Uqalurait: An Oral History of Nunavut

Monika Rohlmann is an environmental consultant in Victoria, B.C.

Editors John Bennett and Susan Rowley are both seasoned researchers and
writers. Bennett is a former editor of the Inuit cultural magazine
Inukitut. Rowley is an assistant professor of anthropology and sociology
at the University of British Columbia. Working with them on Uqalurait
were seven elders from various communities in Nunavut.

The volume is divided into two sections: “Inuit Identity” and
“Regional Identity.” Whereas “Inuit Identity” focuses on the
family and hunting life with all its details of customs and rituals,
“Regional Identity” deals with the seasonal cycle of four main Inuit
groups. Each section consists of stories and observations as told by
Inuit elders over a period of five years. Every major subject area is
explored. Interestingly, there is little mention about fierce storms and
snow or the beauty of the landscape. These features are commonplace to
the Inuit and generally remarkable only to tourists. Instead, the
traditional life is documented and interpreted by the Inuit elders
themselves. Scattered throughout the text are numerous black-and-white
drawings and photographs. At the front of the book are 14 pages of
colour pictures detailing Inuit hunting, travel, lifestyle, and homeland
characteristics.

This scholarly tome is surprisingly readable. More importantly, it
offers readers a fascinating look at Inuit life. Wife swapping,
shamanism, burial rituals, and traditional justice are all covered.

Uqalurait is undoubtedly a pivotal text for the Inuit themselves,
recording their oral history in a permanent form. But it is also a
valuable work for Canadians in general, and is recommended for all
academic and public libraries.