Sacred hunt

About this book

"For centuries, aboriginal people throughout the Arctic regions of the world have depended on seals for their survival. Inuit and other indigenous peoples of the Arctic have used seal meat for food, sealskin for clothing, and oil from seal blubber as fuel for light and heat. For these reasons, the seal was the principal prey of Inuit and the seal hunt lies at the core of traditional Inuit life." "In this book, writer David Pelly describes all facets of the seal hunt, beginning with the respect for seals underlying the hunt. This respect is reflected in the myths, legends, rituals, and traditions of the Arctic peoples, extending to the very creation of seals according to the legend of Nuliajuk. In a vivid yet sensitive description of the traditional seal hunt, Pelly describes how, in the depths of winter, Inuit hunters traveled from their iglus across the ice to search for agluit, or seal breathing holes, and stood for hours in-40-degree temperatures, harpoon in hand, waiting for a seal to appear at the hole to take a breath." "David Pelly's text, based on years of traditional knowledge research, is augmented by archival photographs and photographs of Inuit sculpture, drawings, and etchings showcasing the importance of Arctic seals in Inuit culture. The result is a provocative and moving portrait of the traditional hunt and of the spiritual link between Inuit and Arctic seals."--Jacket.