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Ancient people of the Arctic

The Walakpa site, Alaska : its place in the Birnirk and Thule cultures

Results of study of Walakpa archaeological site in Alaska, which show development of Eskimo culture from Birnirk to Thule.

Online www.sil.si.edu

Inuksuit : silent messengers of the Arctic

The mysterious stone figures known as inuksuit can be found throughout the circumpolar world. Built from whatever stones are at hand, each one is unique. Inuksuit are among the oldest and most important objects placed by humans upon the vast Arctic landscape and have become a familiar symbol of the Inuit and of their homeland. In Norman Hallendy's 40 years of travel throughout the Arctic, he has developed lasting friendships with a number of Inuit elders. Through them, he learned that inuksuit are a nuanced, complex, and vital form of communication. Some are navigational or directional aids, while others offer hunting information or indicate caches of food or supplies. Some were practical helpers that assisted in hunting caribou or luring geese. Other similar stone structures were objects of veneration, indicating places of power or the abode of spirits. Although most inuksuit appear singly, sometimes they are arranged in sequences spanning great distances or are grouped to mark a specific place. Others define the ghostly geography of the spiritual landscape. Hallendy's 52 dramatic color photographs of many different kinds of inuksuit and objects of veneration capture not only a sense of wonder and power but reveal a hauntingly beautiful landscape that few of us will ever see.