Glossary
This glossary is designed to explain Decorative Arts terms.
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Aglu
A hole in the sea ice where seals come up for air.
Akootok
Fat mixed with meat.
Akpak
Murre. A member of the auk family, similar to penguins in their appearance and behaviour but is able to fly.
Akuliakat
A point of land between two bays.
Ajjagatuk
A toy designed to develop the survival skills of Inuk children. It made of pieces of bone (one large and one small). The large bone has one or more holes drilled into both ends. The small bone is attached to the large bone with a piece of sinew. The child holds the large piece of bone in one hand and, with an upward motion, he/she tries to catch the small bone in one of the drilled holes.
Amaruk
Wolf.
Amaut
The pouch in the amautiq in which the baby is carried.
Amautiq (Amautik)
A womans parka with a large hood. It is distinguished from a mans parka by the U-shaped skirt in the front. Also: A traditional Inuit woman's parka with an enlarged hood to facilitate carrying a baby
Ammituq
Strait or narrows.
Anakoq
The Inutituk word for shaman. Shaman played the main role in spiritual life in the traditional Inuit community.
Angatkut (Angatkuq or Angakuq)
A shaman - a person who mediates between the human and spirit worlds to heal the sick, ensure good weather and abundant hunting. Shamans were aided by helping spirits, usually those of animals. Through a process of transformation the shaman would assume the forms of these spirits.
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Annuraat
Clothes made from the skins of caribou, seal, eider ducks, dogs, and other animals.
Aquatint
Acid is used to bite the plate, creating pits that will hold ink. The aquatinting process is used to create an overall rough tooth to the [copper or zinc] plate that will hold a large area of ink to print a solid block of color; the image is created from dark to light by smoothing the tooth to create highlights. A metal plate is dusted evenly (or unevenly) with finely particulate resin. The plate is then heated to melt the resin to the surface. Biting the plate with acid creates a fine, rough texture on the plate. Before biting, the artist may use asphaltum [(an oil)] to block areas that will print clear; after biting, the artist may use a burnisher to smooth areas of the plate, lightening them for printing.
Ataupluta
Autumn trip to the sea ice.
Atigi
Parka.
Ayagak
Ball and pin game.
Avatak
A seal skin float. All openings on a cured seal skin are tightly sealed and the skin is then inflated. It is attached by a line of sinew to a harpoon. When the hunter spears a sea animal with the harpoon, the avatak floats on the water to mark the wounded animal. The avatak is carried in the boats during a hunting expedition.
Avedlek
The outermost. |
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