Another Way of Knowing, Another Way of Being

Another Way of Knowing, Another Way of Being

“A human being has roots by virtue of his real, active and natural participation in the life of a community which preserves in living shape certain particular treasures of the past and certain particular expectations of the future… Every human being needs to have multiple roots. It is necessary for him to draw wellnigh the whole of his moral, intellectual and spiritual life by way of the environment of which he forms a natural part.”

- Simone Weil

Inuit in Nunavut, Canada, call their traditional cultural knowledge Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, or simply IQ, and it incorporates instructions for how to live a successful moral, ethical, and practical life. By providing moral and ethical guidance IQ confirms that Inuit will not overshoot the carrying capacity of their environment. By providing practical guidance IQ ensures that Inuit maintain their traditional skills base to enable them to continue living off the land resiliently and self-sufficiently, come what may.

Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit means simultaneously not only revering the land but also actively engaging with the land. IQ reminds us that humans are not separate from the land; they are a part of it. The land supports them in fundamental ways. It nourishes them physically, emotionally, and spiritually, giving their lives and community meaning and joy. By following Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, Inuit have made their home and thrived in the most challenging environment on earth for thousands of years.

“Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit means knowing the land, names, locations and their history,” says Mark Kalluak, who was born in 1942 and raised in the traditional Inuit lifestyle on the northwestern shore of Hudson Bay. “It also means knowledge of the Arctic environment – of snow, ice, water, weather and the environment we share. It encompasses being in harmony with people, land and living things – and respecting them. It implies life skills, alertness, and the ability to train others for a healthy life. Knowledge of language, culture, traditional beliefs and worldview are essential. Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is, for Inuit, the truth through which we live a good life in our world. It provides purpose and meaning for us and is a way of being in the world that our ancestors set down for us to ensure our survival and well-being. It is our traditional knowledge.”

The core belief at the heart of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is perhaps best expressed by the concept of Avatimik Kamattiarniq, which means “that people are stewards of the environment and must treat all of nature holistically and with respect, because humans, wildlife and habitat are interconnected and each person's actions and intentions towards everything else have consequences, for good or ill.”

It is not required of the rest of us to actually become Inuit elders to take advantage of the wisdom and knowledge encoded in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. Instead, we can adopt their successful IQ worldview and adapt it to our own home environments. We can relocalize our cultures, and relearn what our home lands and local communities have to offer us. And then, in the timeless circle of reciprocity, we can relearn what we can give back to them.