Silent communicators of the Arctic

One third of Canada’s landmass is in the Arctic, a vast region that is continually shaped by natural forces into endless tundra, mountains and islands. Annual temperatures in the Arctic can range from +30 degrees centigrade (approximately 86 degrees fahrenheit) to –60 degrees centigrade (approximately –70 degrees fahrenheit). These intense temperature fluctuations create an environment that forces all living things to adapt, flee or perish. For over 4,000 years Inuit and before them their ancestors the Tunniit people have adapted and made their home in this land, which is known today as Nunavut.

Traditional Inuit society was nomadic, oral based and used only what the land and sea provided. In Inuktitut one of the languages of the Inuit, the word Inukshuk (singular of Inuksuit) means “likeness of a person”. Inukshuk and Inuksuit have been employed over thousands of years as a method of communication to others.

Inukshuk varies in size, shape, location and communication functions. Built from whatever natural stone was at hand, by people of varying talents, each one is as different as a fingerprint. Placement and arrangement of the inukshuk were as carefully thought out as construction. Some inukshuk were placed to be visible from a great distance, other, inukshuks were to be seen against a snowy backdrop, some inukshuk frame a distant point. Reaching out across the landscape the inukshuk guide hunters travelling on land, sea or ice, they indicate a dangerous place, such as deep snow or strong currents or the quickest route to the next settlement. Sometimes groups of Inukshuk are used to indicate a place to drive herds of game to where they could be killed in numbers.

Not all Inukshuk are built for practical purposes, some have spiritual meaning. The inukshuk may mark the edge of a traditional spiritual landscape or a source of prosperity, cures and protection and so are venerated, touched and given offerings.

Nowadays although most Inuit live in settlements for at least part of the year, their powerful attachment and respect for the land remains as well as their admiration for their ancestors and the traditional way of life. The Inukshuk continues to be built and have become much more than a stone marker. The Inukshuk has become a symbol of the North and of leadership, communication and the human spirit.

© 2008 Copyright Idea Incentives Inc. ™
T. 604.687.5755 | Toll Free 1.877.454.4332

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Inukshuk articles

The inukshuk!

The traditional Inuit marker or inukshuk have become as much a symbol of Canada as the Maple Leaf and the beaver. How did this happen? I had not even heard of the inukshuk until about 10 years ago. The recent buzz around the inukshuk is being established by its use as a corporate incentive award, and of course, it is use as a symbol of the upcoming games to be held in Vancouver. You may have heard some controversy regarding this as the inukshuk traditionally has nothing to do with Vancouver, the north definitely and Canada as a whole for sure, but not specifically Vancouver.

What has made this traditional Inuit inukshuk marker all the rage with corporate programs and meeting planners in Canada? I will tell you, it is the effective message associated with it and the fact that it is in the image of a human, inukshuk means likeness of a person in Inuktitut. A little background, the inukshuk has been used for centuries in the arctic as a marker for direction and caution. This theme can be used nicely when it comes to corporate incentives and awards. The cooperation that is inherent in one person leaving a marker for another to indicate direction or caution speaks directly to the corporate world and the affinity companies feel toward their top employees. It does not hurt that the inukshuk has been produced and packaged very attractively to take advantage of this synergy.

Here is a very attractive sentiment that is attached to the inukshuk.
The inukshuk, created by the Inuit people have acted as guides for travelers in Canada’s north for centuries. The Inukshuks- symbolic landmarks that act in place of a human messenger, they support survival, and give direction and leadership to all who pass by. The inukshuk is hereby given as a memory of your journey and an eternal symbol of the importance of friendship and communication between peoples, companies and countries.”

© 2008 Copyright Idea Incentives Inc. ™
T. 604.687.5755 | Toll Free 1.877.454.4332