Inhabit Media

Traditionally, Inuit played games in order to be physically and mentally prepared for freezing weather, strenuous hunts, and other grueling conditions that made survival difficult.
In this book, Arctic Winter Games champion Johnny Issaluk explains the basics of agility, strength, and endurance games, from the one foot high kick to the head pull and the airplane. Through straightforward descriptions and vibrant photographs, this resource brings to life this vital aspect of Inuit knowledge and culture.

Jon loves his life in the North. But when he feels a pain that won’t go away, he must go to a children’s hospital in the south to find out what is wrong. A doctor there tells Jon he has cancer and will have to stay at the hospital for a while.
Suddenly Jon’s life is upside down! But with a handful of tricks from the doctors and nurses, and new friends, Jon discovers ways to cope with some of the tricky parts of having cancer.
Accompanied by a resource guide for parents and caregivers, including hospital and support information, Jon’s Tricky Journey opens a conversation between Inuit children facing a cancer diagnosis and their families to help make a difficult and confusing time more manageable.

Through interviews with elders from three regions of Nunavut, Ilagiinniq: Interviews on Inuit Family Values provides a wealth of information on traditional family values. Covering relationships between siblings, elders and grandchildren, uncles and aunts, husbands and wives, and in-laws, this book is an indispensable resource of information on how Inuit families traditionally lived, and how traditional ways can be implemented in the modern world.

The iglu, a traditional winter shelter built in the Arctic for centuries, is a vital part of Inuit culture. The qamutiik, a traditional sled used for hunting, is an essential tool whose versatility and dependability have allowed it to endure over time.
In How to Build an Iglu & a Qamutiik, Solomon Awa provides thorough how-to instructions on building iglus and qamutiiks, along with general background information on their construction and importance to survival. Complete with detailed, clear illustrations, this valuable resource will teach readers to build these structures that are so central to Inuit culture and tradition.

Traditionally, Inuit do not call each other by their given names. Instead, they refer to each other using a system of kinship and family terms, known as tuq&urausiit (turk-thlo-raw-seet). Calling each other by kinship terms is a way to show respect and foster closeness within families. Children were named after their elders and ancestors, ensuring a long and healthy life.

As more and more Inuit refer to each other by their English first names, rather than their traditional kinship terms, the tradition of tuq&urausiit is slowly disappearing. This book presents interviews with four Inuit elders from Baffin Region, Nunavut, about how names were chosen, the importance of using kinship terms, and how the practice of tuq&urausiit has changed over the years. Inuit Kinship and Naming Customs helps to preserve the knowledge of this tradition for younger generations, both Inuit and non-Inuit.

Explore the fascinating world of Nunavut's insects in this richly visual, informative book. Through beautiful photographs and a broad range of information - including traditional knowledge compiled through interviews with Inuit elders - readers will learn about the appearances, adaptations, life cycles, and behaviors of the diverse array of arthropods that live in the North.

This detailed non-fiction book is perfect for middle school and high school students looking to learn about the insects that survive in one of the world's coldest climates.

As a little girl in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Aalasi learned from her mother how to identify and harvest plants. Later, a mother herself, and living in Niaqunnguuq (Apex), she continued the practice, living off the land and passing her knowledge on to the next generation. In this introductory guide to traditional plant use—originally published as Walking with Aalasi—Aalasi shares her memories and knowledge of eighteen plants commonly found in the Canadian Arctic.
From plant identification and environmentally respectful collection to traditional uses and recipes, Edible and Medicinal Arctic Plants teaches readers how to reap the benefits of the natural world around them.

Ilua the ground squirrel loves nothing more than to relax in the cool tundra and nibble on some freshly picked berries.
Her family, on the other hand, is always telling her to hurry up, to scurry here or there, but Ilua prefers to move at her own pace.
But with winter fast approaching, it will soon be the time for Ilua and all the other squirrels to burrow deep underground to hibernate. There is lots to get done before the family can hunker down, and if Ilua relaxes for too long, she may just be left out of the den in the cold.

Caribou Skin Clothing of the Iglulik Inuit outlines the various steps involved in the creation of traditional Inuit caribou skin clothing, namely the hunt, preparation, and sewing.

In addition to diagrams and practical instructions, this book is filled with historical information and insights from Elders of the Iglulik region.

Meticulously researched by former Arctic resident and anthropologist Sylvie Pharand, this book can be used as a practical guide to creating caribou skin clothing, as well as a general-interest text for those interested in traditional skin clothing.

Adventure begins when Grandma takes her two grandchildren out for a trip to the lake. After showing the kids how to prepare for a fishing trip, Grandma and the kids enjoy a day of jigging in the ice for fish. Grandma shows them everything they need to know to complete a successful fishing trip, from what clothes to wear, to how to drill and clear holes in the ice, to how to make a traditional Inuit jigging rod. By the end of the day, the kids have a yummy meal of Arctic char, and they have also learned everything they need to know to go out on the lake on their own.

Explore the fascinating world of Nunavut's varied plant life in this richly visual, informative book.

Through beautiful photographs and a broad range of information including traditional knowledge about plant use compiled through interviews with Inuit elders readers will learn about the appearances, adaptations, life cycles, and habitats of the diverse array of plants that live in the North.

Far beyond a barren land of ice and snow, this book will introduce readers to the beautiful variations of plant life that abound on the tundra.

Kenn Harper shares the tales of murderers, thieves, and fraudsters--as well as the wrongfully accused--in the early days of Northern colonization. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, settler and Inuit ideas of justice clashed, leading to some of the most unusual trials and punishments in history.

Explore the fascinating world of Nunavutís diverse rocks and minerals in this richly visual, informative book.
Through beautiful photographs and a broad range of information with absorbing Did You Know? facts to accompany every account, readers will learn about the appearances, traditional and modern uses, and environments of eastern Arctic rocks and minerals. Covered in this book is everything from diamond to granite, from the most precious to the most common stone.
Far from a barren land of ice and snow, this book will introduce readers to the vibrant natural life of Nunavut through its distinct geology.

Now available in paperback!

Based on the acclaimed animated film Amaqqut Nunaat: The Country of Wolves, this visually stunning graphic novel takes readers on a mysterious adventure with two brothers who are lost at sea. It begins as an average hunting trip for two young men. But when they find themselves adrift at sea, the only safe haven to be found for miles - a mysterious village filled with the sounds of drum dancing and revelry - turns out to be even more dangerous than the frigid ocean.

Talittuq is excited to start his first day of grade two. He is looking forward to the new school year, but as he meets his friends again for the first time after summer vacation, he notices that a lot of his friends’ families are very different from his own. Some have one mom and one dad, and some have only a mom. Some kids live with their grandparents. Some live with two dads or two moms. As Talittuq hears about all the fun his friends have had with their families, he learns that families come in many different shapes and sizes, and what holds them all together is love!

Few issues can cause such widespread confusion-and even panic-as vaccination. Childhood Vaccinations provides parents with clear answers to their questions regarding childhood vaccines. Bailetti puts fears to rest with up-to-date and reliable information about safety, side effects, and efficacy. This guide is an indispensible tool that will enable parents to make informed, empowered decisions about their child's health.

Explore the fascinating world of Nunavut's diverse bird populations in this richly visual, informative book.

Through beautiful photographs and a broad range of information, readers will learn about the appearances, traditional uses, and behaviours of Arctic birds. With detailed information on more than 50 species, this book provides an in-depth look at Arctic birds.

Far from a barren land of ice and snow, this book will introduce readers to the vibrant natural life of Nunavut through its distinct ornithology.

Award-winning science fiction writer Sean A. Tinsley and respected Inuit author Rachel A. Qitsualik lend gothic interpretation to Inuit shamanism in this original collection of dark fantasy for modern audiences.

Drawing on familiar tropes of the fantasy and science-fiction genres, Ajjiit gives fans of mainstream fantasy fiction and the short stories of writer such as Tanith Lee and Charles de Lint a whole new mythological world to discover.

Jake can't wait for his uncle to meet Kamik, and to see what an obedient puppy he is becoming. Jake's uncle is a great musher, who has won many dog sledding races, and if Kamik is good enough, Jake hopes today might be the day that Kamik finally gets to run with a dog team!

Following Kamik: An Inuit Puppy Story and Kamik's First Sled, Kamik Joins the Pack continues the story of Jake and his puppy Kamik as they learn from their elders everything they need to know to some day be part of a winning sled dog team.

Even though she at first feels that she will never be able to reach her destination, she keeps her grandmother's assurance that her "destination is not running away; it will be reached eventually" in mind and ends up enjoying the journey that at first seemed so daunting.

The three stories in this volume are well known across the Inuit world. The longest story here is the Legend of Kiviuq who is a figure of almost epic proportions. Kiviuq is spared because he is kind.

The story of Kaujjarjuq is about a man who has been taught to "be patient in suffering." His brother trains him to overcome his physical weakness and prepare to defeat his enemies.

The third story is about a proud young woman who refuses to marry, and is written in the form of a play.

Akinirmut Unipkaaqtaut was first published in 1996.

When Jake finally gets a puppy to call his own, all he can think about is the fast, strong sled dog that his puppy will become. But Kamik is far from an obedient sled dog. He won't listen, he tracks mud all over the house, and he's a lot more work than Jake ever thought a puppy could be! But after a visit with his grandfather, who raised many puppies of his own while living out on the land, Jake learns that Inuit have been raising puppies just like Kamik to be obedient, resourceful, helpful sled dogs for generations.
Inspired by the real-life recollections of an elder from Arviat, Nunavut, this book lovingly recreates the traditional dog-rearing practices that prevailed when Inuit relied on dogs for transportation and survival.

Jake's puppy is growing quickly, but as Jake soon realizes, he isn't becoming any easier to handle. All Jake wants is to raise his puppy to be a strong, fast sled dog, but Kamik is far from ready to pull a sled with a dog team. With some advice and a little help from his grandmother, Jake learns basic principles of how to begin training a dog to pull. Kamik finally has his first sled, and he and Jake can finally begin exploring the tundra together. But Jake and Kamik are still inexperienced, and when a blizzard starts blowing in across the tundra, Jake must rely on his knowledge to get home. Inspired by the life memories of Arviat, Nunavut, elder Matilda Sulurayok, this book lovingly recreates basic dog-rearing practices that even the youngest dog lover can try.

What creatures lurk beneath the sea ice? Putuguq and Kublu – two siblings who can’t seem to get along- are about to find out! On their way to the shoreline, Putuguq and Kublu run into their grandfather, who has a stern warning for the pair: always beware when playing on the shore, because you never know if a qalupalik, a mythical creature that snatches children, is lying in wait under the ice. Kublu is pretty sure their grandfather is just trying to spook them with a scary story from the past….but maybe not?

Haunted by the vicious creatures of his recent past, Pitu tries to go back to a normal life at home after the other-worldly travels and near-death encounters of his recent disappearance into the world of the spirits. But Pitu knows that there is more work to be done, and more that he must learn in his new role as a shaman.

When word of a starving village nearby reaches Pitu, he must go help its people appease the angry spirits. It soon becomes clear that Pitu must travel to the bottom of the ocean to meet Nuliajuk, the vengeful woman below, one of the most powerful beings in Inuit mythology.

There he learns about his role in saving the starving community and that all in his home camp may not be as it seems . . .

In the world of Inuit traditional stories, animals and humans are not such different creatures, and animals often have much to teach humans about the world.
In The Orphan and the Polar Bear, a little orphan who has been abandoned on the sea ice by a group of cruel hunters is discovered and adopted by a polar bear elder. While living in the bear's village, the orphan learns many lessons about survival and his own place in the world.
Retold for contemporary audiences by Inuit storyteller Sakiasi Qaunaq and illustrated by internationally renowned artist Eva Widermann, The Orphan and the Polar Bear makes this beautiful traditional tale widely accessible for the first time.

Simonie loves to dance! When he sees a sign for Taloyoak’s annual Christmas Jigging Dance Contest, he can’t wait to enter. But practising is hard work, and Simonie starts to worry that he won’t do a good job in front of all his friends and neighbours.

Luckily, with a little advice from his anaana and ataata, and some help from his friends Dana and David, Simonie learns how to listen to the music and dance the way it makes him feel. When the time comes for the contest, he’s ready to dance his very best.

Based on the annual Christmas dance contest in the community of Taloyoak, Nunavut, this heartwarming picture book shows how a lot of hard work—and a little inspiration—can go a long way.

In this third volume of In Those Days, Harper shares stories of the rise and fall of the whaling industry in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. At the turn of the nineteenth century, whale baleen and blubber were extremely valuable commodities, and so sailors braved the treacherous Arctic waters, risking starvation, scurvy, and death, to bring home the bounty of the North. The presence of these whalemen in the North would irrevocably alter the lives of Inuit.
Along with first-hand accounts from journals and dozens of rare, historical photographs, this collection includes the myth of the Octavius—a ship that drifted for twelve years with a frozen crew—encounters between sailors and Inuit, tales of the harrowing hazing rituals suffered by first-time crew members, and much more.