What is an Inuksuk? We now have one!

February 8, 2011: On February 3, 2011 we at the Gillum House Bed & Breakfast had the honor of hosting the owners of Tucked Inn the Harbour Bed & Breakfast in Victoria, Ontario, Canada. They gave us an Inuksuk that has been given a place of honor in one of our dining room display cases housing the doll collections.  I did some research about Inuksuk because I did not know what they were. This Inuksuk is from Maple Leaf Studio, Ottawa, Canada.From what I have found, Inuksuit (the plural of Inuksuk) are across the Canadian Arctic. They are stone structures – piles of stones and rock slabs built by the Inuit (an Eskimo people) – that resemble a human with arms outstretched. The longer arm would be pointing in the direction the traveler should go. Along the coast it would mark an open channel and on the treeless tundra, would mark the way through the mountains. Traditionally, multiple inukshuk structures are used to guide or channel caribou into areas where Inuit hunters could easily harvest them. The hunters would often hide behind the larger inuksuit. It is said that Inuksuk are built with a peephole and if one looked through that peephole another Inuksuk would be seen in the distance,From the Inukshuk Gallery: The Inuit make inuksuit in different forms for a variety of purposes: as navigation or directional aids, to mark a place of respect or memorial for a beloved person, or to indicate migration routes or places where fish can be found. Other similar stone structures were objects of veneration, signifying places of power or the abode of spirits. Although most inuksuit appear singly, sometimes they are arranged in sequences spanning great distances or are grouped to mark a specific place.Come to the Gillum House and your hosts will be happy to guide you to the places you want to see and the things you want to do.