First Contact
Inuit began to change when the coming white people. The first white people were the Norseman that seen by Inuit, about A.D. 1003. Several hundred years later, the Inuit's scattered group met and had business with European explorer for knives and iron pots. Before, Inuit just worked only for their families, but now, they worked for whalers. They not only worked on ships but also trapping animals, to supply furs, oil and other whale products for far. They no longer had to hunt for food; whales gave them fox pelts to exchange. In 1850s, Anglican and Roman Catholic missionaries brought Christianity to the north. They invented a system of writing, established schools, hospitals and nursing station. The man of the Hudson's Bay company had built trading posts all across the Arctic. They taught Inuit many ways to live easily. Animals could be killed easier, so the numbers of them decreased faster. The Inuit had no resistance to the diseases from white men, there had many people died. In 1946, there were only 750 remained. World War II brought modern technology to the Arctic. Because of the white men lived in the Arctic, James Houston, an artist and friend of the Inuit. In 1949, started to think some ways they could living with their traditional way. He helped them to sell their carving in South Canada, later he encouraged them to make prints and other art stuffs. The West Baffin Eskimo cooperative was the first organized to support this industry. There have many shops for Inuit's works of art now. The Inuit wants to manage their own business and control their land and its natural resource. Most of the Inuit families now live in the conventional houses, shop for their food and clothing, enjoy television and travel by plane. There are some old ways remain, but that is not turning back, the change of the Inuit is forever.
Mythology
_Anirniit
The Inuit believed the presence of spirits and souls. The spirits remain still after death. For them, killing an animal is not much different from killing a person. Because once the animiq (spirit) of the dead does not belong to the body anymore, it is free to take revenge. The spirits can only be appeased by obeying to customs, avoiding taboos, and performing the rituals.
Placating the spirits was important because of the harshness of the Inuit’s lives. They were always feared of different forces. Their lives were rough because they lived in the Arctic. By not obeying to the spirits, it might lead to their extinction.
Although anirniq belonged to individuals, they were once a part of a larger whole. Because of that, they could borrow powers of an anirniq. In some cases, it is the anirniq who saved the Inuit when they faced dangers.
Tuurngait
Some spirits were not connected to bodies, which were called tuurngait. Some were helping spirits, and some were evil spirits. An benevolent angakkuq could use tuurngait to heal the sickness, find animals to hunt and feed the community. The monstrous angakkuq could use tuurngait for their personal gain, and attack other people’s spirits.
Angakuit
The angakkuq was a community of healers and guiders, not leaders. They would invoke spirits to assist people or fight off bad spirits. They were not trained, but born with the ability. Dances, drums, and chants were present in the performance of the angakkuq.
The Inuit believed the presence of spirits and souls. The spirits remain still after death. For them, killing an animal is not much different from killing a person. Because once the animiq (spirit) of the dead does not belong to the body anymore, it is free to take revenge. The spirits can only be appeased by obeying to customs, avoiding taboos, and performing the rituals.
Placating the spirits was important because of the harshness of the Inuit’s lives. They were always feared of different forces. Their lives were rough because they lived in the Arctic. By not obeying to the spirits, it might lead to their extinction.
Although anirniq belonged to individuals, they were once a part of a larger whole. Because of that, they could borrow powers of an anirniq. In some cases, it is the anirniq who saved the Inuit when they faced dangers.
Tuurngait
Some spirits were not connected to bodies, which were called tuurngait. Some were helping spirits, and some were evil spirits. An benevolent angakkuq could use tuurngait to heal the sickness, find animals to hunt and feed the community. The monstrous angakkuq could use tuurngait for their personal gain, and attack other people’s spirits.
Angakuit
The angakkuq was a community of healers and guiders, not leaders. They would invoke spirits to assist people or fight off bad spirits. They were not trained, but born with the ability. Dances, drums, and chants were present in the performance of the angakkuq.