Wrapped in warm
caribou furs
(above), Inuit
craftsmen used
bow drills to
make ivory tools
(right) or start
fires.
In addition to using these goods themselves, the Inuit traded
with their neighbors. Each year, thousands of Inuit gathered for
trade fairs. Inuit bands from the coast offered blubber, sealskins,
and ivory to inland bands in exchange for caribou skins, other
furs, and snowshoes. The Inuit also traded with American Indian
and
FIRST NATIONS
peoples.
War does not seem to have been common among the Inuit, but
at times feuds between neighboring Inuit villages did occur. If an
Inuk from one family killed an Inuk from another family, it could
lead to a feud that lasted generations. The Inuit also had enemies
among nearby American Indian and First Nations peoples, in-
cluding the Cree and the Chipewyan.
As they went about their yearly cycle of trading, hunting, and
traveling, the Inuit were always aware of their close ties to the
land. Despite its myriad threats, this was the land that supplied the
people with everything they needed. They couldn’t imagine a time
when it wouldn’t be theirs alone.
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