INUITEskimo

Inuit Background• “Eskimo” as a derogatory term

• Once known as “Eskimo,” however, today they prefer to be called Inuit• The term "Eskimo" was originally given by neighboring

Indians and means "eaters of raw flesh," but they called themselves "Inuit," which means "the people.”

• Location• The Inuit primarily live along the far northern seacoasts of

Russia, the United States, Canada, and Greenland.

• Language• The Inuit speak a separate language that has many dialects.• Inupiaq (Alaska)• Inuktitut (Eastern Canada)• Kalaallisut (Greenland)

Traditional Inuit Practices

• Marriage• Traditional marriages in the Inuit culture

were arranged by the parents of two families.• Traditionally, parents betrothed their

children before birth or at a young age.

• Marriages took place when a girl was in middle adolescence, approximately 14 years old, and when a man entered early adulthood, around 20 years of age.

• Family• Family life in the Inuit culture maintained

a strong sense of security, intimacy, and warmth.

• Family members slept together on a common sleeping platform, with the youngest child closest to the mother.

Traditional Inuit Practices• Education• Inuit children learned by carefully observing the examples

set by their elders.• An elder would spend time with a same-sex adolescent

to demonstrate how to master various life skills• Inuit children had no set timeframe for learning skills

necessary for survival and perpetuating the culture.• Originally, speaking the Inuit native language in the

Canadian school system was a punishable offense.• Once Inuit elders got involved with the school board,

Inuktitut language was offered for the first three years of schooling.

Inuit Throat-singing • http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLMlkjnYe0U

• Throat-singing is a friendly competition between girls that was originally done while the men were away hunting.• Today it is seen more as a

“game,” with two women facing each other. • The game lasts until one loses

her breath, laughs, or breaks concentration in any way.

• Throat-singing involves deep, heavy breaths that create a unique sound.

Modern Inuit Practices• Family

• Basic family unit continues to be the immediate family, however, due to limited housing conditions in most communities, it is not unusual to find members of several families living together in crowded conditions.

• With more access to modern health care, higher percentages of children, young adults, and elders make up Inuit families today.

• Parenting• Children in the Inuit culture today are exposed to a world that is vastly different than

the world their elders grew up in (new technologies, entertainment)• This causes children to spend less time with their parents, and limits the

effectiveness of traditional childrearing because these methods relied heavily on maintaining close contact between parents and children.

• Education• There is little pressure placed upon adolescents by their families to seek higher

education or to find a full-time job. • Adolescents spend their time working, hunting/fishing, and socializing.

• Exposure to more Western customs• Modern housing, store bought materials, availability of Internet and Television, &

snowmobiles

Marriage Practices Today• Growing Inuit population• Marriage practices are different now because of a growing

population.• Availability of resources and western influences has caused

Inuit adolescents to choose their own spouse.

• Youth overall are becoming more autonomous in regards to marriage because of a larger youth population and more available resources. It is no longer necessary for Inuit families to remain so close-knit.

• Divorce• Both men and women can demand divorce, however, it is

frowned upon because it is bad for the family and the community as a whole.

Inuit Youth Then & Now• Traditional Youth

• Inuit youth had more responsibilities and demands because of a harsh environment.

• They had to make rapid transitions into adulthood. • Adolescent girls were expected to be expert seamstresses by

the age of 14 when they typically married.• Adolescent boys were expected to be able to hunt alone for

an entire family.

• Modern Youth• Adolescent Inuit spend more time with leisure activities because

of availability of food and resources. • Inuit youth typically spend a few weeks in summer learning

nomadic traditions away from home, but for the most part remain in one settlement for most of the year (a stark contrast from their nomadic heritage).

Inuit Adolescent Education• The Inuit currently maintain a

school system that is modeled after those in southern Canada.• Though some Inuit staff are

employed through the school, most of the teachers and principals are non-Inuit.

• Most Inuit communities offer schooling in the elementary, middle, and secondary levels of education.

• For most Inuit students, learning beyond the traditional academic structure is not available.• No opportunities for learning

vocational, artistic, or recreational skills.

Inuit Adolescent Education • Alarmingly high drop out rates• The drop out rate of Inuit adolescents at the high school level far

exceeds the national average.• This adds additional stress to families, contributes to the social

ills that trouble communities, and often leads to crime and suicide.

• For on-reserve Inuit communities, the drop out rate can be as high as 75%

• For off-reserve communities, the rate can be as high as 25%• Reasons for such high drop out rates:• There are many distractions for young people in modern

communities• Funding gap in education• Low achievement rates• Unemployment for Aboriginal communities

• Not surprising, there is also a low number of Inuit who complete trade certificates or college degrees given this low number of Inuit high school graduates.

Parenting• Adoption is common in Inuit society• As child continues into adolescence, a strong bond is held

between both adoptive and biological parents. • Three main themes are essential to parent-adolescent

relationships• Nurturance and attachment• Inuit nurturance is valued so heavily that at times

parents become overprotective and even engage in harsh behaviors.

• All adults in the community have the right to exercise authority over the children, however, the parents maintain the upmost authority

• The use of observation and interpersonal games when instructing children. • Interpersonal games are used to enhance the

emotional development in order for adolescents to stimulate the proper emotions for the given situation, and to give them experience when faced with such emotions.

• Autonomy and independence

Autonomy• Autonomy and Independence are essential to the Inuit

Culture • Through adolescence, children are free to express their own

independence as they begin to mature.

• Heavy emphasis on the concept of non-interference • “Inuit place a high regard on the right of individuals to lead their

lives free from interference from others.”• This concept often places Inuit adolescents in uncomfortable

situations• For example, when a child is chosen as a captain of a team, they

are likely to feel uncomfortable because they are in a position of power where they have to rank the ability of their peers.

• Autonomy measured individually• Based on what children are able to accomplish rather than whether

or not children have attained a certain level of development.

• Parents grant children the freedom to engage in almost any activity, as long as no risk in harm is involved.

• Determined to keep culture alive• The Inuit people are determined to keep their culture alive

despite modernization.• “Inuit continue to maintain their unique culture within

their distinct homeland. Despite modern influences and conveniences, Inuit have retained their language, core knowledge and beliefs” (https://www.itk.ca/about-inuit/inuit-today)

• Passed on to future generations• To insure that the culture is transmitted through

generations, Inuit youth are required to leave the permanent settlement during the summer to develop skills for the harsh environment. • During this time they can only speak the native language,

Inuktitut.

Maintaining Inuit Culture

QUESTIONS?

• What can be done in order to lower the drop out rate amongst Inuit adolescents?

• In the Inuit culture, is the concept of “non-interference” valued too much, or just enough, when impacting an adolescent’s development of autonomy?