Inuit Culture

Inuit Culture

I have read some very interesting information about Inuit culture and would like to share this with you.  As always however we are cautioned as nurses  to treat all as individuals and not to automatically attribute cultural traits to all members of a given culture…

In traditional Inuit culture children are taught to be non-competitive and not to ask direct questions.  Direct questions are considered impolite.

In Inuit society the traits of independence, innovation, patience and perseverance are valued. In traditional society these traits would greatly increase the chance of survival for the individual and the group.

The ability to accept realities that are beyond one’s control is also a valued character trait. There can exist a dichotomy here however.  The Inuit admire people who manage to work out a solution to an identified problem. However, submission in the face of a problem one can do nothing about is acceptable also.  It should be noted that this cultural characteristic can equate to resignation and fatalism when dealing with a public servant or nurse as in some instances in dealing with these sectors of society, the Inuit may feel their input is unwelcome or irrelevant.  They may also feel they are at the mercy of the “authority figure” and respond this way.  The result of this response is that they may not volunteer necessary information or ask questions needed to clarify the situation.

In Inuit culture, displays of anger or frustration are considered childish.  Tact and humility are desirable qualities.

There exists a tradition of not displaying emotions.  Public display of emotions is considered immature.  Emotions are expressed more freely in smaller, intimate groups and if an Inuk feels he/she must express emotion, it is believed that this expression should only involve those people that he/she feels are responsible for his/her emotional state.  Emotions are displayed in a very subtle way e.g. with a different tone of voice or the lifting of eyebrows.  These subtle emotional cues are usually almost imperceptible to those from a different culture but the Inuit are adept at recognizing slight vocal intonations and facial expressions that reflect emotional states.

Although Inuit culture respects autonomy, community is also valued.   Desirable adult behaviour is considered to be maintaining one’s independence while also being a fully responsible member of society.

Physical contact also differs from North American culture. Public displays of affection are reserved for children.  Display of affection between adults is considered improper adult behaviour.

Inuit tend to withdraw in unfamiliar situations.  With health professionals they may seem withdrawn or uncommunicative if this is a new situation for them because they are unsure of what is expected.

Some Inuit feel that non-Inuit are aggressive, prying, domineering and opiniated. However, the Inuit cultural value of non-interference may prevent Inuit from telling others how they really feel about the situation.  It apparently can be very difficult for non-Inuit to detect the subtle signs of Inuit disapproval.  This may result in some Inuit withdrawing from close contact with non-Inuit for a period of time as they may experience too much strain in their dealings with non-Inuit.

Thought I would end with a video of a beautiful Inuit woman who explains the intricacies of throat singing