The Esquimaux

ESQUIMAUX

Leader:

The story of Summary:
 * Motivation (abstract want):
 * Goal (concrete want):
 * Conflict (obstacles):

Esquimaux groups are justly famous for elaborate artisanship. They live in small bands, in voluntary association under a leader recognized for his ability to provide for the group. Only the most personal property is considered private; any equipment reverted through disuse to those who have need for it. In the traditional Esquimaux economy, the division of labor between the sexes is strict; men construct homes and hunt, and women take care of the homes and children. Their religion is imbued with a rich mythology, and shamanism (a form of druidic magic) is practiced in their lands. The Esquimaux people live in an environment that inspires a mythology filled with adventure tales of whale and walrus hunts. Long winter months of waiting for caribou herds or sitting near breathing holes hunting seals gave birth to stories of mysterious and sudden appearances of ghosts and fantastic creatures.

The Esquimaux have trade relations with more southern culture in the Pygmy Kingdom; boundary disputes are common and have given rise to aggressive actions. Warefare, in general, is not uncommon among those Esquimaux groups with sufficient population density.

The Esquimaux speak chiefly one of the traditional Esquimaux languages or dialects, sometimes grouped under the term Inuktitu, but they may also speak the predominant language of Colonials. Inuktitu is mainly spoken in Inuktitut.

The Esquimaux are traditionally hunters and fishers. They hunt whales, walrus, caribou, seal, polar bears, birds, and at times other less commonly eaten animals such as the snow fox. The typical Esquimaux diet is high in protein and very high in fat - in their traditional diets, Esquimaux consume an average of 75% of their daily energy intake from fat. While it is not possible to cultivate plants for food in their lands the Esquimaux have traditionally gathered those that are naturally available. Grasses, tubers, roots, stems, berries, and seaweed (kuanniq or edible seaweed) are collected and preserved depending on the season and the location.

The natives hunt sea animals from single-passenger, covered seal-skin boats called qajaq  which are extraordinarily buoyant, and can easily be righted by a seated person, even if completely overturned. Esquimaux also make umiaq, larger open boats made of wood frames covered with animal skins, for transporting people, goods and dogs. They are 20–39 feet long and have a flat bottom so that the boats can come close to shore. In the winter, Esquimaux will also hunt sea animals by patiently watching an aglu (breathing hole) in the ice and waiting for the air-breathing seals to use them. This technique is also used by the polar bear, who hunts by seeking out holes in the ice and waiting nearby. On land, the Esquimaux use dog sleds (qamutik) for transportation. The husky dog breed comes from Esquimaux breeding of dogs and wolves for transportation. A team of dogs in either a tandem/side-by-side or fan formation pulls a sled made of wood, animal bones, or the baleen from a whale's mouth and even frozen fish, over the snow and ice. The Esquimaux use stars to navigate at sea and landmarks to navigate on land; they possess a comprehensive native system of toponomy. Where natural landmarks are insufficient, the Esquimaux erect an inukshuk  (a small pit-house).

Dogs play an integral role in the annual routine of the Esquimaux. During the summer they become pack animals, sometimes dragging up to 44 lbs of baggage and in the winter they pull the sled. Yearlong they assist with hunting by sniffing out seals' holes and pestering polar bears. They also protect the Esquimaux villages by barking at bears and strangers. The Esquimaux generally favor, and try to breed, the most striking and handsome of dogs, especially ones with bright eyes and a healthy coat. The Esquimaux perform rituals over the newborn pup to give it favorable qualities; the legs are pulled to make them grow strong and the nose is poked with a pin to enhance the sense of smell. Esquimaux industry relies almost exclusively on animal hides, driftwood, and bones, although some tools are also made out of worked stones, particularly the readily worked soapstone. Walrus ivory is a particularly essential material, used to make knives. Art plays a big part in Esquimaux society, with small sculptures of animals and human figures, usually depicting everyday activities such as hunting and whaling, being carved from ivory and bone. Marriage is common for women at puberty and for men when they became productive hunters. Family structure is flexible: a household might consist of a man and his wife (or wives) and children; it might include his parents or his wife's parents as well as adopted children; it might be a larger formation of several siblings with their parents, wives and children; or even more than one family sharing dwellings and resources. Every household has its head, an elder or a particularly respected man. There is also a larger notion of community as, generally, several families shared a place where they wintered. Goods are shared within a household, and also, to a significant extent, within a whole community. Virtually all Esquimaux cultures have oral traditions of raids by other indigenous peoples, including fellow Esquimaux, and of taking vengeance on them in return, such as the Bloody Falls Massacre. Outside observers often regard these tales as generally not entirely accurate historical accounts, but more as self-serving myths. However, evidence shows that the Esquimaux culture has quite accurate methods of teaching historical accounts to each new generation. Justice within Esquimaux culture is moderated by the form of governance that gives significant power to the elders. As in most cultures on Caelum, justice can be harsh and often includes capital punishment for serious crimes against the community or the individual. During raids against other peoples, the Esquimaux, like their non-Esqumaux neighbours, tend to be merciless.