Introduction
Once known as the Eskimos, the Inuit (The people) are a group of indigenous people originating in Asia. The Inuit have a worldwide population of approximately 155,000 (2). Of this 155,000 approximately 59,000 live within Canada, with the rest of the population living in Alaska, Greenland, and Russia (2). In Canada the Inuit live in four regions, one of these being Nunatsiavut; a recent self-governed region approved in 2005 under the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement (7). Nunatsiavut is located in Newfoundland and Labrador making up approximately 2,325 Inuit out of the 6,265 in Newfoundland (7). The 72,520 square kilometres of land Nunatsiavut is comprised of contains a diverse group …show more content…
The Moravians not only provided the Inuit with trading activity, but gave them religious, educational, and medical services; altering the Newfoundland Inuit culture forever (6). Traditionally Inuit people practiced Shamanism; however, the Moravians changed this. The Moravians provided the Inuit with Inuktitut translations of the New Testament, promoting Christian beliefs and practices that diminished the traditional Inuit beliefs(6). Along with religion the Moravians indirectly promoted a non-nomadic lifestyle for the Inuit by promoting settlement near Moravian stations (6). Due to the Moravians influence the Inuit are no longer a nomadic people, with most Inuit living in small communities, and a large portion practising Christianity …show more content…
In 2015 the fastest warming rate on record was recorded in Nunatsiavut (13). The fast warming rate causes the ice to melt much faster than normal; affecting the habitats of the animals the Inuit rely on. The Inuit of Labrador depended on seal and marine mammal hunting for centuries, with seals providing food, clothing material, tools, and lamp oil for the Inuit (13). With the ice not around, excess to these species is limited. The decrease in the ability of the Inuit to hunt and fish forces them to rely on store bought food (13). A much different practice when compared to the earlier Inuit who never had to worry about climate