On several of my previous trips up north hunters and community members would tell me stories that the elders would tell them growing up: Inuit descended from polar bears. Almost every community would describe their trips on the land as "hunting side-by-side with polar bears". When describing bear characteristics, they often described bears with human attributes:
There was an elder here, that my husband grew up with…he was taught [how to hunt] by him…he was telling [me], when you go after a bear, run after it? He’s gonna tire like you…sweat like you, [he's] just like you...he wanted [me] to think just like the bear did.
They’re the only species we know that can think…that can have weapon[s]. Like, we know that they can design a piece of ice, make it round; they can use that to smash [a] walrus head…for instance. They can think, when they’re pursuing a prey, like humans. And traditionally Inuit said they’re usually the ones that the spiritual people use to go into…and be like them.
We were just hunting side by side with them…we were after the same source of food that they were going after.
Hard to imagine polar bears are anything like humans...right?....RIGHT?...
There was an elder here, that my husband grew up with…he was taught [how to hunt] by him…he was telling [me], when you go after a bear, run after it? He’s gonna tire like you…sweat like you, [he's] just like you...he wanted [me] to think just like the bear did.
They’re the only species we know that can think…that can have weapon[s]. Like, we know that they can design a piece of ice, make it round; they can use that to smash [a] walrus head…for instance. They can think, when they’re pursuing a prey, like humans. And traditionally Inuit said they’re usually the ones that the spiritual people use to go into…and be like them.
We were just hunting side by side with them…we were after the same source of food that they were going after.
Hard to imagine polar bears are anything like humans...right?....RIGHT?...
...
This. To the man inside: kudos for, y'know, roughin' it out in the cold, beating Halloween, and having thighs like what what all night long.
On a more serious note, this photo came from this news article. However, before jumping to conclusions on who's going to win the next gold medal-worthy dive (sorry I had to post this) against climate change, consider the possibility/ incredibility (!) that bears will continue to surprise us with the rapidly changing north.
This. To the man inside: kudos for, y'know, roughin' it out in the cold, beating Halloween, and having thighs like what what all night long.
On a more serious note, this photo came from this news article. However, before jumping to conclusions on who's going to win the next gold medal-worthy dive (sorry I had to post this) against climate change, consider the possibility/ incredibility (!) that bears will continue to surprise us with the rapidly changing north.
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