Sentient Beings, Hunting, and Respect

Drawing on Canadian Inuit oral traditions from the 20th and early 21st centuries, this article discusses the roles of animals in Inuit cosmologies. In these societies, hunting remains an important activity, and animals are regarded as sentient beings. They are partners in life. They are at the core of social rhythms and the basis of society. They remain omnipresent in myths and practices. They have agency and are full-fledged actors in Inuit history. Their skins and flesh are shared within the community. The killing of animals is regulated by specific rules, and the Inuit know they have an obligation to hunt them, thereby demonstrating their respect. Conflicts with Westerners about how to preserve and treat animals are frequent. Animals remain anonymous beings, whereas humans, through their names (atiit) passed down from generation to generation, are connected to relatives and inscribed in a different temporality and life cycle.