Monday, February 21, 2005
101 Things That Are Different in Canada: #1
#1 - Inukshuks
Hello and welcome to part 1 of an new, occasional feature on Carrick to Calgary, called 101 Things That Are Different in Canada. These will be a series of short bloggings on things that we find surprising, amusing or just plain confusing about life in Canada that we didn't have any idea about before we got here.
First up is the most ancient thing we've come across in our time here so far, the Inukshuk. You find these out in the middle of nowhere, miles from civilisation. At first they appear to be little piles of flat stones, much like cairns at home.
Upon closer inspection, the bottom of the pile usually contains two piles of stones, and then the upper stones are wider and flatter, going the whole way across the two piles at the bottom. Then there's a much wider stone above this, and a single pile of narrower stones sits atop this. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes but all stick to a basic general design.
The bigger ones do look a little like the Wicker Man, don't you think?
So what do these person-shaped piles of stones mean? Well, apparently the First Nations tribes used them to mark territory in the wide, barren lands of the North. If you came across an Inukshuk out in the wilds of Alberta, it meant "The People were here", so you knew you weren't the first person to pass this way...
Erected to make the way easier and safer for those who follow, an Inukshuk represents safety and nourishment, trust and reassurance. The Inukshuk guided people across the frozen tundra and gave them hope in barren places to handle hardships they encountered. These primitive, stone images showed the way ahead... pointing you in the direction you wanted to go. Had they been able to speak, I am certain they would have said... "Here is the road. It is safe. You can meet the demands that this path holds. You can reach your goals and attain your vision of where you want to be."
More details here, here, here and here
Hello and welcome to part 1 of an new, occasional feature on Carrick to Calgary, called 101 Things That Are Different in Canada. These will be a series of short bloggings on things that we find surprising, amusing or just plain confusing about life in Canada that we didn't have any idea about before we got here.
First up is the most ancient thing we've come across in our time here so far, the Inukshuk. You find these out in the middle of nowhere, miles from civilisation. At first they appear to be little piles of flat stones, much like cairns at home.
Upon closer inspection, the bottom of the pile usually contains two piles of stones, and then the upper stones are wider and flatter, going the whole way across the two piles at the bottom. Then there's a much wider stone above this, and a single pile of narrower stones sits atop this. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes but all stick to a basic general design.
The bigger ones do look a little like the Wicker Man, don't you think?
So what do these person-shaped piles of stones mean? Well, apparently the First Nations tribes used them to mark territory in the wide, barren lands of the North. If you came across an Inukshuk out in the wilds of Alberta, it meant "The People were here", so you knew you weren't the first person to pass this way...
Erected to make the way easier and safer for those who follow, an Inukshuk represents safety and nourishment, trust and reassurance. The Inukshuk guided people across the frozen tundra and gave them hope in barren places to handle hardships they encountered. These primitive, stone images showed the way ahead... pointing you in the direction you wanted to go. Had they been able to speak, I am certain they would have said... "Here is the road. It is safe. You can meet the demands that this path holds. You can reach your goals and attain your vision of where you want to be."
More details here, here, here and here
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