Inuit Sculptures

Background Information

Inuit carvings, produced in Canada’s Northwest Territories, Northern Quebec and Labrador, have grown out of a culture that only very recently has come into direct contact with modern civilization. It was as late as the 1950’s that Canada’s Inuit discontinued their nomadic lifestyle and settled in permanent communities across the Arctic.

It is in these tiny settlements of 1,000 inhabitants or less that Inuit carvers produce sculpture using local stone, weathered and fossilized whalebone and ivory and antler as their materials. The most commonly used medium is soapstone or seatite which is found in sites surrounding the Inuit settlements. Throughout the Arctic it varies in colours and markings from a soft medium grey to black to various shades of green. Carvers initially rough out the block of carving stone with axes, hammers and chisels. Then, they use files, rasps and sandpaper for finishing.

The subject matter reflects the artists’ deep connection to the hauntingly beautiful Arctic land and its landscape, flora and fauna. over time, regional styles have developed depending on the local stone and on prominent carvers who have left a lasting influence on their community.

The Inukshuk

In the language of the Inuit; inukshuk means "One that looks like a person". The inukshuiit are erected from stones to resemble a human figure. (Inukshuiit is the plural of inukshuk)

Long before the Inuit had access to rifles and ammunition, inukshuiit played an important role in the hunt for caribou. The traditional method would be to erect a series of inukshuiit in a funnel shaped pattern narrowing until a "dead end" on a hillside. The hunters would hide behind the inukshuiit armed with their bows and arrows. The women and children would herd the caribou towards the hunters by waving hides up and down to create loud noises. The caribou became very nervous, being near-sighted, they preceived the inukshuiit as humans and thought they were being trapped. This way of hunting created confusion amongst the caribou, enabling the hunters to move around the herd. The inukshuiit also identified the locations of caches of stored meat.

Today the inukshuk is used predominantly as a landmark. It can be found scattered across the frozen land. And can be spotted from miles away. Seasoned travelers can use the inukshuiit as navigational aids.

Contact The Trading Post for more information on Inuit Sculptures and Inukshuiit.