Uqalurait
An Oral History of Nunavut
Uqalurait presents a comprehensive account of Inuit
life on land and sea ice in the area now called Nunavut,
before extensive contact with southerners. Drawing
on a broad range of oral history sources - from nineteenth-century
exploration accounts to contemporary community-based
projects - the book uses quotes from over three hundred
Inuit elders to provide an 'inside' view of family
life, social relations, hunting, the land, shamanism,
health, and material culture. For the first time,
the reader encounters Inuit culture and traditional
knowledge through the voices of people who lived the
life being described.
Based on a larger research project developed under
the guidance of six Inuit from across Nunavut, Uqalurait
consists of thousands of quotations organised thematically
into cohesive chapters. The book describes the seasonal
rounds of four different groups, capturing the fact
that while Inuit across Nunavut had much in common,
there was also much to distinguish them from each
other, living as they did in many small groups of
people, each with its own territory and identity.
Given the recent creation of Nunavut and the current
focus of attention on the arctic due to climate change,
Uqalurait is a timely source of insight from a people
whose values of sharing and respect for the environment
have helped them to live contentedly for centuries
at the northern limit of the inhabitable world.
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