Chapter 2: Economic Systems and Decision Making
"The Inuit Society — The Importance
of Tradition" Introduction
The Inuit society of northern Canada in the last century is
an example of a traditional economy. For generations, parents
taught their children how to survive in a harsh climate, make
tools, fish, and hunt. Their children, in turn, taught these
skills to the next generation. The Inuit hunted, and it was
traditional to share the spoils of the hunt with other families.
If a walrus or bear was taken, hunters divided the kill evenly
into as many portions as there were heads of families in the
hunting party. The hunter most responsible for the kill had
first choice, the second hunter to help with the kill chose
next, and so on. Because of their tradition of sharing, and
as long as skilled hunters lived in the community, a village
could survive the long harsh winters. This custom was partially
responsible for the Inuit's survival for thousands of years.
Destination Title: Inuuqatigiit—The
Curriculum from the Inuit Perspective
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Directions
Start at the Inuuqatigiit—The Curriculum from the Inuit
Perspective Web page.
- From here, you can select categories
that will take you to information about the life and culture
of the modern-day Inuit. Read the various Web entries, or
print a hard copy whenever necessary to answer the questions
below:
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