The incredibly harsh environment of the Canadian arctic has certainly helped to shape the lives and beliefs of the native Inuit people. They have to live and work in such extreme of cold that every day is a lesson in survival. It is no wonder that they have a very unique world view that perfectly captures their homeland. The Eskimo stories are not only fascinating in themselves but also offer a window into this inhospitable world and the people who call it home.
The constant struggle to survive has produced a people who's lives are dominated by fear. They are rightfully afraid of the world around them. The ice is unpredictable, the polar bears are ferocious and the is the constant threat of blizzards. In order to survive the Inuit have developed a very unique world view and set of beliefs.
In addition to the lack of a central figure there is also no belief in the afterlife or the typical heaven or hell of Western religions. This is most likely due to the fact that survival was so challenging that the people did not need to worry about what would happen to them after death. Most of the traditional stories are about fear. People were afraid of the unknown and in a such a harsh and unforgiving place there was a lot to fear.
The spirits or Anirniit are an integral part of life. A spirit can be good or evil, it may try to help humans or it may try to hinder and trick them. People must be on the look out for spirits all the time and avoid situations that may provoke them or bring bad luck to the settlement. Bad luck is more serious in a small community that is barely able to survive. It can be the difference between life and death.
Spirits play a big part in any Inuit story. They are felt to be just as real as living humans. The spirits or, Anirniit, are the soul of a person or animal. They could be kind or evil, some were helpful to people, whilst others tried to do the humans harm or even kill them. Even more interesting is that the spirits could possess a person and take over their live. This in turn would bring all kinds of calamities down on the family.
Although many of the Inuit have now adopted Christianity as their official religion, many still believe in the old ways. In fact it might be fairer to say that they have adapted the Christian beliefs to fit in with their traditional ways. There is still a strong belief in spirits, known as Anirniit.
Anirniit are believed to inhabit every living creature. This means that animals are just as important as people. To kill any animal as just as sacred as killing a human. The correct taboos must be upheld to ensure that the spirit of the dead animal does not come back to haunt the hunter.
It is probably this unique and brutal approach that gives Eskimo stories their incredible power. Audiences are left stunned by the depth of the human spirit and the struggle to survive. It shows only too clearly how life can come to an unexpected and abrupt ending. The Inuit belief system is at first glance primitive, yet underneath there is an incredible amount of feeling and emotion.
The constant struggle to survive has produced a people who's lives are dominated by fear. They are rightfully afraid of the world around them. The ice is unpredictable, the polar bears are ferocious and the is the constant threat of blizzards. In order to survive the Inuit have developed a very unique world view and set of beliefs.
In addition to the lack of a central figure there is also no belief in the afterlife or the typical heaven or hell of Western religions. This is most likely due to the fact that survival was so challenging that the people did not need to worry about what would happen to them after death. Most of the traditional stories are about fear. People were afraid of the unknown and in a such a harsh and unforgiving place there was a lot to fear.
The spirits or Anirniit are an integral part of life. A spirit can be good or evil, it may try to help humans or it may try to hinder and trick them. People must be on the look out for spirits all the time and avoid situations that may provoke them or bring bad luck to the settlement. Bad luck is more serious in a small community that is barely able to survive. It can be the difference between life and death.
Spirits play a big part in any Inuit story. They are felt to be just as real as living humans. The spirits or, Anirniit, are the soul of a person or animal. They could be kind or evil, some were helpful to people, whilst others tried to do the humans harm or even kill them. Even more interesting is that the spirits could possess a person and take over their live. This in turn would bring all kinds of calamities down on the family.
Although many of the Inuit have now adopted Christianity as their official religion, many still believe in the old ways. In fact it might be fairer to say that they have adapted the Christian beliefs to fit in with their traditional ways. There is still a strong belief in spirits, known as Anirniit.
Anirniit are believed to inhabit every living creature. This means that animals are just as important as people. To kill any animal as just as sacred as killing a human. The correct taboos must be upheld to ensure that the spirit of the dead animal does not come back to haunt the hunter.
It is probably this unique and brutal approach that gives Eskimo stories their incredible power. Audiences are left stunned by the depth of the human spirit and the struggle to survive. It shows only too clearly how life can come to an unexpected and abrupt ending. The Inuit belief system is at first glance primitive, yet underneath there is an incredible amount of feeling and emotion.
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