Nunamiut: Among Alaska's Inland Eskimos

by Helge Ingstad

A special commemorative edition of a classic text by one of the foremost experts on Arctic lands and peoples. In 1949 Helge Ingstad flew into Northern Alaska where the Nunamiut people, a caribou-hunting group, resided. Ingstad was the first Westerner to visit the region. After living with the Nunamiut for nine months, such was the admiration for Ingstad that they wanted to name a beautiful mountain in their territory after him. And, in the 50+ years since then the mountain has been known locally as Ingstad Mountain. When Ingstad passed away in 2001 at the age of 101, a petition was made to the U.S. Geological Survey to officially name the mountain after Ingstad. In 2006 Ingstad Mountain officially enters the U.S. Geological Survey maps. Nunamiut is Ingstad's fascinating account of that nine-month visit with the Nunamiut. He learned their language, recorded their legends and superstitions, and participated in their caribou hunts and fishing expeditions. His personal account is an engrossing and original work. 45 black & white photographs, 21 black & white illustrations, index.

Genres: Anthropology

366 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1951

Reviews

[Ukaleq · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ekstremt interessant å lese om, jeg trekker masse paralleller til Kalaallit, men og veldig interessant hva som er annerledes og, nettopp fordi de bor på innlandet

[Katarina Johansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 stjerner! Fascinerende og levende skildring om Ingstad sin tid med nunamiutene i Alaska. Folket skiller fra andre grupper ved å ikke ha en leder, og ved å ha tydelige verdier om at en deler på de ressursene en har i naturen. Dersom en ikke følger de sosiale normer, utestenges man, den verste straffen som finnes. Det er spennende å lese hvordan de lever i ett med naturen, og har en stoisk ro til livet. Anbefales!

[Mar Dy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading about Ingstad's time among the Nanumiuts - interesting depictions of their community, social life and structure, language, hunting, weather and eating habits. Feels like a little scape to this community in Alaska.

[Joel Rubin]

For about about weeks each year, caribou herds migrate across Alaska and the Nunamiut must hunt as many as possible and bury the meat in the frozen ground. This accounts for most of the food they eat during the year. Although traditional Nunamuit culture has all but disappeared by the 21st century, this way of life continued for over a century after the Nunamuit acquired rifles from Russian traders. Amazing account of a people who lived and prospered in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth.

[Krysti Shallenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has some racist overtones, which is reflective of his time, but interesting snapshot of this particular group of Alaska Natives.

[RONALD PEYTON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting that he could accomplish so much, over winter, living with them a little over nine months.
Excellent account and documentation of ancient hunter-gather life style in the tundra areas.

[Zach Opsitnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous read offering amazing details of the Eskimo way of life.

[Ⰰⱃⰿⰰⱀⰴ Ⱆⰾⰴⰵⱃⰻⰽⱁ Ⱅⰵⱄⰾⰰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ovo sam čitao davno u srednjoj. Sjećam se dosta dobro ove knjige. Vrijedilo bi je ipak opet pročitati radi postkolonijalnog gledišta