This is an ‘Inuqsuq’ (plural: Inuqsuit) - which, in the language of Inuktitut (the language spoken predominantly by Canada’s Inuit peoples), means “to act in the capacity of a human”; it originates from the word “inuk” which means “human being”. As the image illustrates, it’s meant to be shaped as a human being and for thousands of years it has been used to serve in different functions: it’s utilized as a marker of safe/treacherous conditions (a good fishing hole, for example, or caribou crossing areas); it may indicate a place of death (perhaps where someone is buried), or an ancient burial resting place where individuals may believe their ancestors’ spirits still roam; or it may indicate the direction of the mainland.
If anyone has gone hiking around western Canada, you may have seen these Inuqsuit - they’re used by hikers as warning signs of conditions ahead, or, to indicate a more safer path. For the Inuit people, these have quite a bit of spiritual significance providing, manifestly, that one has learned the art of how to accurately interpret them.
Inuqsuit are particularly found all over northern Canada.
Nunavut is Canada’s newest territory; it officially came into being on 1 April 1999. “Nunavut” means “our land” in the Inuktitut language. In 1999 it separated from the Northwest Territories - both territories are exposed to the Artic Ocean. The Northwest Territories (NWT) is home to about 40,000 people - Dene, Metis, Inuvialuit, and non-Aboriginals; (the Dene were the NWT’s first inhabitants. Their ancestors were hunters; to this day they have an extremely diverse culture and speak many different languages amongst themselves. Metis are the descendants of marriages between European fur traders and Aboriginal women). Half of the NWT’s 40,000 residents live in the capital, Yellowknife.
Here’s a map of the NWT, i apologize it’s not the best one but it’s from the governmental website so hopefully it’s at least accurate:
As i mentioned before, half of the NWT's 40,000 residents live in its capital. But to reach the interior by land, you have to go by ferry - as of yet, it is the only mode of crossing (unless you are travelling by plane of course). This ferry crossing is approximately an hour's drive from the above picture. There's not a sufficient vehicle population to justify the financial expense of making a bridge, (at least so far). Anyways so the ferry is actually larger than this picture makes it appear to be; it can fit three 18-wheeler trucks plus about six SUV-sized vehicles. Too bad i don't have a picture of the three individuals who work full-time on this ferry, i was thinking of taking a pic of them, but i felt stupid asking them if i could:~/ The ferry's engineer is originally Iraqi, the other two were Aboriginal Canadians. All were as polite and friendly as one could imagine.
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This is a stupid picture to take but oh well. Of course each province/territory in Canada has its own license plate; this is the one for the NWT - in the shape of a polar bear. Yeah i know it's stupid but i thought it was kinda cute so i took it:
Somewhere above i mentioned bisons - it's almost inevitable that you'll come across bisons in northern Canada. They have been the source of livelihood for hundreds, if not thousands, of years for the people of this area. No part of their body is wasted - their fur of course makes for very warm coats in the winter, other parts of their hair is utilized as threads for stitching moccasins (shoes), to tie plaits in the hair and dozens of other things. Unlike current non-Aboriginal customs, no part of this animal is wasted when it is hunted by Aboriginal people.
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The one to the far left in this pic isn't actually hurt (it looks like he fell down or he was shot!); because of the heat in the weather during the time this pic was taken, they need to cool down under their dark, heavy fur - one of the ways they do this is by rolling in the dirt to expose cooler soil under the top layers which is then rubbed off onto their backs.
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heh... Sorry about the hand:~p i think my dad was driving at this point. It doesn't matter how fast/slow you are driving on the highway (which, by the way, is all single-lane and undivided), bisons will stride onto the highway at all times of the day.
This is seal-skin... subsequent to being cut and cleaned, it has to be dried and one of the techniques cultivated over the years is to have all sides of it pulled tight. i think it stays this way for a few days at the least (in order to be properly dried). After it is dried, it is stitched and shaped into moccasins/gloves/etc. Thousands of tourists come to the NWT each year and purchase items like hand-made moccasins/boots/gloves etc... the finished product sitting on the shelf has taken an immense amount of someone's hard work, time, effort, and persistence.
Within the capital city of Yellowknife itself, there are dozens of chartered planes that will take you far into the Canadian north - as long as one is properly equipped, of course, for the subzero temperatures:~) Including the pilot, it was a four-seater plane i think, but there are all sizes/types available for rental.
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Out of the middle of nowhere, we saw this sign that stated "Islamic Society of North America". i was amazed that this northern city, stuck out in the middle of such a seemingly 'isolated' region, had a Muslim population to begin with. It's not a large population but they seem to be organized enough Masha'Allah to have rented this center. The inside was the same as any other small masjid in Canada.
This is inside the NWT's legislature where all the elected members of parliament etc meet during session periods. When the NWT came into 'official' status, each province and territory in Canada gave a gift to the government; some presented art sculptures, some gifted elaborate and stylized wooden carvings, etc. Ottawa gifted the chair that's situated in the middle of the two Canadian flags. Each province presented something unique...it was usually a collection of paintings of the Canadian north, or elaborate art sculptures handcrafted by Aboriginal artists.
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i wanted to post a few more pictures but i think i'll stop this now. Hope i didn't put anyone to sleep :o If anyone has any questions/comments/criticisms, do post them so i don't feel this thread was a complete waste of time :D
Yes there are muslims in the north. There was an article in Macleans discussing the problems they face with praying (the whole daylight issue). It was a long article, if I find it I'll share it with you.
