Ai - Hello in Inuktitut

[sakamvari]

Ai is a common greeting in Canadian Arctic. We present to you some interesting information about Canadian Arctic.

In case you are from Canadian Arctic and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Inuktitut which is also known as the Inuit language, is spoken by the native people of the Canadian Arctic. The 2016 census reported there are around 39,770 speakers. Inuktitut is part of a larger Inuit language continuum (a series of dialects) stretching from Alaska to Greenland.

Here are some interesting facts about the Inuit people:

1. Did you know that Inuit have inventive forms of transportation? When you live in an area that is mostly snowy, it becomes important to find easier forms of transportation than walking. Therefore, some of the early Inuit tribes were responsible for creating qamutik, or dogsleds, and qajaqs, which are now known as kayaks.

2. Inuit folklore is incredibly extensive. For the ancient Inuit people, their mythological creature to fear and stand in awe of was called the Qallupilluk.

(Image source: http://www.inuitmyths.com/qallupilluk.htm)

3. Most people have heard the phrase "Eskimo kiss," and it is not uncommon to see non-Inuit couples doing this as a form of affection. The reality, though, is that the Inuit do not rub noses in order to kiss, but they actually smell each other’s cheeks and hair. This act is known as kunik.

4. Did you know that Inuit people prefer to be called ‘Inuk’ or ‘Inuit’ - but not ‘Eskimos’?

5. As of 2012, a whopping 89 percent of the total population of Greenland was Inuit. This means that there are an estimated 51,349 Inuit people living in this country, and the vast majority of them live in the southwestern corner.

(Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/387098530448704250/)

6. The ancient Inuit had no way to get their hands on steel, but they still needed protection from the elements and dangerous animals. Due to this, they crafted their own version of armor out of raw leather straps and bone plates, which were usually made from walrus teeth.

7. Tourists who visit here are often excited to purchase an original piece of Inuit art. The most commonly available example of this art is a little statue that is known as a tupilak.

(Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/388224430357618676/)

These are a few fun and interesting facts about Canadian Arctic. People from Canadian Arctic, if you want to share more such facts about Inuit culture and heritage, please let us know!

[crazybeats]

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[vittoriavetra]

@sakamvari The word tupilak means ancestor's soul or spirit.