Eskimos (a group of indigenous peoples that make up the indigenous population of the territory from Greenland and Canada to Alaska (USA) and the eastern edge of Chukotka (Russia). The number is about 170 thousand people. Languages ​​\u200b\u200bbelong to the Eskimo branch of the Eskimo-Aleut family. Anthropologists believe that the Eskimos - Mongoloids of the Arctic type. Their main self-name is "Inuit". The word "Eskimo" (eskimanzig - "raw eater", "one who eats raw fish") belongs to the language of the Abenaki and Athabaskan Indian tribes. From the name of the American Eskimos, this word turned into a self-name both American and Asian Eskimos.

Story

The everyday culture of the Eskimos is unusually adapted to the Arctic. They invented a turnable harpoon to hunt sea animals, a kayak, an igloo snow house, a yarangu skin house, and special deaf clothes made of fur and skins. The ancient culture of the Eskimos is original. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. a combination of hunting for a sea animal and a caribou deer, life in territorial communities are characteristic.
In the 19th century, the Eskimos did not have (except, perhaps, the Bering Sea) tribal and developed tribal organization. As a result of contacts with the alien population, great changes took place in the life of foreign Eskimos. A significant part of them switched from sea fishing to fox hunting, and in Greenland to commercial fishing. Many Eskimos, especially in Greenland, became wage laborers. The local petty bourgeoisie also appeared here. The Eskimos of Western Greenland formed into a separate people - the Greenlanders, who do not consider themselves Eskimos. The Eskimos of eastern Greenland are Angmassalik. In Labrador, the Eskimos have largely mixed with the old-timer population of European origin. Everywhere, remnants of traditional Eskimo culture are rapidly disappearing.

Language and culture

The language is Eskimo, of the Esco-Aleut family of languages. The Eskimo languages ​​are divided into two large groups - Yupik (Western) and Inupik (Eastern). On the Chukchi Peninsula, Yupik is divided into Sirenik, Central Siberian, or Chaplin and Naukan dialects. The Eskimos of Chukotka, along with their native language, speak Russian and Chukchi.
The origin of the Eskimos is debatable. The Eskimos are the direct heirs of an ancient culture spread from the end of the first millennium BC. along the shores of the Bering Sea. The earliest Eskimo culture is the ancient Bering Sea (until the 8th century AD). It is characterized by the extraction of marine mammals, the use of multi-seat leather canoes, complex harpoons. From the 7th century AD until the XIII-XV centuries. there was a development of whaling, and in the more northern regions of Alaska and Chukotka - hunting for small pinnipeds.
Traditionally, the Eskimos are animists. The Eskimos believe in spirits that live in various phenomena nature, see the connection of a person with the world of objects and living beings around him. Many believe in single creator Silya, who controls everything that happens in the world, all phenomena and laws. The goddess who gives the Eskimos the riches of the deep sea is called Sedna. There are also ideas about evil spirits, which were presented to the Eskimos in the form of incredible and terrible creatures. The shaman who lives in every Eskimo village is an intermediary who establishes contact between the world of spirits and the world of people. The tambourine for the Eskimos is a sacred object. The traditional greeting, called the "Eskimo kiss", has become a world famous gesture.

Eskimos in Russia

In Russia, the Eskimos are small ethnic group(according to the 1970 census - 1356 people, according to the 2002 census - 1750 people), living mixed or in close proximity with the Chukchi in a number of settlements on the eastern coast of Chukotka and on Wrangel Island. Their traditional occupations are marine hunting, reindeer herding, and hunting. The Eskimos of Chukotka call themselves "yuk" ("man"), "yuit", "yugyt", "yupik" (" real man"). The number of Eskimos in Russia:

The number of Eskimos in settlements in 2002:

Chukotka Autonomous Okrug:

Novoye Chaplino village 279

Sireniki village 265

Lavrentia village 214

Provideniya 174

city ​​of Anadyr 153

Uelkal village 131

Ethnic and ethnographic groups

The Asian Eskimos in the 18th century were divided into a number of tribes - the Uelentsy, the Naukans, the Chaplins, the Sirenik Eskimos, who differed linguistically and in some cultural features. In a later period, in connection with the processes of integration of the cultures of the Eskimos and the coastal Chukchi, the Eskimos retained the group features of the language in the form of the Naukan, Sirenikov and Chaplin dialects.

Along with the Koryaks and Itelmens, they form the so-called "continental" group of populations of the Arctic race, which by origin is associated with the Pacific Mongoloids. The main features of the Arctic race are presented in the northeast of Siberia in the paleoanthropological material of the boundary new era.

Writing

In 1848, the Russian missionary N. Tyzhnov published an ABC book of the Eskimo language. Modern writing based on the Latin alphabet was created in 1932, when the first Eskimo (Yuit) primer came out. In 1937 it was translated into Russian graphics. There is modern Eskimo prose and poetry (Aivangu and others). The most famous Eskimo poet is Yu. M. Anko.

The modern Eskimo alphabet based on the Cyrillic alphabet: A a, B b, C c, G g, D d, E e, E e, F f, Z s, I i, Y y, K k, L l, L l l, M m, N n, Nb nb, O o, P p, R r, C s, T t, U y, Ў ў, F f, X x, C c, H h, Sh w, Sh sch, b, Y s, b, e e, yu yu, I am.

There is a variant of the Eskimo alphabet created from the Canadian syllabary for the indigenous languages ​​of Canada.

Eskimos in Canada

The Eskimo people of Canada, known in this country under the self-name "Inuit", achieved their autonomy, with the creation on April 1, 1999 of the territory of Nunavut, allocated from the Northwest Territories.

The Eskimos of the Labrador Peninsula now also have their own autonomies: in the Quebec part of the peninsula, the Eskimo district of Nunavik is gradually increasing its level of autonomy, and in 2005, an Eskimo was also formed in the part of the peninsula that is part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. autonomous region Nunatsiavut. Inuit receive official payments from the government for living in difficult climatic conditions.

Eskimos in Greenland

Greenlanders (Eskimos of Greenland) - Eskimo people, the indigenous population of Greenland. In Greenland, between 44,000 and 50,000 people consider themselves "kalaallit", which is 80-88% of the island's population. In addition, about 7.1 thousand Greenlanders live in Denmark (2006 estimate). They speak Greenlandic, which is also widely spoken Danish. Believers are mostly Lutherans.

They live mainly along the southwestern coast of Greenland. There are three main groups:

western Greenlanders (actually kalaallit) - southwest coast;

eastern Greenlanders (angmassalik, tunumiit) - on the east coast, where the climate is mildest; 3.8 thousand people;

northern (polar) Greenlanders - 850 people. on the northwest coast; the northernmost group in the world aboriginal population.

Historically, the self-designation "kalaallit" referred only to the western Greenlanders. East and North Greenlanders called themselves only by their self-names, and the North Greenlandic dialect is closer to the Inuit dialects of Canada than to the West and East Greenlandic dialects.

eskimo cuisine

The Eskimo cuisine consists of products obtained by hunting and gathering, the basis of the diet is meat, walrus, seal, white whale, deer, polar bears, musk oxen, poultry, as well as their eggs.

Since agriculture is impossible in the Arctic climate, the Eskimos collect tubers, roots, stems, algae, berries and either eat them or harvest them for future use. Eskimos believe that a diet consisting mainly of meat is healthy, makes the body healthy and strong, and helps to keep warm.

The Eskimos believe that their cuisine is much more useful than that of the "white man".

One example is the consumption of seal blood. After eating blood and seal meat, the veins increase in size and darken. The Eskimos believe that the blood of seals strengthens the blood of the eater due to the replacement of depleted nutrients and renewal of blood flow; blood - required element Eskimo diets.

In addition, the Eskimos believe that meat diet warms if you constantly eat Eskimo. One Eskimo, Oleetoa, who ate a mixture of Eskimo and Western food, said that when he compared his strength, warmth and energy with those of his cousin who ate only Eskimo food, it turned out that his brother was stronger and more enduring. Eskimos in general tend to blame their illnesses on the lack of Eskimo food.

The Eskimos choose food by analyzing three links: between animals and people, between body, soul and health, between the blood of animals and people; as well as in accordance with the selected diet. Eskimos are very superstitious about food and its preparation and eating. They believe that a healthy human body is obtained by mixing human blood with the blood of prey.

For example, the Eskimos believe that they have entered into an agreement with seals: the hunter kills the seal only to feed his family, and the seal sacrifices himself in order to become part of the hunter's body, and if people stop following the ancient agreements and precepts of their ancestors, then the animals will be offended and stop breeding.

Freezing is a common way to preserve meat after hunting. Hunters eat part of the prey right on the spot. A special tradition is associated with fish: fish cannot be cooked within a day's journey from the place of fishing.

The Eskimos are famous for the fact that each hunter shares all the prey with everyone in the settlement. This practice was first documented in 1910.

Eating meat, fat, or other parts of an animal is preceded by laying out large pieces on a piece of metal, plastic, or cardboard on the floor, from where anyone in the family can take a serving. Since the Eskimos eat only when they are hungry, family members should not go “to the table”, although it happens that everyone in the settlement is invited to eat: a woman goes out into the street and shouts: “Ready meat!”.

The food after the hunt is different from the usual meal: when the seal is brought into the house, the hunters gather around it and are the first to receive portions as the most hungry and cooled down after the hunt. The seal is butchered in a special way, ripping open the stomach so that hunters can cut off a piece from the liver or pour blood into a mug. In addition, fat and brain are mixed and eaten with meat.

Children and women eat after the hunters. First of all, the intestines and the remains of the liver are chosen for eating, and then the ribs, the spine and the remains of the meat are distributed throughout the settlement.

The division of food was necessary for the survival of the entire settlement, young couples give part of their catch and meat to the elderly, most often to their parents. It is believed that by eating together, people become bound by bonds of cooperation.

The traditional dwelling of the Eskimos

The igloo is a typical place of residence for the Eskimos. This type The building is a building that has a domed shape. The diameter of the dwelling is 3-4 meters, and its height is about 2 meters. Igloos are built, as a rule, from blocks of ice or blocks of snow compacted with the help of wind. Also, the needle is cut out of snowdrifts, which are suitable in density, as well as in size.

If the snow is deep enough, then they break through the entrance in the floor, and also dig a corridor to the entrance. In the case when the snow is still not deep, then the front door is cut into the wall, and a separate corridor built of snow bricks is attached to the front door. It is very important that the front door to such a dwelling be below the floor level, as this ensures good and proper ventilation of the room, and also retains heat inside the igloo.

Lighting in the dwelling comes from snow walls, but sometimes windows are also made. As a rule, they are also constructed from ice or seal guts. In some Eskimo tribes, entire villages of igloos are common, which are interconnected by passages.

From the inside, the igloo is covered with skins, and sometimes the walls are also hung with the igloo. To provide even more illumination, as well as more warmth special devices are used. Due to heating, part of the walls inside the igloo can melt, but the walls themselves do not melt, due to the fact that the snow helps to bring excess heat out. Thanks to this, the temperature in the dwelling is maintained at a comfortable temperature for the existence of people. As for moisture, the walls also absorb it, and because of this, the inside of the igloo is dry.
The first non-Eskimo to build an igloo was Williamour Stefanson. It happened in 1914, and he talks about this event in many articles and in his own book. The unique strength of this type of dwelling lies in the use of uniquely shaped slabs. They allow you to fold the hut in the form of a kind of snail, which gradually narrows upwards. It is also very important to take into account the method of installation of these improvised bricks, which involves the support of the next slab on the previous brick at three points at the same time. In order to make the structure more stable, the finished hut is also watered from the outside.

Where do the Chukchi and Eskimos live is a question often asked by young children who have heard jokes or watched cartoons about polar bears. And not so rarely adults are not ready to answer it with anything other than common phrase- "in the north". And many even sincerely believe that this different names the same people.

Meanwhile, the Eskimos, like the Chukchi, are a very ancient people, with a unique and interesting culture, a rich epic, a philosophy that is strange for most inhabitants of megacities and a rather peculiar way of life.

Who are the Eskimos?

This people has nothing to do with the word "eskimo", which means a popular variety of ice cream.

The Eskimos are the indigenous people of the North, belonging to the Aleutian group. Anthropologists call them the "Arctic race", Eskimos or northern Mongoloids. The language of the Eskimos is original, it differs from the speech of such peoples as:

• Koryaks;
• kereks;
• Itelmens;
• alyutors;
• Chukchi.

However, in Eskimo speech there is a similarity with the language of the Aleuts. It is about the same as the Russian language with Ukrainian.

The writing and culture of the Eskimos is also distinctive. Unfortunately, in Russia the number of indigenous northern peoples is extremely small. As a rule, everything that is known in the world about the traditions, religion, worldview, writing and language of this ancient people, gleaned from the study of the life of the Eskimos in the USA and Canada.

Where do the Eskimos live?

If we omit such a variant of the address of this people as the North, then their habitat will turn out to be quite large.

The places where the Eskimos live in Russia are:

• Chukotka Autonomous Okrug - 1529 people, according to the 2010 census;
• Magadan region - 33, according to eight years ago.

Unfortunately, the number of this once big people in Russia is steadily falling. And along with this, culture, language, writing and religion disappear, the epic is forgotten. These are irreparable losses, since the development of the people, the peculiarities of colloquial speech and many other nuances Russian Eskimos fundamentally different from the US.

The places where the Eskimos live in North America, - this is:

• Alaska - 47,783 people;
• California - 1272;
• Washington state - 1204;
• Nunavut - 24,640;
• Quebec - 10,190;
• Newfoundland and Labrador - 4715;
• Northwest Territories of Canada - 4165.

In addition, the Eskimos live in:

• Greenland - about 50,000 people;
• Denmark - 18 563.

These are the 2000 and 2006 census figures.

How did the name come about?

If where the Eskimo lives becomes clear when you open the encyclopedia, then the origin of the name of this people is not so simple.

They call themselves Inuit. The word "Eskimo" belongs to the language of the northern Indian tribes of America. It means "one who eats raw". This name came to Russia presumably in those days when Alaska was part of the empire and the northern ones quietly roamed on both continents.

How did they settle?

Children often ask not only where the Eskimo lives, but also where he came from in the North. Not only parents of curious kids, but also scientists do not have an exact answer to such a question.

It is only known for certain that the ancestors of this people came to the territory of Greenland in the 11-12th century AD. And they got there from the north of Canada, where the Thule culture, or the ancient Eskimo, existed already in the 10th century AD. This has been confirmed by archaeological research.

How did the ancestors of this people end up on Russian shores Northern Arctic Ocean, that is, where the Eskimo lives in cartoons and children's books is not known for certain.

Where do they live in winter?

The room where the Eskimos live - the dwelling, traditional for this people, is called "igloo". These are snow houses made of blocks. The average dimensions of the block are 50X46X13 centimeters. They are placed in a circle. The circle can have any diameter. It depends on the specific needs for which buildings are being built. Not only residential buildings are being built, other buildings are being built in the same way, for example, warehouses or something reminiscent of our kindergartens.

The diameter of the room where the Eskimos live, the house for the family, depends on the number of people. On average, it is 3.5 meters. Blocks are laid at a slight angle, wrapping in a spiral. The result is a beautiful white structure, most similar to a dome.

The top of the roof always remains open. That is, only one, the last block, does not fit. This is necessary for the free exit of smoke. The focus, of course, is located in the center of the needle.

In the snowy architecture of the Eskimos there are not only separate lonely domed houses. Quite often, entire cities are built for wintering, worthy of becoming a filming location for any fantasy film. The peculiarity of such buildings is that all or only a few igloos various diameters and heights are interconnected by tunnels, also lined with snow blocks. The purpose of such architectural delights is simple - the Eskimos can move inside the settlement without going outside. And this is important if the air temperature drops below 50 degrees.

What do they live in in the summer?

The building where the Eskimo lives in summer time often referred to as a tent. But this wrong definition. Representatives of this live in the summer northern people in yarangs similar to Chukchi. According to some scientists, the Eskimos borrowed the method of building housing from the Koryaks and Chukchi.

Yaranga is a wooden frame made of strong and long poles, covered with walrus and deer skins. The dimensions of the premises vary depending on what the yaranga is being built for. For example, shamans have the most large buildings, as they need a place to perform rituals. However, they do not live in them, but in small semi-dugouts or yarangas built in the neighborhood. For the frame, not only poles are used, but also animal bones.

It is generally accepted that the original summer dwelling of the Eskimos was not frame buildings, but semi-dugouts, the slopes of which were covered with skins. In fact, such a dugout resembles a cross between a fairy-tale hobbit house and a fox hole. However, whether the Eskimos borrowed the construction of yarangas from other peoples, or everything happened the other way around, remains an undetermined fact, a mystery, the answer to which may lie in national folklore and epic.

Eskimos not only fish and breed deer, they also hunt. Part of the hunting suit is real combat armor, comparable in strength and comfort to armor. Japanese warriors. Such armor is made from walrus bone. Bone plates are connected with leather cords. The hunter is not at all constrained in his movements, and the weight of the bone armor is practically not felt.

Eskimos don't kiss. Instead, lovers rub their noses. This behavioral pattern is due solely to climatic conditions too harsh for kissing.

Despite the complete absence of vegetables and cereals in the diet, the Eskimos have excellent health and excellent physique.

In Eskimo families, albinos and blonds are often born. This is due to close family marriages and is a sign of degeneration, although such people look amazingly beautiful and original.

Eskimos- an ethnic community, a group of peoples in the USA (in Alaska - 38 thousand people), in northern Canada (28 thousand people), in Denmark (Greenland - 47 thousand) and Ros. Federation (Chukotka Autonomous Okrug - 1.5 thousand people). Total population- 115 thousand people

The Eskimo-Aleut family of languages ​​is divided into Eskimo and Aleut branches. The Eskimo branch is represented by two groups of languages ​​- the Inuit group and the Yupik group. The Inuit languages ​​are spoken by the Eskimos of Greenland, Canada, and northern Alaska. In Greenland, there is one main Eskimo language, which is officially called Greenlandic and is state language Greenland. The Greenlandic language was formed on the basis of the West Greenlandic dialect.

In addition, two more dialects stand out in Greenland: East Greenlandic and the Thule dialect - the northernmost Eskimos in the world. The Eskimo language of Canada, or Inuktitut, includes several dialects: the Labrador Eskimo dialect, the Central Eskimo language (which includes Iglulik, Netsilik, and Caribou dialects), the Baffin Island Eskimo language, the Copper River Eskimo language, and the Mackenzie Eskimo language.

The language of the Eskimos of Alaska (Alaskan Inuit) is represented by the following dialects: the dialect of Cape Barrow, the dialect of Kotzebue Bay, the dialect of the Seward Peninsula and the language of the Eskimos of the Bering Strait living on Cape Prince of Wales and on Inalik Island.

The languages ​​of the Yupik group, including Central Yupik, Alutik, Chaplinsky and Naukan dialects of the Asian-Eskimo language. The Central Yupik dialects are the Nunivak Island dialect and the Hooper Bay dialect.

Alutik is the language of the Eskimos of the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Island, and Prince William Bay. Chaplin is spoken by the Eskimos of the villages of Novoe Chaplino and Uelkal, Sireniki and Provideniya, as well as residents of the American island of St. Lawrence. Constant trips to each other to exchange goods, on holidays continued between Chaplino and St. Lawrence Island until 1948, and resumed in 1988.

Naukan was spoken by the Eskimos of the now defunct settlement of Naukan. At present, this dialect is spoken by the Eskimos of the settlements of Uelen, Lorino, Lavrentiya.

In this classification, the language of the Sireniki Eskimos stands apart. According to scientists, this language is apparently a "splinter" of the third branch of the Eskimo family, which existed in the past along with Yupik and Inuit. Now the Sirenic language has disappeared. The last person to remember this language was Vyye, a resident of the village of Sireniki, who died in the early 90s of the 20th century.

History reference

Formed as an ethnic group in the Bering region m. to the end. 2nd millennium BC In the 1st mill. e. the ancestors of the Eskimos, the bearers of the Thule archaeological culture, settled in Chukotka and along the Arctic coast of America to Greenland.

The Eskimos are divided into 15 ethnic and cultural groups:

Eskimos of southern Alaska, on the coast of the hall. Pritz-William and Fr. Kodiak, were subjected to strong Russian influence during the period of the Russian-American Company (late 18th - mid-19th centuries);

The Eskimos of western Alaska, to the greatest extent, retain their language and traditional way of life;

Siberian Eskimos, including the Eskimos about. St. Lawrence and the Diomede Islands;

Eskimos of northwestern Alaska, living along the coast from the hall. Norton to the US-Canadian border and in the interior districts of the north. Alaska;

The Mackenzie Eskimos are a mixed group in the north. coast of Canada around the mouth of the river. Mackenzie, formed in con. XIV - beginning. XX centuries from the indigenous people and the Nunaliit Eskimos - immigrants from northern Alaska;

Copper Eskimos, named after native copper tools made by cold forging, live in the sowing. coast of Canada along the hall. Coronation and Bank and Victoria Islands;

Netsilik Eskimos in the North. Canada, on the coast of the Butia and Adslside peninsulas, the King William Islands and in the lower reaches of the river. Tank;

Close to them, the Igloolik Eskimos are the inhabitants of the Melville Peninsula, sowing. parts about. Baffin Island and about. Southampton;

Eskimo caribou living in the Canadian interior tundra west of Hudson Bay. mixed with other Eskimos;

Eskimos of Baffin Island in the central, and southern parts island of the same name;

Eskimos of Quebec and E. Labrador, respectively, in the north-north-east and west-south-west, up to about. Newfoundland and the mouth of the hall. St. Lawrence, coast of the Labrador Peninsula, in the 19th century. participated in the formation of a mestizo group of "settlers" (descendants from marriages between Eskimo women and white hunters and settlers);

The Eskimos of western Greenland are the largest group of Eskimos, since the beginning of the 18th century. underwent European (Danish) colonization and Christianization;

Polar Eskimos are the northernmost aboriginal population group on Earth in the extreme northwest of Greenland;

Eskimos of eastern Greenland, later than others (on turn of XIX-XX centuries) faced European influence.

Throughout their history, the Eskimos have created forms of culture adapted to life in the Arctic: a harpoon with a swivel tip, a hunting boat - a kayak, deaf fur clothes, a semi-dugout and a domed dwelling made of snow (igloo), a fat lamp for cooking food, lighting and heating the dwelling and etc. The Eskimos were the first to protect their eyes from the sun. To limit the flow of light, they wore bone shields with narrow slits for the eyes.

The Eskimos were characterized by the unformed tribal organization, the absence in the 19th century. genera (except, apparently, the Bering Sea Eskimos).

Although some groups were Christianized (XVIII century), the Eskimos actually retained animistic ideas, shamanism. The Eskimos have five economic and cultural complexes: hunting for large marine animals - walruses and whales (Eskimos of Chukotka, St. Lawrence Island, the coast of northwestern Alaska, ancient population western Greenland); seal hunting (northwestern and eastern Greenland, islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago); fishing (Eskimos of western and southwestern Alaska); wandering hunting for caribou deer (Eskimos - caribou, part of the Eskimos of northern Alaska); combination of caribou hunting with sea. hunting (most of the Eskimos of Canada, some of the Eskimos of northern Alaska).

After the Eskimos were drawn into the orbit of market relations, a significant part of them switched to commercial fur hunting (trappering), in Greenland - to commercial fishing. Many work in construction, iron ore mines, oil fields, arctic trading posts, etc. The Greenlanders and Alaska Eskimos have a prosperous stratum and a national intelligentsia. By the middle of the twentieth century. formed four independent, ethno-political communities of the Eskimos.

Asian (Siberian) Eskimos, Yupigyt, or Yugyt (self-named - "real people"; Yuits - official names in the 1930s). Settled on the coast of the Chukotka Peninsula from Bering Prospect to the north to the bay. Cross in the West. Main groups: nyvukag'mit ("naukans"), living in the territory from the village. Inchoun to the village. Lawrence; un`azig`mit ("Chaplinites"), settled from the Senyavin Strait to Providence Bay and in the village. Uelkal; sig'inygmit ("Sireniks"), residents of the village. Sireniki.

The language belongs to the Yupik group, the dialects are Sirenik, Central Siberian, or Chaplin, and Naukan. Writing since 1932 based on the Cyrillic alphabet. Literary - Chaplinsky dialect. The Russian language is widespread.

Household and life

The main traditional occupation is hunting for sea animals, mainly walrus and seal. Developed to ser. 19th century whale production then declined due to the extermination of its fishery by whalers. Currently, a quota is allocated for fishing for bowhead and gray whales, and hunters begin hunting in June in the traditional way, using rotary harpoons and modern floats (puff-puff) so that the harpooned whale does not drown.

The beast was beaten on rookeries, ice, in the water from boats - with darts, spears and harpoons with a detachable bone tip. They also hunted for the sowing. deer and mountain sheep with bows and arrows. From Ser. 19th century firearms are spreading, the commercial value of land hunting for fox and arctic fox has increased. Bird hunting techniques were close to those of the Chukchi (darts, bird bolas, etc.). In June, eggs of large birds gathered on the rocks. They were also engaged in fishing and gathering.

They bred sled dogs. An in-kind exchange with the reindeer Chukchi and American Eskimos was developed, trade trips were regularly made to Alaska and about. St. Lawrence.

After the 1930s the Eskimos organized fishing farms.

Food

The main food is walrus, seal and whale meat. Types of meat consumption - ice cream, pickled, dried, boiled. Venison was highly valued. Seasoning served grows. food, seaweed, shellfish. Initially, they lived in large settlements in semi-dugouts (now "lu"), which existed until the middle of the 19th century.

Dwelling. In the XVII - XVIII centuries. under the influence of the Chukchi, frame yarangas made of deer skins (myn "tyg" ak ") became the main winter dwelling. The walls of the yarangas were often lined with turf, made of stones or boards. The summer dwelling was quadrangular, made of walrus skins on a wooden frame, with a sloping roof.

Before the beginning 19th century communal houses were preserved - large semi-dugouts in which several families lived, as well as meetings and holidays.

In winter, dog sleds (k'imukhsik) and walking skis (valguyagyk) served as the main means of transportation in winter. open water- leather boats-kayaks. Narts, like the Chukchi ones, were up to the middle. 19th century arc-dusty and harnessed with a fan, then the East Siberian sled with a train team spread. The kayak was a lattice frame, covered with leather, with the exception of a small round hole at the top, which was pulled together around the rower's belt. Rowing with one two-blade or two single-blade oars. There were also multi-oar canoes of the Chukchi type for 20-30 rowers (an "yapik").

Clothing and footwear. Until con. 19th century the Eskimos wore deaf clothes - kukhlyanka, sewn from bird skins with feathers inside. With the development of exchange with the Chukchi reindeer herders, clothes began to be sewn from reindeer fur. Women's clothing-double fur overalls (k "al'yva-gyk") of the same cut as those of the Chukchi. Summer clothing, both for men and women, was a deaf kamleika (k`ipag`ak`), sewn from seal intestines, later - from traditional shoes - fur boots (kamgyk) with cut soles and often with an obliquely cut top, men's - up to the middle of the leg, women's - up to the knee; hair in two braids, men - shaved, leaving a circle or several strands on the top of the head. Tattoos for men - circles near the corners of the mouth (a relic of the custom to wear a lip sleeve), for women - complex geometric patterns on the face and hands. To protect against diseases, face painting with ocher and graphite was also used.

Traditional decorative art - fur mosaic, embroidery with colored tendon threads on rovduga, beads, walrus tusk carving.

Among the Eskimos, a patrilineal account of kinship prevailed, a patrilocal marriage with working off for the bride. There were canoe artels (an "yam ima), which consisted of the owner of the canoe and his closest relatives and in the past occupied one semi-dugout. Its members divided hunting prey among themselves. Property inequality developed, especially with the development of barter trade, large traders stood out, who sometimes became at the head of the settlements ("masters of the land").

spiritual culture

The Eskimos believed in good and evil spirits. Of the animals, the killer whale, considered the patron saint of sea hunting, was especially revered; she was depicted on canoes, hunters wore her wooden image on their belts. Main character cosmogonic legends - Raven (Koshkli), the main plots of fairy tales are associated with a whale. The main rituals were associated with fishing cults: the Feast of Heads, dedicated to hunting for walruses, the Feast of Kita (Pola), etc.There was shamanism, but it was not widely spread, as it was among the Chukchi.

Russian Eskimos make up an insignificant part of a fairly large polar people living both in Russia - at the very tip of Chukotka, and beyond its borders - on the coast of Alaska, in the polar regions of Canada and Greenland. The total number of Eskimos is 97 thousand people, and only 1,700 of them live in Russia.
The Eskimos are the direct heirs of an ancient culture spread from the end of the first millennium BC. along the shores of the Bering Sea. From their distant ancestors, the Eskimos inherited Mongoloid features of appearance.

The ethnonym “Eskimos” was first introduced to Europeans by the French pastor Biar: in his report on a trip to America in 1611, the word “eskimantsik” was used, which in the language of the Wobinaki Indians meant “eaters of raw meat” - this is how they called the Eskimos who ate raw whale skin and the like.

The self-name of the Eskimos is Yugipyt, or Yugyt, which means “real people”.

Indeed, the Eskimo treated the newcomers, most often helpless in the face of the Arctic, as inferior beings. The Greenlandic Eskimos call such "dog son" with a touch of irony and condescension.

The highest praise on the lips of an Eskimo is the words that an English admiral heard from an old Eskimo hunter after many years of wintering and wandering together: "You are almost like us."

Before mid-nineteenth For centuries, the Eskimos had little contact with the Russians. The rapprochement occurred when Russian fishermen joined the main occupation of the Eskimos - hunting for sea animals, mainly whales, walruses and seals. However, the transfer of hunting to industrial rails threatened the traditional way of life of the natives.

To date, no more than 20% of Russian Eskimos are fluent in their native language, and these people are mostly of the older generation. The rest can only understand Eskimo.

At present, there are no purely Eskimo settlements left in Chukotka. Everywhere they live with Russians, Chukchi and other peoples. They are the predominant part of the population only in 2 villages - New Chaplino and Sireniki.

The Eskimos moved to the Arctic at the dawn of human history. And now they are better adapted to life in cold climates than any other people. Their nostrils are narrower than those of other races, which reduces the loss of moisture and heat during breathing. They even developed protective pads of fat on their cheekbones and eyelids, always exposed to the wind and frost.

However, the Eskimos would not have been able to survive in the Arctic if not for their clothing. They make mittens and boots from sealskin, trousers from bearskins, and caribou skins and bird skins with full plumage are used for shirts. The seams are sewn so skillfully that they do not let water through. One person puts on two shirts and two pairs of trousers at the same time - the lower ones with fur to the skin, the upper ones with fur outward.

Wandering around permafrost, the Eskimos built dwellings from snow, chopping it with bars. The bars were stacked on top of each other in a converging upward spiral. These igloos, as the Eskimos called their buildings, were sometimes provided with a semblance of windows: a piece of transparent ice was inserted between the snow bars. But even in this case, bowls with fat gave light. The heat of burning fat, along with the warmth of human bodies, raised the temperature in this artificial snow cave to 15 degrees, so that its inhabitants dropped heavy clothes and half-naked were comfortably located on fur blankets.
The life of the Eskimos was made up of a series of unthinkable hardships. And yet, "Eskimos give the impression the happiest people”, the researchers unanimously confirm. Eskimo sees the world in bright colors. Isn't there enough reason to rejoice? Did not die during the hunt, returned safely to hearth provided food for the family...
And what a delightful feeling it is - during a sudden blizzard on the way, hastily build a needle for yourself, fence yourself off from the whistle of a snowstorm. Laying the last block of snow behind him and closing the entrance, the Eskimo laughs. This is the laughter of a winner. He did not surrender to evil spirits, he outwitted them, he is smart, brave, a real person, he will always cope with difficulties. How not to rejoice in this?

"Laughter is in the air", - says an old Eskimo proverb.

Sergey Tsvetkov, historian

Eskimos. There are many names for this brave people of the North, living in the most harsh conditions, known to man. What do we really know about them? Apart from the fact that they hunt seals and walruses with harpoons and wear hooded fur coats, most people know very little about these hunter-gatherers and reindeer herders.

10. Clothes and armor

The Inuit people are, by necessity, quite skilled at making warm, durable clothing. In terms of heat preservation, Eskimo clothes have no equal, because in traditional Eskimo clothes you can safely stay in the cold at -50 degrees for many hours.

However, when they went hunting to survive, they were also able to make very strong armor for clothing. After all, they went out to hunt massive beasts and needed protection too. The armor of the Inuit had a lamellar structure, consisting of bone plates (often from walrus teeth, known as walrus tusk). Raw leather straps connected the plates together. It is curious that the design of such armor resembles the ancient armor of Japanese warriors. The fact that the Inuit were able to come up with such extremely functional armor speaks volumes about their talent and ingenuity.

Often used in a neutral context, the term "popsicle" is generally considered slightly racist, in the same way that the term "Indian" is offensive to Native Americans. However, this is technically considered acceptable, and scientific term usually has a fairly solid etymology. Although the word “eskimo” is thought to be Danish and French (from “eskimeaux”), the name is likely based on the old term “askimo.” Researchers don't seem to be able to agree on whether this means "meat-eaters" or "raw-eaters."

However, many Eskimos find this term offensive to themselves, so out of respect for this proud people, we will avoid using this term. The generally accepted, politically correct name (many of them also use this term for themselves) will be the word - Inuit.

8. Eskimo kiss

An Eskimo kiss, as a sign of love, is when two people rub their noses. The Inuit have developed such a gesture over the millennia, because with an ordinary kiss in the cold, due to saliva, you can freeze to each other in an awkward position.

The Eskimo kiss is called "kunik". This is a type of intimate greeting often practiced between spouses or children and their parents. Those who meet may look like they are rubbing their noses, but they are actually sniffing each other's hair and cheeks. Thus, two people who have not seen each other can quickly remind the other person of themselves with their individual smell.

Although kunik doesn't really fit into the concept of a kiss, it is considered an intimate gesture.

Vegetarianism is not very common among traditional Inuit tribes. Because they live in a barren, cold environment, their diet is mainly based on different kinds meat and only occasionally, on some types of berries and algae. Even in modern times, fruits and vegetables are scarce and expensive to import to the cold northern regions, so they still rely on their traditional diet.

The Inuit have always been excellent hunters. They consume narwhals, walruses, seals and various birds and fish. Even polar bears occasionally appear on their menu. There are many traditional ways of preparing food: drying, boiling or freezing. Some foods are not cooked at all. Some people think that frozen meat is a real delicacy, like ice cream.

Although you might think that a diet that to a large extent Relying on meat leads to serious health problems, the Inuit who follow this diet are actually some of the healthiest people in the world. This "Inuit Paradox" has long been the subject of serious scientific interest.

The igloo is the quintessential Inuit dwelling: an ingenious domed structure built from blocks of ice and snow.

Although most people have seen photographs of igloos as small snow domes, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, as well as materials. For the Inuit, “igloo” is simply a word for a building in which people live.

5. Kallupilluk

Every culture has its mythical monsters. The Inuit spent their days bypassing the dangerous ice fields, hunting huge and strong walruses and aggressive bears. It would seem where you can come up with a fantastic monster. However, the Inuit also had one creature that was used to frighten naughty children. This is Kallupilluk, literally meaning "Monster". According to legend, he lived under the ice and waited for people who fell into the water. Then the monster attacked them and dragged careless people into the icy deep sea. It was a natural and healthy fear in the Arctic, where falling into water often meant death.

4. Blond Eskimos

In 1912, an explorer named Stefansson found a strange tribe of Inuit, which consisted entirely of blond, tall, Scandinavian-like people. This caused a heated discussion about the nature of this tribe. Most people eventually agreed that these blond Inuit in the Canadian Arctic were descendants of the Vikings who sailed here at the dawn of time. However, DNA studies in 2003 debunked this hypothesis. The fact is that with marital relations and closely related incest, blonds are often born.

3. Words to describe snow.

Most of the world's languages ​​have one or more words for snow. However, in the Inuit language there is great amount words to describe snow. Inuit can describe 50-400 snow different words, eloquently created to describe a very specific kind this frozen sediment.

For example, the word Akuilokok means: “snow is falling quietly”, and pyegnartok is “Snowy weather, good for a hunting trip”, and so on.

2. Weapons.

Although contact with European culture gave them access to firearms and other modern weapons, traditional Inuit weapons were made from stone or the bones of slaughtered animals. They did not have the ability to forge metal, so bone was one of the main features of their weapons. Bows were made from leather, bones and tendons.

Because most Inuit weapons were used for hunting and butchering, they were purposely made to inflict maximum damage. The edges were sharp and often serrated, meant to be torn and torn rather than neatly cut and pierced.

1. Poverty

Progress modern life and the development of production does not imply a wide development of the North and its inhabitants, therefore the Inuit suffered the same fate as other semi-nomadic tribes, such as Australian aborigines. Among the Eskimos, the percentage of poverty and unemployment is high. This has given rise to many social problems such as the rise in alcoholism. It remains to be wondered how these proud and unpretentious peoples continue to live a traditional way of life.