Hunters, Predators and Prey: Inuit Perceptions of Animals

Description

Inuit hunting traditions are rich in perceptions, practices and stories relating to animals and human beings. The authors examine key figures such as the raven, an animal that has a central place in Inuit culture as a creator and a trickster, and qupirruit, a category consisting of insects and other small life forms. After these non-social and inedible animals, they discuss the dog, the companion of the hunter, and the fellow hunter, the bear, considered to resemble a human being. A discussion of the renewal of whale hunting accompanies the chapters about animals considered ‘prey par excellence’: the caribou, the seals and the whale, symbol of the whole. By giving precedence to Inuit categories such as ‘inua’ (owner) and ‘tarniq’ (shade) over European concepts such as ‘spirit ‘and ‘soul’, the book compares and contrasts human beings and animals to provide a better understanding of human-animal relationships in a hunting society. Contents List of Figures Acknowledgements Part I. Introduction 1. Theoretical Perspectives 2. The Animals and Their Environment 3. The Making of a Good Hunter Part II. Life and Death 4. The Raven, the Bringer of Light 5. Qupirruit, Masters of Life and Death Part III. Fellow Hunters 6. The Dog, Partner of the Hunter 7. The Bear, a Fellow Hunter Part IV. Prey 8. The Caribou, the Lice of the Earth 9. The Seal, the Offspring of the Sea Woman 10. The Whale, Representing the Whole Comparisons and Conclusions Appendix. Inuit Elders Glossary of Inuktitut Words References Index