An Intimate Wilderness

April 24, 2017
This book, the culmination of 45 years of journeying in Canada’s Eastern Arctic, admirably fulfills Hallendy’s (Inuksuit: Silent Messengers of the Arctic) desire to bring together the stories and teachings of Inuit elders, which he hopes will be passed on to future generations. Hallendy first came to the Arctic as a mining prospector’s assistant and became captivated by the land and the people. Although he is a white outsider, Hallendy became a student of the elders. He outlines a complex way of being in the world that has enabled the Inuit to survive and thrive in a harsh environment. Enhanced by beautiful photos, there are chapters devoted to maps that juxtapose the natural (caribou hunts) and the supernatural (spirits); the stone cairns called inuksuit, often considered the gates to sacred places; and the basic concerns of northern life, including weather patterns, ice floes, hunting, and making clothing and art. Although readers may be left wanting to know more about some topics that are only briefly mentioned such as domestic violence and the role of women’s work, the book provides a grand service to everyone interested in the North. By putting the ephemeral and the practical on equal footing, it gives an insightful glimpse into a world driven by both survival and spirit.