Reflections on Inukshuk
Walking through the town of Churchill, I was inquisitively intrigued and mysteriously drawn to several large stone structures located throughout various parts of town. They’re a unique symbol that represents a traditional stone sculptures built by Canada’s Inuit people of Nunavut. In fact, its meaning and practice are so endemic to Canada that, it has been adopted as the official symbol of the upcoming Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver, British Columbia. Ilanaaq, the mascot logo of the 2010 Winter Olympics, stands atop Whistler Mountain.
Inukshuk (singular), meaning "likeness of a person" in the Inuktitut language is a stone figure made by the Inuit. The plural word is inuksuit. The Inuit build inuksuit of different forms for different purposes: to give direction to travelers, to provide shelter from the wind, or to offer a place for hunters to ambush caribou. Similar stone figures have been built throughout the world since ancient times, but the Arctic is one of the few places where they still stand today. An inukshuk can be small or large, a single rock or several rocks balanced on each other, round boulders or flat stones.
Anyone gazing upon an inukshuk can tell immediately that it was designed by a designer, not by random natural process. And so it is with the world in which we live. Similarly, perhaps the inukshuks of Churchill remind us all that, as we wander through a life of difficult circumstances, our individual journeys are important enough to be marked. Each person bears as a human birthright all the freedom to succeed or fail as stewards of all we’ve been given in this life.
Here's a challenging thought for reflection: Inukshuk in the form of human beings, called “inunnguaq,” seem to have been a recent development, perhaps only appearing after the arrival of European whalers in the 19th century. Thus change in culture has led to a shift in design. As we face a changing world with respect to global communications, customs, and even concerns, what tradition(s) do you see changing? How can your thoughts be represented symbolically?
Use this Flash link below to create your own virtual Inukshuk!
http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/images/inukshuk/game.html
Anyone gazing upon an inukshuk can tell immediately that it was designed by a designer, not by random natural process. And so it is with the world in which we live. Similarly, perhaps the inukshuks of Churchill remind us all that, as we wander through a life of difficult circumstances, our individual journeys are important enough to be marked. Each person bears as a human birthright all the freedom to succeed or fail as stewards of all we’ve been given in this life.
Here's a challenging thought for reflection: Inukshuk in the form of human beings, called “inunnguaq,” seem to have been a recent development, perhaps only appearing after the arrival of European whalers in the 19th century. Thus change in culture has led to a shift in design. As we face a changing world with respect to global communications, customs, and even concerns, what tradition(s) do you see changing? How can your thoughts be represented symbolically?
Use this Flash link below to create your own virtual Inukshuk!
http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/images/inukshuk/game.html
What do you want your inukshuk to tell the world about you?
Labels: stewardship, symbolism, tradition
posted by Chris Bobkowski @ 4:25 PM
3 Comments:
Have you visited the Tundra Buggy Giftshop?
Mr. Hintz
That must of been cool.
Being a baby boomer Born 1948 I have traveled thru time watching and using all forms of communication.Starting out sitting on the hardwood floor listening to The Lone Ranger,watching the Ed Sullivan Show, Short wave radios, telephones ,then all at once computers,with Internet,eye cams.What a rush changing world (I WOULD SAY SO)My symbol would be a stick figure skateboarding on a lighting bolt.
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