THE CANADIAN ESKIMOES

The word “Eskimo”, is a word that in Canada is not usually being used because it is contemptuous, so this etnia is called by his name, inuit.

The inuit it is a common name for the different Eskimo peoples who live in the Arctic regions of America, like Alaska or Canada, and in Greenland.

THE ORIGIN

The inuit have his origins in Siberia, to the North-East of Asia. His forbears esquimo-aleutianos crossed Bering's strait and settled themselves also in North America. About the year 1000 there arose in Alaska the culture Thule, origin of the people inuit, that spread rapidly to the east, along the region of the Arctic.

THE INUITS.

They possess physical characteristics that help to survive them in the cold. The eyelashes are weighed, to protect the eyes of the radiance of the Sun that is reflected in the ice, his body is generally low and robust to retain more hot.

The inuit live in the north of Canada, Alaska and in Greenland. It is calculated that approximately 100.000 persons live in this region. They develop a nomadic life, following the migrations of the animals that they hunt, between which they can emphasize the caribous, bears, whales and seals. Of these and other animals they take advantage of all the possible parts to feed, to wrap up itself, to construct housings and tools to hunt. The hunt of seals and the fishing they allow them to obtain food even in the raw winter of the Arctic.

The sled dog has an important paper in the life inuit. On the snow or the ice, an equipment of dogs drag the qamutik, a made bobsled of wood, bones of animals, beards of the mouth of a whale and even frozen fish.

The inuit are organized in familiar groups and every member has a specific task assigned.

IGLOO.

An igloo or house of snow is a refuge constructed with blocks of snow that generally possesses the form of dome. The iglooes associate commonly with the Eskimoes, who have used them as temporary refuge for the hunters during the winter. His easy and cheap construction turns it into an alternative of housing for the inhabitants of frozen zones, where another type of structures turns out to be very onerous; on the other hand, it gives the necessary coat and the safety. It can be a permanent housing if the size and the maintenance turn out to be suitable. Diverse models and forms exist, but the most common is the dome.