Canada
The family is the center of Eskimo life.
Eskimos love children and seldom punish them.
The basic kind of family
The basic family group in most parts of the world is made up of a
father, mother, and one or more children. The Eskimos who live in
northern Canada have this kind of family. For them, their family is the
center of their life.
In the past, an Eskimo family lived in a snow igloo or a tent made of
animal skins. But today, most Eskimos live in small houses heated by oil
stoves. Many Eskimo fathers still hunt and fish to provide food for
their families. The meat of the seals, caribou, and musk oxen they shoot
is eaten by the family. The skins of the animals are usually sold to fur
traders. In this way, the families get money for such things as clothes,
fuel oil, and “special” foods such as bread.
During most of the year, northern Canada lies frozen beneath a white
cover of snow. Then, families usually stay close to home. But during the
short, cool summers, families go to special hunting and fishing grounds
where they camp in tents.
Then, the mothers and children often help the fathers hunt and fish.
Although there is much work to do, it’s really a sort of vacation! In
the morning, the whole family may fish for trout. Afterwards, while the
mother cooks fish soup over a campfire, the children often go swimming.
