All about the Inuit.

Polar Bear

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Joined
Dec 8, 2011
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(While reading, listen to this musical tribute to the Inuit - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNAKH4KdRY0, or to this if you prefer something more Artistic - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjoLZZYASpg&feature=related)

The Inuit in Civilopedia would look like this.


The Inuit.

History:

The rapid expansion of the Inuit people took them from the far corner of Alaska all the way to Greenland in the east. They quickly became, and still remain, the dominant ethnic group of the North American Arctic, after succeeding the Tuniit and the Vikings. Today they have become an icon of survival, and after European colonisation they still own much of their land, and speak their own language, Inuktitut.


Terrain and Climate:

Over 6000 kilometres of mostly tundra and snow, and vast wildernesses, from the Bering Strait to East Greenland, forming the North American Arctic, makes up the lands of the Inuit people.


Inuit Origins:

The origins of the Inuit people goes back about 5000 years, and lies in north western Alaska, where their ancestors from Asia had first landed in the Americas. These first Alaskan Inuit lived on the frozen coast and tundra, where they hunted seals, walrus, whales, and caribou. They lived in houses made of driftwood and sod, and spoke an early version of the Inuit language, Inuktitut. They and their ancestors were the first Arctic people to become expert at hunting the larger sea mammals, such as the bowhead whale. The large volume of food that resulted from a successful hunt - even a small whale could weigh seven tonnes - meant that their way of life was richer than any other people of the Arctic.


Early History:

The Inuit moved east from Alaska about a thousand years ago. Within just a few hundred years, they had conquered and replaced the earlier inhabitants of the region, the now-extinct Dorset or Tuniit people. The Inuit migration to the east was not a single mass event, but probably mostly involved dozens of small parties of just 20 or 30 people.

Bowhead whaling as the focus of Inuit life mostly disappeared from Canada and Greenland, although stayed alive in Alaska. Life for the Inuit generally became harder. People moved their camps and villages more frequently, and in many areas the old sod and whalebone winter house was abandoned in favour of houses made of blocks of snow called 'Igloos'. They were easier to build as they could be put up anywhere, even on the sea ice, and required only an hour or two to construct.


The Vikings Arrive:

By 1250 AD, the first Inuit had entered Greenland through the Smith Sound area in the far northwest of the island. It was here where they encountered the Vikings, who had settled on Greenland in colonies founded by Eric the Red around the 10th century. At first the Inuit traded with the Viking settlers peacefully, however these Viking settlements only lasted about 500 years, completely disappearing by around the mid 1400s. Different theories exist about the reasons behind their abandonment of their settlements, with the sudden change in climate with the start of the Little Ice Age being the most likely factor, however evidence also exists of battles between the Vikings and the Inuit on more than one occasion, where Inuit warriors attacked the settlements, which most probably would have contributed to their leaving. Also the Inuit were far better at adapting to Arctic life than the Norse, and so competition for food may have been a factor as well. By the 16th century, the Inuit were in sole possession of the entire North American Arctic.


Contact with Explorers:

Contact with European explorers brought about new changes. About 22 explorers travelled through Inuit territory, including famous explorer Martin Frobisher in the 1570s - The Inuit paddled out to Martin Frobisher's ship when they first saw it, and gave gifts of fish and fur clothing, but over two visits to the region Frobisher kidnapped four Inuit people to take with him back to England, including a woman and child who had survived a massacre by Frobisher's own men. All four Inuit people died from disease.
Most of the expeditions to the Arctic came from England, with a general goal to discover a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific. During their journeys through the Arctic, these explorers often met Inuit, sometimes trading with them, although few Europeans believed that they had anything to learn from the Inuit.

Russian explorers first encountered the Yup'ik people in the Americas in the 1840s, which coincided with the end of a series of violent conflict in the region that had lasted for hundreds of years, known as the Bow and Arrow wars.


The Whalers:

By the 1850s, Europeans and Americans began to see the commercial value of the Arctic's animal resources, such as whales and seals. Soon large scale operations were set up in what are now Canadian waters, where whalers slaughtered thousands of whales. Hundreds of Inuit were hired to work on whaling ships as hunters and seamstresses because of their skills in the industry. The Inuit were introduced to a range of manufactured goods for the first time, everything from rifles and tent canvas to whale boats and flour. By the late 1800s many of the Inuit were used to contact with Europeans.

Unfortunately the whalers also brought with them infectious diseases. The Inuit had no natural immunities to these new diseases and eventually thousands had died. From 1850 to 1910, the population of the western Canadian Arctic Inuit fell from an estimated 2000 - 2500 people to only 150. In the East, one local group, the Sadlirmiut of Southampton Island, disappeared entirely during the winter of 1902 - 1903. They caught dysentery from sailors on the Scottish whaling ship Active.

By 1905, the whaling industry was dying as the population of whales in the Arctic dwindled in sight of extinction. And new inventions, such as a synthetic substitute for baleen, forced many whalers to turn to other livelihoods. The fur trade was increasingly becoming more popular in the Arctic.
In 1925, the Inuit had become counted as subjects of the Canadian state. More and more missionaries were sent north, and for many, traditional beliefs and practices began to disappear or were practiced in secret. During the 20th century the Inuit had lost power over their own lives, and many slipped into poverty because of fluctuations in fur prices set in distant London or New York.


Modern Times:

After the Second World War the Canadian government began to take more interest in Inuit welfare, encouraging the Inuit to give up their nomadic way of life and live in permanent settlements. Cheap housing was set up, along with stores, schools, medical facilities, and airports. The once spread out Inuit were now mostly concentrated into a small number of communities. By the mid 1960s, nearly all Inuit in Canada lived in these new settlements, although this also meant that many Inuit had become almost entirely dependant on social assistance and outside trade, since they were no longer living off the land as hunter-gatherers. Job opportunities were fairly scarce, and poverty for many quickly became a problem.


The Battle for Self-government:

In 1966 Democracy began its move to the Arctic. The federal government in Ottawa created federal electoral constituencies in parts of the Northwest Territories. By 1967, a resident Commissioner of the Northwest Territories was appointed and many federal programs were transferred to the new territorial government. By the late 1970s, the territorial government had become an elected, representative body.
An important step toward self-government was taken in 1971, with the founding of the Inuit Brotherhood, now called Inuit Tapirisat of Canada. In 1976, the Inuit proposed the creation of a new territory to be called Nunavut (meaning "our land" in Inuktitut). The new Nunavut would be made up of the central and eastern portions of the Northwest Territories and it would represent a majority of Inuit citizens. The Nunavut proposal also included a comprehensive land claim. In 1982, a plebiscite, or vote of the people, supported the Nunavut Proposal, and, in 1992, an Agreement in Principle was supported by 85 percent of Inuit voters. In May 1993, the Nunavut Final Agreement was signed, and the new territory of Nunavut was proclaimed on April the 1st, 1999.

Inuit living outside of Nunavut had, for the most part, chosen different political paths. The Inuvialuit, people who live along the Arctic coast in the western Northwest Territories, have long felt distinct from the eastern Arctic Inuit. They had access to the rich oil and gas reserves of the Beaufort Sea. They wished to negotiate their own land claim and did so under the Committee for Original Peoples' Entitlement (COPE). In 1984, they signed the Inuvialuit Final Agreement with the federal and territorial governments. It established the Inuvialuit Settlement Region encompassing much of the western Arctic.
Earlier, in 1975, the Northern Quebec Inuit Association, now the Makivik Corporation, signed the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, establishing Inuit land ownership and other rights in Arctic Quebec.
Both the Northern Quebec and Inuvialuit agreements are comprehensive land claims only. They are not as broad or sweeping as the Nunavut claim, which includes the establishment of a public, territorial government.

In 1953, Denmark put an end to the colonial status of Greenland and granted home rule in 1979. In 2008 a self-government referendum was passed with 75% approval. Although still a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland, (Also known as Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" in Kalaallisut) maintains much autonomy today. Of a population of 55,000, 80% of Greenlanders identify as Inuit.


Inuit Factoid:

The term ‘Eskimo’ means ‘Eater of raw flesh’, and is usually considered offencive.

There are now around 40,000 Inuit living in Canada. The total population worldwide is about 150,000.

The Inuit have the warmest clothing on earth. Parkas, tunics and mukluks.

They are the only people who live in igloos.

Light hunting crossbows were traditionally used by the Inuit.


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Reading up on their leader would look like this.


Apanuugpak.

History:

Apanuugpak was a warrior and leader of his people, in the mid 17th century, during a long series of tribal conflicts called the “Bow and arrow wars” mainly in the Yup'ik region of Southwest Alaska. This ended around 200 years ago. According to anthropologist Ann Fienup-Riordan, four separate continuing conflicts in the region were all part of the wars. Most of the conflicts ended about the time that Russian explorers came to the area in the early 19th century, and before local history was written down. But Native elders in area villages still tell the historical narratives of the war passed on to them by their elders. The stories are filled with the exploits of Apanuugpak. There is no doubt that he was a great warrior, strong and cunning.


Story of a Great Warrior:

According to legend the Bow and Arrow wars started when a child playing with a bone dart accidentally put out one eye of a visiting companion. When the father of the wounded boy was invited to carry out punishment. The enraged parent completely blinded the boy and in return the father of the first boy then killed the other man. A cycle of revenge escalated among the villages, with new wrongs and old grievances perpetuating the wars. Surprise attacks were common as well as face-to-face combat. When opposing warriors met in the open, it was a fight to the death. Raiding parties might try to surround the community qasgiq - where the men lived together - block the exits and set fire to the structure. No prisoners were taken, though one man of the vanquished might be spared and sent back to his village to tell of the battle. All boys in the losing village were usually killed and the women and girls taken as slaves.
During these times, Apanuugpak was raised to be a warrior. The diet of boys raised to be warriors was regulated carefully, to help them grow to be light and agile. Apanuugpak's training was rigorous. Some stories say his grandfather would make him run to the top of Nelson Island (about 500 feet high). Then, he would receive just one drop of water from the tip of the feather of a snowy owl to quench his thirst. Then he was told to roll over sharp mussel shells to toughen his body and mind. As he grew to manhood, Apanuugpak had become a virtual “killing machine”. He achieved victory through his superior strength, courage and ingenuity. Apanuugpak was invisible to his enemies, it is said, though he also had a loud voice, like a crane, that put fear into their hearts. Arrows were said to have bounced off of him, because of his secret weapon, an armour made from mussel shells.
His enemies say that a shaman in the Togiak area put a curse on Apanuugpak, who was turned into a rock as he headed back to his village after a raid. That rock can still be seen along the coast. However, Anna Kungurqaq of Nelson Island tells that he died the natural death of an old man while in a steam bath.


Judgement of History:

It is difficult to judge a person we know so little about, but from the stories passed down by word of mouth alone it is clear that his existence left an impact in the hearts of his people. Few other historical characters of the Inuit have gained so much renown as he, so at the very least we can say that he certainly was a great warrior.
 
Some think that there are not enough cities for the Inuit to be a civilization.


List of Cities and towns/Populations (Not including Alaska or Russia):

Capital:
Iqaluit 6,184 (Nunavut, Canada)

Other cities in order (Largest to smallest):
Nuuk 15,469 (Greenland) - alternative capital city.
Sisimiut 5,460 “
Ilulissat 4,546 “
Qaqortoq 3,306 “
Aasiaat 3,005 “
Maniitsoq 2,784 “
Kangiqiniq 2,358 (Nunavut, Canada)
Arviat 2,060 “
Tasiilaq 1,930 (Greenland)
Qamani’tua 1,728 (Nunavut, Canada)
Paamiut 1,619 (Greenland)
Narsaq 1,613 “
Iglulik 1,538 (Nunavut, Canada)
Iqaluktuuttiaq 1,477 “
Nanortalik 1,448 (Greenland)
Pangniqtuuq 1,325 (Nunavut, Canada)
Mittimatalik 1,315 “
Uummannaq 1,299 (Greenland)
Qasigiannguit 1,253 “
Kinngait 1,236 (Nunavut, Canada)
Upernavik 1,129 (Greenland)
Uqsuqtuuq 1,064 (Nunavut, Canada)
Qeqertarsuaq 907 (Greenland)
Kangiqtugaapik 820 (Nunavut, Canada)
Talurjuaq 809 “
Salliit 769 “
Naujaat 748 “
Sanikiluaq 744 “
Ikpiarjuk 690 “
Arviligjuaq 688 “
Sanirajak 654 “
Qaanaaq 626 (Greenland)
Kangaatsiaq 586 “
 
A recap on the Inuit abilities.


People of the Arctic.
Unique ability: +1 Food from camps and sea resources. +1 Production from tundra tiles. No defencive penalty to units on snow or tundra tiles.
Alternative Unique ability: No unhappiness from number of cities for cities build on snow or tundra tiles. Snow and tundra tiles provide one production bonus.
Alternative Unique ability: Cities founded on snow or tundra do not increase city unhappiness, sea and bonus resources provide +1 food.
Alternative Unique ability: Efficient animal use. Additional +1 food and +1 production from improved sources of Whales, Deer, and Furs. Starves at half-rate.

*Additionally to either Unique ability, Scouts, Settlers, and Qamutik units can move onto Ice tiles. There is a gradual penalty over time for units moving onto Ice tiles.

Unique unit: Qamutik "Dog sledge". Replaces Chariot, but does not require the Wheel, instead Domestication. Cost 40, not 60. Strength 3. Ranged strength 7. Range 2. Movement 3. On tundra and snow the qamutik has 6 movement, 3 strength and 7 ranged strength. Does not require Horses to be built.
Rough terrain penalty. No defencive terrain bonus. No melee attack. Penalty attacking cities.

Unique improvement: Inuksuk. +1 Culture. +1 Food when built adjacent to Deer, Furs and Seal resources. Has 3 visibility range. Cannot be built on Jungle, Forest, Swamp, or Desert tiles.
Alternative Unique improvement: Ice trap. +4 Food. Can only be build on snow tiles adjacent to water or river tiles. Available at the Discovery of Sailing.
Alternative Unique Improvement: Igloo. Can only be built on tundra or snow, unlocked through Trapping. +1 food. +1 additional food for every adjacent source of Whales, Deer or Furs. No benefit from Civil Service or Fertilizer.

Unique building: Inuksuk - monument replacement. Additionally to normal monument bonus, scouts get the free promotion Scouting 1.
Alternative Unique building: Igloo - granary replacement. +2 production on ice tiles (NB: city tile as well), +2 food on whales (no +2 food from building and +1 from deer/wheat/bananas), lower production cost (40 production instead of 60).

Starting Bias: Coastal tundra and snow.

Music theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNAKH4KdRY0, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8QuNdfb-Yw, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiaNUhqnPbU, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB-bcO5b-og, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueRhkTITvFE&feature=relmfu

Symbol and colours: Dark brown inuksuk (Stone landmark) with ice blue or cream background.

Strategy: Dominance victory is the most logical choice, however other victories may also be effective. Rabid expansion over the tundra and snow to build several cities near rivers and along the coast would be a good start. Early rush tactics with military units would be useful against any nearby civilizations and City States. Enemy resistance should be easier to control since most civilizations inhabit nearer to the centre of the map. Once spread across the territory, dig your roots in and build up for a wave of conquest.

Additional: Seals as a new Bonus resource on the map. Spawns on coastal snow and tundra tiles. Seals provide +1 Gold and +1 Food, and require a hunting camp improvement.

 
Very intresting idea, has anyone made a Unique Improvement for a mod? Shouldn't they technically be called Eskimos, because it is a name for the entire group, and Inuits only for a part of them?

I think the they could be great for a geographical balance point of view making use of all that useless snow!

Good luck!
 
As mentioned above, the term 'Eskimo' is usually considered offencive to the Inuit, as it literally means 'Eater of raw flesh'. I asked an Inuit in person and this is true. The Inuit alone dominated most of the North American Arctic and Greenland, and are about 80-90% of the population now. They were the ones who defeated both the Tuniit and the Vikings, so they are by far the most appropriate choice.
 
What the leader would look like:

Apanuugpak would look tough and physically fit. He would be wearing a parka with the mussel shell armour, and possibly carved bone goggles. Face tattoos would look intimidating. He would be holding a bow, with arrows sheathed. He would be standing in the snow with an igloo behind him, that is on a small hill that leads to open tundra in the background, with northern lights in the sky. He would speak Inuktitut. His AI personality would be fairly aggressive, but generally open for trade.
 
You can't give Inuit a food bonus, with 150,000 living in such a large area.
If a civilization in the game had that kind of area and the food bonuses you talk about they would be millions, many millions.

You can give culture bonusses or maybe terrain bonuses.
Something like move on ice tiles, stealth on snow and tundra if fortified or simple % bonusses.
 
Could this work as a symbol?

Should I use american city art?

Does anyone have good art for Qamutik, Apanuugpak and the Inuksuk?
 
You can't give Inuit a food bonus, with 150,000 living in such a large area.
If a civilization in the game had that kind of area and the food bonuses you talk about they would be millions, many millions.

You can give culture bonusses or maybe terrain bonuses.
Something like move on ice tiles, stealth on snow and tundra if fortified or simple % bonusses.

This food bonus would only be slight, and would have to be tested by the game designers to reach a realistic balance before introducing it into the game. Their ability as above refers to an additional 2 food per citizen only if there are snow or tundra tiles within the boarders - and not for each snow and tundra tile. A food bonus does make sense however, because the Inuit are so proficient at getting food in the Arctic, while most others find this terribly difficult.

We could meet in the middle with an ability of an even slighter food bonus together with a culture ability. Their unique unit already has a bonus with movement on snow and tundra tiles.
 
Anyone who has created an Inuit Mod, please post a link to it in this thread for the convenience of everyone.
 
i have an another UA idea: no unhappiness from # of cities for cities founded on snow/tundra tiles.
so they could have a plenty of small 2-3+ pop cities near the pole working on sea resources.

igloo UB - granary replacement, +2 production on ice tiles (NB: city tile as well), +2 food on whales (no +2 food from building and +1 from deer/wheat/bananas), lower production cost (40 :c5production: instead of 60).

2nd UB :
Inuksuk - monument replacement, +1 food on fish and deer (in addition to culture bonus).

The point of making 2 UBs is that they are easier to mod in (only 2 pics to draw) than units or improvements.

ps im going to create this mod.
 
i have an another UA idea: no unhappiness from # of cities for cities founded on snow/tundra tiles.
so they could have a plenty of small 2-3+ pop cities near the pole working on sea resources.

igloo UB - granary replacement, +2 production on ice tiles (NB: city tile as well), +2 food on whales (no +2 food from building and +1 from deer/wheat/bananas), lower production cost (40 :c5production: instead of 60).

2nd UB :
Inuksuk - monument replacement, +1 food on fish and deer (in addition to culture bonus).

The point of making 2 UBs is that they are easier to mod in (only 2 pics to draw) than units or improvements.

ps im going to create this mod.

Your unique ability idea is decent. I would like to test your Mod when you have made it.

I would still prefer a unique unit, however I can understand how a unique building would be easier to inculcate.
 
A painting or drawing would be ideal. Can we get someone to paint Apanuugpak for us?

An aspect that we can pursue is the carved bone goggles such as in this picture.


I would like to see tattoos on his face. Here are some examples. http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoo_museum/arctic_alaskan_tattoo_images.html, http://www.freshcharacters.com/inuit-mythology-project-portraits-by-eva-widermann/

For an idea of the clothing, here is a drawing of an Inuit man with a harpoon.



I would like to show the mussel shell armour as well. I was unable to find a good picture of what this may have looked like.
 
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