Inuit Culture over Time

The Inuit people of Nunavik in Quebec province in Canada had lived in the harsh environment of the arctic for thousands of years with little contact from the outside world, but the Europeans have changed that, and the Inuit people have had to adapt to contact with other cultures and new technology. In the beginning of the Inuit Culture, the people had to be extremely resourceful in order to help the cope with the harsh environment of the Arctic, but when the Europeans arrived they made environmental changes and they also forced cultural changes upon the Inuit people. Now the Inuit people of Canada are forming their own governmental system which will allow them to protect and gain wealth from their own resources. The geographic features of Nunavik hugely influence how the Inuit people obtain food and shelter because it is such a harsh environment. As modern technologies became more prevalent, traditional methods of surviving were forgotten for many reasons. Pita Aatami, the president of the Makavik Corporation, is a tribal leader who, along with other tribal leaders, has a vision of incorporating modern technologies with traditional values.

The Inuit people of Nunavik had a very distinct culture before the Europeans arrived. The modes of transportation consisted of dog sleds, and kayaks made of skin and bone. Because of the cold climate, they ate animals from the ocean and rivers such as Beluga Whales, seals, and fish. In the summer, they found berries to eat. There are no trees in the arctic, so they used other resources to build shelter. They lived mostly in igloos, made of ice blocks and sealed by pouring water over them and letting it freeze. They also built sheds and other buildings out of whale bones and various animal...

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...e Canadian government for the Nunavik Corporation’s plan for a Nunavik Regional Government. She first had the idea for the self government when she was vice-president of the Nunavik Corporation. She is now a board member on the Board of Nasavvik (an Inuit Health and Changing Environment agency) and is also on the Circumpolar Inuit Health Steering Committee. She has been working on Nunavik self government since 2002.

The Inuit people of Nunavik have used their incredible resourcefulness to survive in the harsh environment of the Tundra and have a rich culture, but with the arrival of European technology, government and environmental destruction, their way of life has been threatened and much of their old culture has been lost. They are working to preserve their culture by passing it through education, and negotiating for more control so that they can do that.