Thesis--Copenhagen. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 460-468).

Thesis--Copenhagen. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 460-468).

Although the human head is a common subject in art, the Eskimos have utilized this motif in a most uncommon manner. Sculptures consisting of a number of human heads, and only human heads, have been produced throughout the arctic, but never as consistently as by the Dorset and contemporary artists. In view of the unusual nature of this subject and its flourishing appearance 900 years apart in two distinct Eskimo cultures, one wonders what significance the motif had for the Eskimos themselves and what connection, if any, exists between its role in the art of two different, albeit Eskimo, cultures. Investigation of these problems is complicated by the particular circumstances of both cultures, especially the Dorset. Little has been written about the multiples of either culture. And while the contemporary Eskimos are available for interview—and were very helpful in answering the queries put to them—the Dorsets have long since been replaced by the Thule Eskimos. Our only actual evidence of the prehistoric Dorsets is archaeological. In these circumstances the actual Dorset multiples themselves are especially important—they are our major source of information as to their use and significance. Although they themselves and analogy with other Eskimo cultures may suggest certain interpretations, any tentative conclusions about the multiples created by the Dorsets cannot be definitely substantiated. Research and personal interviews in the north established that the multiples have no ulterior significance for the contemporary Eskimos. The sculpture is made for sale in the south and continued possession of it is not necessary for the Eskimo's well-being. There was no consistent interpretation of the subject. The head motif may be used simply as a design element or the heads may represent any of the following: humans—often in a family group, mythological characters, or spirits. Most artists said the idea for the multiples was from their own head or from seeing other contemporary carvings of this subject. Only a few of the contemporary Eskimos gave any indication of knowledge of the use of this subject by older Eskimos in historical times. However, multiples were made in the 1800's in such places as Alaska, the Ungava District, and at Angmassalik, Greenland. Between these few 19th century examples and the Dorset multiples of about 1000, there seems to be a complete break in the tradition of the subject. Various factors indicate that the majority of Dorset art was probably used in a religious-shamanistic context. The use of heads on other religious objects as well as the occurrence of standardized multiples, with a specific number of faces, over a large geographical area indicate that the multiple was a part of this religious art. It seems likely that the multiple was used by the shaman himself as a magic staff in ceremonies and most likely in those shamanic duties associated with retaining the well-being of his charges; particularly their health. The motif of heads suggests the possible use of the multiple in that popular Eskimo means of divination—head-lifting. In any of these life-associated capacities, the beings represented on the multiple could be: successfully cured humans, the shaman's helping spirits, or even more likely, souls; either souls to be returned to the body during illness to effect the cure, dead souls of others consulted during a illness, or souls conducted away at the death of those not successfully cured. If the Dorset multiple functioned as a religious item, and it seems most likely that it did, the contemporary sculptors have continued the tradition of the original subject but have not retained the original significance. / Arts, Faculty of / Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis explores Eskimo dance and the social relationships surrounding the dance activities among Yupiget on St. Lawrence Island and Iñupiat in Barrow, Alaska. Based on one year of fieldwork, I set out to understand how Eskimo dance is at the centre of social relationships with the environment, among people, between humans and animals, and between Eskimo and the Euro-American societies. I also examine how the nature and structure of Eskimo dance are connected to cultural politics, wrought by political, economic and historical events. St. Lawrence Island and Barrow are both well known as ‘dance’ communities among Alaskan Eskimos, where the residents did not give up on dancing despite various pressures throughout history, and legendary composers and performers keep attracting a number of Eskimo audiences. Both communities have long been enjoying Eskimo dances, which combine the cultural aesthetics with abstract and embodied knowledge of their Arctic environment in a harmony of movements and sounds. In the contemporary context, Eskimo dance performances have also become a way of presenting ethnic identity, interpreting tradition, and representing culture in political discourse, particularly in the speech community where people do not speak their heritage language in daily life. Yupik and Iñupiaq communities, which vary in language maintenance, post-colonial history, and economic development, have different attitudes toward their own traditions and cultures. This is reflected in the fact that the presentations and meanings of contemporary Eskimo dance are developing differently between St. Lawrence Island and Barrow. I argue that Eskimo dance shows conservatism in artistic form incorporating creativities and improvisation among performers. It also presents continuity of the emotional and social power that dance performances have.

Th.--Sci. hum.--Bordeaux 3, 1986.

No description available.

Seventeen complete and incomplete Eskimo kinship terminologies are examined and compared with a view to determining and assessing the nature and extent of the reported discrepancies. It is shown that the lack of a standardized orthography for the Eskimo language has contributed to the difficulties of comparing the distribution of terminology. Nuances of the language, especially those relating to the use of different suffixes for 'step', 'adoptive', and 'lesser' are shown to give rise to some of the reported discrepancies. The definitions of Spier and Murdock relating to the 'Eskimo Type' of kinship system and social structure are examined and found to be invalid for the areas for which data are available. It is established that a core of terminological and structural similarity exists between the geographically isolated systems. But the importance of local variables demands that correlations between the kinship system and the associated social structure must be made within the framework of the local economic and ecological factors impinging upon the domestic group. The apparently asymmetrical relationship between-ascending and descending generations is examined within the conceptual framework of the developmental cycle of domestic groups. It is suggested that the specificity of terminology is related to the economic effectivity of the category of relative under discussion. The data available are insufficient for statistical analyses but it is thought that the statistical approach will provide a more coherent picture of the structural and functional inter-relationships between the on-going institutions and that local variations will be shown to have rational bases. / Arts, Faculty of / Anthropology, Department of / Graduate

This thesis attempts to understand the nature of the Greenlandic image "Tupilaq" in traditional Kalaadlit culture and in its modern context. The same term is applied today in Greenland to a variety of images carved as small figures for the tourist or art markets. This thesis examines the ways in which the images and the application of the term have changed. This study describes the traditional context of the TUPILAQ image and establishes a time frame for the inception of carvings labelled "Tupilaq". Data used to support this investigation were drawn from ethnographic records, historical accounts, and museum exhibit reports. It becomes clear that the Tupilaq figure exists as a distinct and new category of material culture which stands apart from its mythic image. An analysis of these carvings and interviews with their carvers show that the content of Tupilaq figures is not what their label implies. The analysis is carried a step further, examining the development of this carving production, the market for these carvings as cultural artifacts, and the concerns of their producers and consumers. This investigation demonstrates that the ways in which East Greenlanders modified and continue to modify this carving production relates directly to their necessity to establish their group's identity in a changing cultural environment. This thesis shows that the label -Tupilaq- is the symbolic link between traditional and contemporary society. In conclusion, interpretation of material culture is discussed as it applies to Tupilaq figures; we need to go beyond the label for a more adequate interpretation of the content and the occurrence of cultural images as material objects. / Arts, Faculty of / Anthropology, Department of / Graduate