Unfortunately, even the slight contact that occurred caused mass death among the Inuit through the spread of diseases, especially Tuberculosis which wiped out entire villages. The introduction of alcohol, allure of material possessions, along with the imposition of new laws and religions, including children removed from homes to attend residential schools far away from their families, further disrupted traditional culture and norms. Like First Nations groups, Inuit people were pressured to assimilate into a “Canadian” way of life.
In the 1950s, at the height of the Cold War with Russia, the government of Canada attempted to strengthen sovereignty claims in the Far North by systematically rounded up the Inuit into permanent housing settlements, including sending Inuit families thousands of kilometers further north than where they customarily lived. This forced relocation alienated the Inuit from their traditional lifestyles and ways of survival. Furthermore, to simplify administrative tasks, personal names, which were considered too difficult to pronounce, were replaced with a location-based serial number, such as E2-354. Everyone was issued an inscribed disc stating their number-name to be worn around at all times, similar to military “dog tags”. These practices of forced relocation and the use of dehumanizing numbers instead of Inuktitut names remain dark spots in Canada’s history.
Separated from their former nomadic hunter lifestyle, Inuit today suffer from a variety of challenges such as inadequate housing, high unemployment, and lack of access to healthcare. The Far North remains isolated from the rest of Canada with 90% of Inuit towns accessible only by air. Food and supplies must be flown in making their cost soar. Although new mining operations create well-paying jobs, they require advanced education and nearly 60% of Inuit between the age of 18 to 44 do not even have a high school diploma. Even worse, the suicide rate among Inuit youth is among the highest in the world, at 11 times Canada’s national average.
Nevertheless, Inuit are resilient. Beginning in the 1970s, they successfully negotiated with the federal government for self-governance. On April 1, 1999, history was made with the establishment of the province of Nunavut, which means “our land”. Inuit self-governance inspires a renewed sense of pride, ownership, and optimism. Other Indigenous peoples across the globe look to Nunavut as an example of how to govern their own lives in their own region based on their own values and culture.
Canada is a huge country with a very diverse population. Understanding the history of our country, including acknowledging the harm done to the original inhabitants – the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis (to be discussed in the next column) helps all of us to be better citizens and treat each other with compassion and respect.
Zainab Dhanani can be reached at z_dhanani@yahoo.ca
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