Grade Six Social Studies
Hello Boys and Girls,
This week we will look at the people of the Arctic Lands and learn about their lifestyle.
People of the Arctic
Where is the Arctic Region located? Remember, the Arctic Region lies in the North Polar or North Frigid Zone. It is the area between the Arctic Circle, a line of latitude 66.5 degrees north of the equator and the North Pole, 90 degrees north of the equator. Identify the Arctic Circle and the North Pole on the map below. you can see on the map,the Arctic Region comprises ● The Arctic Ocean
● Greenland and other islands
● The northern parts of the following continents:
Asia – Russia
Europe – Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark North America – Canada and United states (Alaska)
People who live in the Arctic Region
As
Despite much of the Arctic Region being covered by snow and ice for most of the year, several groups of people from various backgrounds and cultures live there. These people have adapted to the Arctic in similar ways. For example, the chief food of all arctic peoples is meat and fish and their clothing is made from animal skin. The people who live along the arctic coast depend mostly on fishing and hunting for seals and whales for a living, while those living inland hunt caribou or herd reindeer.
The largest group of people living in the Arctic Region have been known as the Eskimos, but they prefer to be called names in their native languages, such as Inuit in Canada and Greenland; Inupiat and Yupik in Alaska; and Yuit in Siberia (Russia). These people inhabit the Arctic Regions of North America and the coastal fringes of Greenland. Here is a picture of an Inuit couple. See how they are dressed in traditional clothing. Let us look closer at the traditional life-style of the Inuit (Eskimos).
Traditional way of life of the Inuit
The way of life of the Inuit varies somewhat from season to season and from region to region. For example, during the winter months the Inuit of some regions lived in snow houses, called igloos, while Eskimos of other regions lived in sod houses. During the summertime almost all Eskimos lived in tents which they made of animal skins. They do a lot of fishing and hunting at this time.
Clothing: In these cold regions warm clothing is necessary and is made by the Inuit from the skins of wild animals and reindeer. The skins are cured and made into garments by the women. They use bone needles and sinews for thread. (A sinew is a cord in the body that connects a muscle to a bone) Men, women and children wore furry hooded jackets, trousers or leggings, socks, long fur lined boots and fur gloves or mitten. Today Inuit can buy their garments from stores or online, or they can make winter clothes with thick woolen blanket materials with an inner cover of wind proof cotton. But there are still some who prefer the traditional animal skin clothing as their winter wear.
Food: The Inuit lived on whale, seal and caribou meat. They also ate fish, the meat of musk oxen and polar bears and the meat and eggs of birds. Sometimes they ate berries, the roots, stems and other parts of certain plants which grow only during the summer, and in small quantities. They store their meat underground so as to preserve it. Today the Eskimos can get fresh, frozen and canned foods, processed and dried goods from shops or supermarkets in their communities.
Homes: The Inuit lived in two kinds of houses depending on the seasons.
It was very important for them to have houses that were easy to build and easy to demolish so they could move as needed. This was their nomadic lifestyle. During the summer they lived in tents made of driftwood or whalebone covered with the skins of caribou or seal and the floor carpeted with dried moss. During the winter, the Inuit of most regions lived in Sod houses. Some of them also built igloos, dome shaped houses made of snow and ice as temporary homes when they travelled.
An Eskimo tent
By Ellis Crandon
Transportation: During the winter, the Inuit used sledges drawn by teams of sturdy dogs to travel on ice and snow. During the summer they used canoes (kayaks), large boats (umiaks) in which the whole family can travel and it can also be used to hunt for sea mammals on rivers, lakes and the sea.
Question
How does the environment in which the Inuit live affect their (a) food; (b) clothing; and (c) home?
Goodbye boys and girls! Please have fun reading, revising and learning something new each day.