What is an Inuksuk?

What is an Inuksuk? The inuksuk, pronounced in-ook-shook, and sometimes spelled inukshuk, are stone statues made of large stones put together in a form that resembles a human being. The word Inuksuk comes from the Inuit people of Canada and translates to mean "to look like a person". The word Inuk means person. Suk means in place of or substitute for.

The Inuit people have used this unique land marking system for many centuries. The inuksuit were used to guide people in the northern wilderness where the lands stretched out in great distances. They were early versions of road signs or compasses. They stood as unobtrusive landmarks which gave direction home and to hunting and fishing grounds to anyone who passed by. People came to rely on the messages these stone creations provided. They also gave a sense of security and belonging to the travelers of the northern wilderness.

The very existence of the Inuksuk symbolizes unity in purpose and function. Each individual stone is an important part of the complete structure, just as every member of a group of people has importance and meaning. Thought and care has to be put into the placement of every stone in an Inuksuk. Without this care, there is no balance and the stone structure will not maintain its integrity. To build one of these statues, it takes a joint effort from everyone involved. In their very existence they teach the purpose of common goals and of working together in order to reach those goals. If one part of the structure does not work, the Inuksuk will not withstand the pressures of time and weather. They will not stand as a whole and complete being.

The Inuksuk is also a way to say "we were here". It leaves a human mark in the wilderness. They represent the spirit of mankind. In their placement they represent unity with the natural world around us.

Originally unique to the vast and distant Canadian arctic, the symbol of unity, cooperation, humanity and friendship has been adopted by many artists and people. The Inuksuk is represented on the flag of the newest official territory of Nunavut in the northern regions of Canada. Nunavut separated from the Northwest Territories and became a territory on its own in 1999.

The symbolic representation of the Inuksuk has gained in strength and popularity in recent years. The Inuksuk has now gone beyond its original lands. It has become a treasured and proud Canadian national symbol that is showing up in other parts of Canada and in other countries. It is also represented in all forms from sculptures and paintings to smaller renditions in gardens and homes. Full sized Inuksuit are now seen in places in The United States, Mexico and Norway. They were given as gifts from the Canadian people.