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Chemistry Inuit Life and Culture
In this series, we have shown the importance of ice coverage of the Arctic Ocean for Inuit survival. But equally important, particularly through the long, cold, winters is the solid crystalline form of dihydrogen oxide — snow. Author: Chaim Christiana Andersen and Geoff Rayner-Canham, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Chemistry Inuit Life and Culture
The Arctic atmosphere is different. There are specific pollutant problems.There are also unique types of clouds: nacreous and noctilucent. But it is the awe-inspiring aurora that are the most well-known phenomena. Authors: Chaim Christiana Andersen and Geoff Rayner-Canham, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Case studies of some Inuit remedies
Before modern synthetic and analytical chemistry, every civilization and culture had to find cures or palliatives for illness and disease from the natural world. We do not know how physiologically active materials were identified, but it was presumably by a trial-and-error basis. Authors: Chaim Christiana Andersen and Geoff Rayner-Canham, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University Corner Brook, Newfoundland
What is an ulu? An ulu is a multi-purpose cutting tool with a semi-circular blade and a handle. It has been a major part of an Inuit woman’s life and culture for at least the last 4500 years. Authors: Chaim Christiana Andersen and Geoff Rayner-Canham, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, Corner Brook, Newfoundland
This article is the fourth part in a continuing series on chemistry and Inuit life & culture. Inuit culture is passed down from generation to generation orally, and the use of story-telling is an important function. Authors: Chaim Christiana Andersen And Geoff Rayner-Canham, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Living and thriving cultures innovate, adapt and incorporate from other cultures.
With this issue of Chem 13 News, we have the first in a series of articles on chemistry in northern Canada, focussing specifically on the Inuit context. The unique Inuit life and culture has developed experimentally over thousands of years in response to the challenges of limited material and food resources. And now life is being impacted by new material additions to daily lives (including pollutants).
In Canada, one challenge is to excite indigenous peoples about science, and chemistry in particular. For many years, with a series of student colleagues, we have been taking a Chemistry Show to schools in remote communities in western and central Newfoundland, coastal Québec, Labrador and even Nunavut (see References).