Saqiyuq: Stories from the Lives of Three Inuit Women Volume 19

by Rhoda Kaukjak Katsak, Nancy Wachowich, Apphia Agalakti Awa, et al.

Book Overview

A grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter take us on a remarkable journey in which the cycles of life - childhood, adolescence, marriage, birthing and child rearing - are presented against the contrasting experiences of three successive generations. Their memories and reflections give us poignant insight into the history of the people of the new territory of Nunavut. Apphia Awa, who was born in 1931, experienced the traditional life on the land while...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0773522441
• ISBN13: 9780773522442
• Release Date: February 2001
• Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

A stunning, down-to-earth tale of the modern Arctic lifestyle

This work is powerful, introducing the reader to modern Inuit life, while remembering, literally, how it became that way. Proceeding through the stories of three generations of women, details of life ranging from chewing caribou skins to soften them to broken ski-doos (snowmobiles) and unexpectedly melting ice emerge. This is a unique multi-generational portrait of the last century of Inuit life. A quick-read, this is highly recommended!

A rare, priceless book that puts modern life into stark proportion while entertaining effortlessly!

Who, other than the actual native people of this land, could even imagine what life in this seemingly impossible environment entailed? Reading this book is an eye-opener, showing just how a harsh world commands the culture and sacrifices of those it surrounds. Few of us could survive in such a place, let alone thrive over centuries! I've learned to have an endless admiration for the people of the far northern regions; with their extreme hardiness and sheer, day-to-day courage. A fascinating book and a vitally important one.

loved it..reading it again

this was a really interesting book. It shares the three generations of this family with a heavy emphasis on the times before town living. It sensitively answered alot of questions I had about life "on the land" and smoothly moves the reader into the life of the present day inuit. I purchased this book to understand the people of the north whose life I currently share living in their communities. Highly recommend