The Inuit are a group of culturally and linguistically unique Indigenous peoples living in the Arctic and subarctic regions of the world. The traditional lifestyle of the Inuit was adapted to extreme climatic conditions; their essential skills for survival were hunting, fishing, and trapping, as well as the construction of fur clothing. Agriculture was impossible in the tundra and icy coasts they inhabited, so hunting is at the heart of the culture and history of the Inuit.
Daily life in modern Inuit settlements still reflects the 5,000-year-long history that allowed their ancestors to populate the Arctic, but adaptation has brought modern-day problems as well. Today, the Indigenous people of the Arctic work hard to maintain their language and traditions. Inuit art, especially carvings, are prized as a world heritage art form that reflects their ancient ways.
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Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
– Inuit Proverb
Paninnguaq Lind Jensen
Inuk writer and artist
Inuk writer and artist Paninnguaq Lind Jensen presents In the Footsteps of the Inuit, a look at the history of the Inuit people, especially of her home, Greenland, the challenges indigenous people face today, the Inuit connection to land and food, and how ancient ways compare to now. Since 2016, Paninnguaq has been researching Inuit culture through the art of kakiniit – traditional Inuit markings, or tattoos. She has made films and written several children’s books that look to revive the ancient cultural practices of her people. She lives in Greenland with her husband and two daughters.
We have a weakness of not learning from the natives, but rather teaching them.
– Vilhjálmur Stefánsson
Arctic Explorer and Ethnologist
