DRUM DANCE

If you had a conflict it was solved with a drum dance.

A conflict could be: envy or jealousy – a bad trade – enmity.

You and your friend argue. What do you argue about?

Record or write a story about:

• what did you fall out over?
• how did you become friends again?

Your story:

På kortet side 19 i bogen kan du se, hvor inuit fra Sermermiut rejste hen.

Om sommeren rejste de ind i fjordene til sommer-bopladserne. 

Her fangede de rensdyr, ørreder og helleflynder.

De fangede også hvalros og narhvaler i havet langs kysten.

På deres rejser mødte de andre inuitter.  Dem handlede de med og udvekslede historier.

De første bosættere brugte harpun til at fange sælerne med. I dag fanges de med garn. 

• You are going from Sermermiut to Attu to catch whales.

  How far is that?

• What boat are you sailing in?

• What whales do you catch?

The baleens could be worked and bound together as long fishing lines. The fishing lines were necessary for catching deep sea fish. Inuit from Ilulissat had baleens.

From soapstone lamps could be made. They were nice to bring along when hunting in the winter when there was no sunlight. Inuit from southern Greenland had soapstone.

For 2-4 baleens you could trade 1 soapstone.

• Why would Inuit from southern Greenland exchange 1 soapstone for 2-4 baleens?

• What did Inuit from Ilulissat use the soapstone for?

• How could you get light in the soapstone?

Drum dance was used on different occasions:

• at necromancy
• as entertainment
• for solving of conflicts

In the big circle two persons are solving a conflict.

They take turns to perform the drum dance and sing pasquinades about each other.

Pasquinade

An Inuit from southern Greenland and an Inuit from Ilulissat have come to a disagreement in a trade of baleens and soapstone.

You choose which party you are, Inuit from southern Greenland with soapstone or Inuit from Ilulissat with baleens.

Make a list words that could be used in a pasquinade.

Inuit were dependent on the game animals to survive. So they had to follow the animals wherever they were. The map on page 19 in the book shows the great distances people from Sermermiut travelled.

In the summer they travelled to settlements in the fjords to hunt reindeer, fish trout and halibut.

They also caught walrus and narwhals in the sea near the coast.

On their travels they met other Inuit. They traded with them and exchanged stories.

• What was the longest travel people from Sermermiut undertook? How long?

• What was traded when people met at the settlements?

  Find help on page 18 in the book.

• Why were walrus and narwhal especially coveted?

Inuit from southern Greenland undertook the dangerous journey to the Disko Bay after baleens. They were needed for fishing lines so they could fish for Greenland halibut and redfish in winter from the sea ice.

They brought along soapstone, a coveted trading object.

Soapstone the Inuit from the Disko Bay used for making lamps. Useful when hunting in winter when there was no sunlight

2-4 baleens could be traded for 1 soapstone.

• Where did the Inuit obtain soapstone? Get help at page 21.

• What was used in the lamp to make it give out light?

• Search for pictures of a Greenland halibut and a redfish. Insert them or draw them.

In the picture drum dance is seen, an important part of Inuit culture.

The drum dance had several different purposes for the settlement.

• What was drum dance used for?

• What is a battle dance?

• Are the other cultures where the drum is an important element?

In summer the Inuit travelled great distances to hunt game animals.

In the winter they stayed at their settlemen

• What does the map show? See page 19 in the book.

• What animals did the Inuit catch in summer?

• What happened when settlements or families met?

Fishing lines were vital. They made it possible to catch deep sea fish like Greenland halibut and redfish.

Soap stone lamps were useful to bring along on trips lasting several days.

• In which part of Greenland did they have baleens that could be used for fishing lines?

• In which part of Greenland did they have soapstone that could be used for lamps?

• How many baleens were typically given in exchange for one soapstone?

In the picture drum dance is seen, an important part of Inuit culture.

The drum dance had several different purposes for the settlement.

• What purpose did drum dance have?

• Search for “rap battle” on the Internet. What similarities are there between rap battle and battle dance?

• Why did precisely the drum have a central place in Inuit religion?

In summer the Inuit travelled great distances to hunt game animals.

In the winter they stayed at their settlemen

• What does the map show? See page 19 in the book.

• How did the Inuit way of life in summer and winter differ?

• What conflicts could arise when settlements or families met?

Fishing lines were vital. They made it possible to catch deep sea fish like Greenland halibut and redfish.

Soap stone lamps were useful to bring along on trips lasting several days.

• What function do baleens have for the whale?

• What is soapstone?

• Where in Greenland did they have baleens and where did soapstone come from?