Posted on November 7, 2020
Did you know that about 155,000 Inuit live in polar and sub-polar regions of four nations? (In case you were wondering WHICH countries, it’s Canada, Russia, the United States (Alaska), and Denmark (Greenland).
Since most live in Canada, I will mention that the provinces that are home to Inuit include Northern Quebec and Labrador, and the Canadian territories that are home to Inuit are Nunavut, Yukon, and Northwest Territories.
Since the Inuit peoples are divided into so many different nations, it’s harder for them to remain unified when standing up for their culture and their rights. Eben Hopson, a heavy-equipment operator and politician who was born in Alaska on this date in 1922, founded the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), which was dedicated to unifying and therefore empowering Inuit voices.
International Inuit Day is held every year on Hopson’s birthday!
By the way, some organizations prefer the name “Eskimo” rather than “Inuit,” but many people find Eskimo offensive. Many native or First Nation people prefer the names they use in their own languages, such as Inupiaq or Yupik.
Key points
Check out some resources on Inuit culture on BrainPOP, National Geographic, and Inuit Games and Recreation.
Also on this date:
October Revolution Day in Belarus
New Era Day in Tunisia
NOT a patriotic holiday in Bangladesh
Physicist Marie Curie’s birthday
Physicist Lise Meitner’s birthday
Bison Day
(First Saturday of November)
Plan ahead:
Check out my Pinterest boards for:
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November holidays
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November birthdays
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Historical anniversaries in November
And here are my Pinterest boards for:
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Historical anniversaries in December
