Ice... Ice.. babe!!
October 15th 2006 08:39
Tell Tale of a picture!
'Sun shine' of my life?!
Today’s post is the tell tale series of photos on Eskimos!!!
I have barely been ‘in & out’ of Photographytips for past couple of weeks, deeply buried onto my thesis all fired up and steaming. Hence decided to write on some ‘kool’ stuff that’ll help me calm down & cool down…
These bunch of people ‘Eskimos’ have been fascinating me for a while. Man! can you imaging living in an environment that never hits over zero degree celcius?
My ideal temperature is anything between 15 degree C and 20 degree C! I hear some of you already winching. Love my food to be properly cooked and enjoy my regular/ daily showers..
Imagine if I’m to swap place with an Eskimo – eating raw meeting and never to shower… uh well just the mere thought had the my hair stand at its root!! Should have the next Survivor – be is celebrity or non-celebrity hosted in this region. I’m sure most will drop off like the dead fly.
Ayee..yaa.. I'm not the.. urrr.. Santa..
Given below are a quick facts & figures about our brave citizens of Planet Earth!
• Eskimo (‘eaters of raw meat’) is a general term for the population from Alaska to Greenland and Asia. Eskimos in Canada and Greenland use the name Inuit (inuk = human being).
• The Igloos (from an Eskimo word meaning "home") was constructed of packed snow and used only during the winter, when villages of these structures were built on the firm ocean ice of the central Arctic to facilitate seal hunting through holes in the ice.
• During the summer, people would leave the permanent communities and live in animal- skin tents at favourite spots for seal hunting, for fishing, or for collecting birds, eggs, and plants. (wow! It’s like being on holiday 24X7)
• The igloo Sea mammals, fish and caribou are important for food and economy.
The..house..urrr...we live like you..people..now
Traditional way of life
• Traditional weapons were crafted from ivory and bones.
• Eskimo population in the United States is about 60,000 and 33,000 in Canada. In these states Eskimos live in settled communities. Instead of the dogsled they use the snowmobile and instead of traditional weapons firearms.
• Eastern Eskimo people - the Inuit - speak Inuktitut, and western Alaskan Eskimo communities - the Yup'ik - speak Yup'ik.
• One of the most striking aspects of traditional Eskimo culture is its relative homogeneity across more than 8,000 km (5,000 mi) of the vast expanses of the Arctic
• The ability of the Eskimo to adapt successfully to a cold and harsh environment depended on a highly inventive material culture and particular values and psychological traits.
• In all Eskimo areas an annual cycle took place in which groups spent the winter together in a larger settlement and then dispersed into smaller, family- sized bands during the summer. (Holly-molly we should consider practicing this to conserve energy)
No.. hi-tech we live with 'Wolf' tech or 'Dog' tech..
Clothing and Transportation
• Traditionally, nearly all parts of animals killed by the Eskimo were used. Eskimo clothing was made from skins of birds and animals (seal, caribou, and polar bear). Sewn with sinew thread and bone needles, hooded jackets, pants, and waterproof boots were well adapted to cold and wet climatic conditions. Skins were also processed into tents and boats, and bones were made into weapons.
• Everywhere the Eskimo depended on the DOGSLED as a mode of winter transportation over both land and the frozen sea. The sled was drawn by 2 to 14 huskies and was usually made from wood; where wood was unavailable (as in certain regions of central Canada), dried salmon was sometimes used as structural material for sleds!
What? 'Good day'.. oh i'm not sure its 'night' or 'day'.. it's always dark..
Religion and Art
• Eskimo religion was animistic. It imputed spirits, or souls, to most animals and to important features of the landscape. Human beings had several souls, or spiritual substances, one of which was the name. After death it was believed that the name and the personality of its bearer would enter the body of a newborn infant given the same name.
• Arts and crafts were expressed mainly in etched decorations on ivory harpoon heads, needlecases, and other tools; in carved sculpture in ivory, tooth, or soapstone; in skin sewing; in dancing and the composition of songs; and in storytelling. Elaborate wooden masks were also made by the Alaskan Eskimo.
Oh.. my house was over there... but now melted so.. i'm moving... don't know where to...
ESKIMO LIFE TODAY
• Wherever they live--Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Siberia--the Eskimo are now much involved in the modern world. Not only they’ve wholeheartedly adopted much of its technology, but they also use imported food, clothing, and house forms; similarly, their educational, recreational, economic, religious, and governmental institutions have been heavily influenced by the dominant European, Canadian, American, and Soviet cultures.
yah... I hear in tropical zone they 'cook' food.. what a waste of time..
Global warming endangers the existence of Eskimos
"People worry about the polar bear becoming extinct by 2070 because there will be no ice from which they can hunt seals, but the Inuit face extinction for the same reason and at the same time.” Read more...
Which mean, the tribe too is not assured of existence without a fight for their survival.
"The ocean is too warm. Our elders, who instruct the young on the ways of the winter and what to expect, are at a loss. Last Christmas after the ice had formed the temperature rose to 4C [39F] and it rained. We'd never known it before."
Among the problems the Inuit face is permafrost melting, which has destroyed the foundations of houses, eroded the seashore and forced people to move inland. Airport runways, roads and harbours are also collapsing.
Bigfoto: free photo down load
Bibliography: Brody, Hugh, Living Arctic (1987); Burch, E.S., and Forman, W., The Eskimos (1988);
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Comment by Chantal
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
Health Focus
Poetry Lighthouse
MS Paint Art
Currently I'm using computer art as a motif for various issues I'm trying to promote.
I'd love to have your comments. I've two blogs, you'll need to visit both for a comprehensive view.
There's no need to spend a lot of time, you're obviously flat chat, just an overall opinion on each would
suffice.
katyzzz
I'll keep my eye on your further work
Comment by Smiley Eyes
thanks heaps =)
.. was a bit lost in my thesis writing... will be back with more soon be on the look out
Comment by Smiley Eyes
sure I'll spend some time on these blogs of yours... from one passionate heart to another passionate heart... Well done!
should be a good / soothing distraction inbetween my thesis writing..
Take care Katyzzz =)
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
Health Focus
Poetry Lighthouse
MS Paint Art
In between times I'll see you over at my place.
katyzzz! Guess who's coming to dinner?
Comment by Smiley Eyes
any hint??