Ethnography Report Eskimo, People Of The Seal - 2002 Words

Ethnography Report: The Eskimo, People of the Seal Introduction: The Netsilik are an indigenous community that are descendants of the Thule culture, they reside North of Hudson Bay, just above the Arctic circle. They call themselves the Netsilik or â€Å"people of the seal† because of their unusual diet (Young, 1970). In his video Young states that, â€Å"The winter months for the Netsilik people starts in September and last right up until June, during these months the temperatures can range anywhere from 30-50 degrees below 0† (1970). During the 2-3 months of warmer weather, â€Å"the summer tundra remains wet, since permafrost not far below the surface prevents drainage† (Netsilik, n.d). This causes the Netsilik to migrate frequently. Their first encounter of non-natives was in 1890, a meeting that was brief but would provoke further meetings until the twentieth century. Interaction with other civilizations would only prove to advance their own, for neighboring communities like the Iglulik introduced them to more advanced weaponry like the rifle which eventually replaced their standard harpoon; thus making hunting much easier. Later on in 1920, trading posts were established, this completely changed their economy, for instead of white fox fur trapping and trade, the Netsilik now would trade for additional items made by non-natives, including woolen clothing, tobacco, steel traps, fishing nets, canoes, tea, and canvas tents (Netsilik, n.d). Adding these trading posts not only shows how