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05/24/2003 Entry: "Meaningful Messengers"
Meaningful Messengers
Canadians and tourists have developed a love affair with Inukshuks. You see them built everywhere...along highways, beaches, in the woods. They have captured our imagination.Inukshuks have been used by the Inuit for thousands of years. (ee-nook-shook) means 'in the image of man.' These stone cairns are still used in the Arctic to guide travellers toward the Arctic Ocean. They are symbols of trust, community and reassurance in the vast wasteland of the north.
In the Baffin region, an inukshuk on land with two arms and legs means there is a valley, and at the end of the valley, you are able to go in two directions. The same inukshuk near the sea means there is a channel, and at the end of the channel, you will be able to go in two directions. An inukshuk on land with no arms, and two legs, means one-way passage. The same inukshuk by the sea means there is a channel that allows for a one-way passage. An inukshuk with no arms and legs is simply a guide for a hunter in unknown territory. The cairns were used extensively in the cariboo hunt.
They are a beacon that means, "I've been here before, you are on the right path."
