The Caribou Eskimos/Part 2
REPORT OF THE FIFTH THULE EXPEDITION 1921–24
THE DANISH EXPEDITION TO ARCTIC NORTH AMERICA IN CHARGE
OF KNUD RASMUSSEN, PH. D.
VOL. V.
THE
CARIBOU ESKIMOS
MATERIAL AND SOCIAL LIFE AND THEIR CULTURAL POSITION
BY
KAJ BIRKET-SMITH
II.
ANALYTICAL PART
GYLDENDALSKE BOGHANDEL, NORDISK FORLAG
COPENHAGEN 1929
CONTENTS
| I. | COAST AND INLAND POPULATION. | ||
| The Former Coast Population. | |||
| House ruins, 5. Grave finds, 8. Early writers on the Hudson Bay Eskimos in the 18th century, 11. | |||
| The Advance of the Present-day Coast Eskimos to Hudson Bay. | |||
| Inland elements in the culture of the Coast Eskimos, 13. Time and causes of the change of culture, 14. Special features of the coast culture: Geographically conditioned elements, 16. Special features of the coast culture: Substitutional elements, 19. Special features of the coast culture: Augmenting elements, 24. Special features of the coast culture: Summary, 29. | |||
| II. | THE CULTURAL POSITION OF THE CARIBOU ESKIMOS IN COMPARISON WITH OTHER ESKIMOS. | ||
| Foreign and Original Culture Elements. | |||
| European elements, 31. Indian elements, 32. Caribou Eskimo Culture proper, 41. | |||
| Dwellings and Furniture. | |||
| Snow house and shelter, 43. Platform furniture, 56. Bags and containers for food, water, etc., 57. Implements for serving food and drink, 59. | |||
| Hunting Implements and Methods. | |||
| Striking and thrusting weapons, 61. Fish hooks and small implements connected with fishing, 67. Traps, snares and fences, 68. Hunting and fishing methods, 70. | |||
| Means of Communication. | |||
| Sledges and accessories, 71. Tump-lines and carrying bags, 76. Kayaks and appurtenances, 76. | |||
| Dress. | |||
| The two-skin frock, 79. Caps, mittens and belts, 85. Legging-breeches, stockings, sandal-boots and sandals, 87. Combination garments and hose, 92. Cloaks and tippets, 92. Ornaments, 93. Toilet, etc., 93. | |||
| Tools and Technique. | |||
| Fire and its uses, 97. Edged tools, 105. Abrading tools, 108. Hewing and drilling implements, 109. Other implements. 111. Thongs and cords, 114. Technique, 115. | |||
| Objects concerning Social Life. | |||
| Ceremonial equipment, 117. Sports and pastimes, 118. Toys, 120. Graves, 121. | |||
| Summary. | |||
| Grouping of the culture elements, 123. Ancient elements in the culture of the Caribou Eskimos, 127. Later elements in the culture of the Caribou Eskimos, 130. | | ||
| III. | THE CULTURAL POSITION OF THE CARIBOU ESKIMOS WITHIN THE CIRCUMPOLAR CULTURE REGION. | ||
| Dwellings and Furniture. | |||
| The domed house, 133. Bags and containers for food, water, etc., 138. Implements for serving food and drink, 141. | |||
| Hunting Implements and Methods. | |||
| Striking and thrusting weapons, 145. The fish hook and small implements connected with fishing, 156. Traps, snares, deer fences and weirs, 157. Hunting and fishing methods, 161. | |||
| Means of Communication. | |||
| Sledges and appurtenances, 163. Tump-lines and carrying bags, 170. Skin boats and appurtenances, 172. | |||
| Dress. | |||
| The two-skin frock, 175. Caps, belts, and mittens, 180. Trousers and footwear, 182. Combination suits, hose, and cloaks. 184. Personal adornment, toilet, etc., 185. | |||
| Tools and Technique. | |||
| Fire and its uses, 188. Knives and scrapers, 194. Hewing and drilling implements, 196. Other implements, 198. Technique, 200. | |||
| Objects concerning Social Life. | |||
| Festival equipment, 201. Sports and pastimes, 202. Toys, 204. Graves, 206. | |||
| Summary. | |||
| Grouping of the elements, 208. Conclusions, 210. | |||
| IV. | FEATURES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF CIRCUMPOLAR CULTURE WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE ESKIMOS. | ||
| The Circumpolar Culture Region. | |||
| Time perspective in circumpolar culture, 212. The position of the ice-hunting stage in the general development of culture, 216. | |||
| Origin and Development of Eskimo Culture. | |||
| Origin of Eskimo Culture, 219. Somatic, linguistic and cultural correlations: The Aleut-Pacific Eskimo Culture, 226. Main features of the history of the Eskimo Culture, 229. | |||
| TABLES. | |||
| A. | Distribution of Culture Elements within the Eskimo Culture (including Chukchi and Koryak). | ||
| Snow house, 234. Window pane, 235. Tent, 235. Temporary shelter, 236. Platform mat, 237. Seamless bag, 237. Bag sewn together at the edge, 238. Bag of split bird feet, 238. Wooden tray, 239. Round wooden bowl, 239. Pail, 239. Water bottle, 240. Meat fork, 240. Marrow extractor, 241. Dipper and ladle, 241. Spoon, 242. Fish spoon, 242. Sucking tube, 243. Sling, 243. Backed bow, 244. Arrow heads of bone, 245. Arrow feathering, 245. Arrow release, 246. Quiver, 247. Stiletto, 247. Lance with fixed head, 247. Bird dart, 248. Throwing board, 249. Leister, 250. Barbed harpoon, 250. Fish-hook, 251. Fish decoy, 252. Fish-needle, 252. Pitfall, 253. Trap, 253. Snare, 254. Caribou fence, 254. Fish weir, 255. Methods of caribou hunting. 255. Wolf hunting by means of a bloody knife, 256. Peep-hunting, 256. Sledge, 256. Peal and ice shoeing, 258. Harness and arrangement of team, 258. Toggle for draught line, 259. Swivel, 259. Whip, 260. Tumpline, 260. Pack-bag for dogs, 260. Kayak, 261. Double paddle, 262. Dripring, 263. Cap, 263. Belt and belt-buttons, 264. Mitten and glove, 265. Sandal, 265. Combination suit, 266. Hose, 266. Cloak, 267. Tippet, 267. Brow-band, 267. Ear-ornaments, 268. Men's hair-dressing, 269. Tattooing, | | ||
| 269. Comb, 271. Back-scratcher, 271. Snow-goggles, 272. Snow-beater. 272. Methods of fire-making, 273. Cooking pot, 274. Roasting on stones, 275. Snow-knife, 275. Whittling knife, 276. Splitting knife, 276. Woman's knife, 277. Bone knife for pressing water out of skin, 278. One-handed scrapers, 278. Whetting implements, 279. Ice pick, 279. Hand drill, 280. Bow drill, 280. Sewing needle, 281. Snow probe, 281. Thimble, 282. Thimble-holder, 282. Cutting board, 283. Snow shovel, 283. Ice-scoop, 283. Arrow-straightener, 284. Wedge, 284. Babiche, 285. Bending wood with steam, 285. Preparation of skin by scraping or treatment with hot water, 286. Sewing, 286. Drum, 287. Mask, 288. Ball-game, 288. Juggling, 289. Ring-and-pin game, 289. Nuglutaq, 290. Handles for trials of strength, 290. Skipping, 290. Hand game, 290. Roulette, 291. Dice, 291. Cat's cradle. 291. Doll, 292. Bull-roarer, 292. Buzz, 292. Top, 293. Graves, 293. | |||
| B. | Distribution of Culture Elements America and Northern Eurasia. | ||
| Dome-shaped hut, 295. Conical tent, 297. Platform, 301. Seamless bag, 302. Edge-seamed bag, 303. Bag of split bird feet, 304. Wooden tray, 304. Round wooden bowl, 305. Skin pail, 307. Dipper and ladle, 308. Spoon, 309. Sucking tube, 312. Sling, 313. Composite bow, 314. Arrow feathering consisting of two feathers, 316. Mediterranean arrow-release, 317. Skin quiver, 318. Lance, 319. Multipronged dart, 321. Throwing board, 321. Leister, 322. Harpoon, 323. Gorge, 325. Fish decoy, 326. Pitfall, 326. Snare, 327. Pole-snare, 329. Hunting fences and game drives with fire, 330. Fish weir, 332. Hunting methods, 334. Peep fishing, 335. Skin toboggan and simple runner sledge, 336. Dog harness, 336. Tump-line, 337. Pack dogs. 338. Skin boat, 339. Double paddle, 340. Poncho, 341. One-piece cap, 341. Mitten, 342. Laced Sandal, 343. Hose, 344. Tattooing, 344. One-piece comb, 347. Head or back scratcher, 348. Snow goggles, 350. Fire making, 350. Stone vessels, 353. Crooked knife, 353. Woman's knife, 355. One-handed scraper, 355. Two-handed scraper, 357. Ice-pick, 358. Bow drill, 359. Sewing needle with eye, 359. Snow shovel, 360. Ice scoop, 360. Arrow straightener, 361. Wedge, 361. Steaming of wood, 363. Drum, 363. Mask, 365. Ball, 367. Juggling, 369. Ring-and-pin game, 369. Hand game, 370. Dice, 372. Cat's cradle, 375. Bull-roarer, 376. Buzz, 377. Popgun, 377. Top. 378. Exposure of corpse, etc., 379. | |||
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Page
| ||
| Fig. 1. | Stone settings in form of kayaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
6 |
| Fig.— 2. | Tent ring of Thule type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
7 |
| Fig.— 3. | Adze handle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
8 |
| Fig.— 4. | Grave find . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
9 |
| Fig.— 5. | Stratification of the Eskimo Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
232 |