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I. Introduction
Inuit,
a people inhabiting small enclaves in the coastal areas of
Greenland, Arctic North America
(including Canada and Alaska), and extreme northeastern Siberia.
The name Inuit means the real people.
In
1977 the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, held in Barrow,
Alaska, officially adopted Inuit as the replacement for
the term "Eskimo." There are several related linguistic
groups of Arctic peoples, including the Kalaallit in Greenland,
the Inuvialuit in Canada, and the Inupiat, Yupiget, Yuplit,
and Alutiit in Alaska. Many of these groups prefer to
be called by their specific "tribal" names rather than
as Inuits. In Alaska the term "Eskimo" is still commonly
used.
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Arctic
Region
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1.
Greenland Inuit (Kalaallit)
2. Labrador Inuit
3. Central Inuit
4. Banks Island Inuit
5. Western Artic Inuit (Inuvialuit)
6. Alaskan Inuit
7. Alaskan Yuit
8. Siberian Yuit, Aleut |
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The
Arctic region in Alaska and northern Canada remained
uninhabitable until about 2000 BC, when the glaciers
in the region melted. After that time populations
grew slowly, as the harsh climate and minimal
light inhibited vegetation and prevented agricultural
production. As a result of this limitation on
food resources, inhabitants of the region have
survived by hunting and fishing in small groups.
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