The Inuit Thought of It: Amazing Arctic Innovations

by Alootook Ipellie, David MacDonald (Primary Contributor)

Today’s Arctic communities have all the comforts of modern living. Yet the Inuit survived in this harsh landscape for hundreds of years with nothing but the land and their own ingenuity. Join authors Alootook Ipellie and David MacDonald as they explore the amazing innovations of traditional Inuit and how their ideas continue to echo around the world. Some inventions are still familiar to us: the one-person watercraft known as a kayak still retains its Inuit name. Other innovations have been replaced by modern technology: slitted snow goggles protected Inuit eyes long before sunglasses arrived on the scene. Andother ideas were surprisingly inspired: using human-shaped stone stacks (Inunnguat) to trick and trap caribou. Many more Inuit innovations are explored here, including: • Dog sleds • Shelter • Clothing • Kids’ stuff • Food preservation • Medicine. In all, more than 40 Inuit items and ideas are showcased through dramatic photos and captivating language. From how these objects were made, to their impact on contemporary culture, The Inuit Thought of It is a remarkable catalogue of Inuit invention.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Indigenous, Science, Childrens

Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Inuit author, born in 1951

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alootoo...

Reviews

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at how the Inuit adapted to their environment and used what was in their environment to survive. Some of the photos in the book were old; some were recent. I wish the old photos had been dated. I didn't know that the Inuit had an alphabet! I would like to read more about that. I was kind of grossed out by the picture of the boy eating the "delicious seal eyeball". Didn't look too delicious to me! To each his own...

[Bo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book, and one that children through adult will find interesting and infomative. Lots of illustrations and photos, too. The Inuit were a resourceful and innovative people, and they can be credited with inventing or originating some of the things in common use today.

4 1/2 stars.

[Chou Yuko · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book can let readers know more about the Inuit. It is talk about how the Inuit adapted to their environment and used what was in their environment to survive.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is obviously a book for children, but I enjoyed it very much and learned a lot. Very informative. Nothing objectionable.

[Canadian Children's Book Centre]

Annick Press has created this informative and easy to read book that will be a useful addition to any school library or classroom. Inuit author Alootook Ipellie, who recently passed away, had first-hand knowledge of the many and varied ways in which the Inuit survived their harsh environment and created tools and techniques that have been adopted around the world. Covering topics like transportation, food, clothing, shelter, hunting and medicine, the author tells of how the need to survive led to a spirit of innovation. Each chapter describes a traditional Inuit invention, such as the kayak, and tells how it was made, how it was used, why it was useful for the people and our modern-day adaptation of its basic principles. Life in an igloo is described in detail, and, while we don’t use igloos in the south, snow and ice buildings are popular at winter festivals. We do use the caribou skin sleeping bag in its modern form. When you read this book, you really understand how the people had to use anything they had to create the things they needed. In particular, they used the animals that they hunted, not only for their food but also for their clothing, some tools and summer shelter.
The book is full of photographs, both old and new, that provide a great extension to the text. The photo of the walrus intestine was something that was new to me! The text provides a good level of information without being too wordy.
There is a section on the Inuit today and how their lives are different now. Overall, it is an attractive and useful book for anyone studying the Inuit and also for anyone who wants to find out about some of the remarkable inventions of a very resourceful people.

Reviewed by Mary Anne Cree in Canadian Children's Book News
Winter 2008 VOL.31 NO.1