Imitation Of A Person
by Debbie Oppermann
Title
Imitation Of A Person
Artist
Debbie Oppermann
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
"Imitation Of A Person" by Debbie Oppermann. Inukshuk are stone monuments erected in the image of humans. One of their purposes was to communicate direction in the harsh and desolate Arctic. They were a tool for survival and symbolic of the unselfish acts of a nomadic people - the Inuit - who built them as signposts to make the way easier and safer for those who followed. Each stone is a separate entity. Each supports, and is supported by, the one above and the one below it. No one piece is any more or less important than another. Its strength lies in its unity. Its significance comes from its meaning as a whole. The stones which make up the Inukshuk are secured through balance. They are chosen for how well they fit together. Looking at the structure it can be easily seen that the removal of even one stone will destroy the integrity of the whole. What most people call an inukshuk isn’t actually what the Inuit call an Inukshuk. Stones piled up to look like a person, with arms and legs and a head are usually called an Inukshuk, but those human-shaped structures are actually called inunnguat or inunnguaq, which means "imitation of a person," or "pretend person." In northern Ontario, you can see them along the highway, on a river or lake and pretty much anywhere there are travelers of any sort and it is meant to say "safe passage" to all who travel.
Uploaded
February 5th, 2019
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