Comments for Tulugaq

Comment on Inuit vs. Eskimo by Erica

Erica — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:20:41 +0000

Fascinating. However, could someone clarify something regarding the Inuit Circumpolar Council? Eben Hopson Jr., who was highly instrumental in the founding of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, was Inupiat. Am I correct that the Inupiat of Alaska share a common ancestry with Canada’s Inuit? Would it then be derogatory to refer to someone of Inupiat heritage as Inuit?

Comment on Inuit vs. Eskimo by Frances Hall

Frances Hall — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 20:34:15 +0000

You sound a bit angry and I don’t fault you for it. Those schools did a grand job of alienating children from their families. These schools operated in Ireland, Wales and Scotland too, ensuring that Celtic children lost their language and thus their history. I live in the Yukon and even though I am not First Nation I am often asked while I am in the South if I live in an Igloo too. Like you I tell them yes and its awfully difficult to keep the central heating going! Be proud of who you are – after all we don’t call you the First Nations for nothing!
Coming over the land bridge thing – take pride that your ancestors did that and so long ago – thousands of years ago – there was no one here before your ancestors – so you guys get first dibs!
Darwin? it was not monkey’s but Apes and all life on earth share an common ancestry – a million years ago some itty bitty ape creature stood up and took a walk on the African plains and she is our ancestor. No shame in that. Just think of the struggle all of mankind has had to get where we are today – well not much pride in that is there is some cases – but well we are still evolving I hope!

Comment on Inuit vs. Eskimo by patrick taalak hugo

patrick taalak hugo — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 03:57:20 +0000

my name is taalak hugo and i was born inupiaq and proud of it.just because a different dialect or country use a term to identify themselves does not make them a different class.Going to bia indian boarding school as a teen we were classified natives. there were aleuts / yupiks/athabascans/ halfbreeds and colored people and we fell under the same category and we were punished for speaking our language even just for a few words.it is different now where there is bilingual classes in elementary and in high schools .in lower 48′s they ask us if we are inuits .i just tell them yes so i don’t have to try and explain to them the difference between inuit or inupiaq. they do not know the difference. they ask me if i still live in igloo and i tell them yes i do and it is two- story and built in freezer. i strongly believe & know that i did not originate from a monkey and that my ancestors did not came across the ice-bridge because we were already here. enough said for now.

Comment on Inuit vs. Eskimo by Frances Hall

Frances Hall — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:44:27 +0000

I am the English grandmother of a Inuvialuit grandson (he has a wonderful diverse ancestry including Hawaiian). His mother prefers to be called Eskimo although we live in the Yukon, Canada. Her great Grandmother was born on Big Diomede. Your blog is fascinating. I am attempting to learn more about Tyler’s diverse cultural ancestry so that when I sing to him or tell him stories I get the names of his peoples right. Personally I think labels are for jars – but I also think children should take pride in their ancestry too.l

Comment on Inuit vs. Eskimo by Joanne Robertson

Joanne Robertson — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 05:11:08 +0000

I really like what Mike Swanson said and I wholly agree. “Alaska Native” encompasses all groups. I also like to use “Indigenous” over “Native.” When it comes down to it, I am Inupiaq, not Eskimo. To me (personally), “Eskimo” is pejorative and it is not how I identify myself. I dislike how there is always a need to classify people and use blanket terms but I also understand that in academia one must choose something – in which case I still choose Alaska Native.