Taking Back the Knife: The Ulu as an Expression of Inuit Women's Strength

• Main Author: Gillam, Patricia Hansen
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Inuit women; Implements; Arctic regions; Material culture; Knives; Alaska; Eskimo women; Arctic; Fairbanks; Barrow; eskimo*; inuit; Kodiak; Kuskokwim
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11122/9604

Thesis (M.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2009 The ulu is an enduring object in the lives of Inuit women which has multiple meanings as both a tool and symbol of traditional subsistence activity. While it continues to be recognized as a symbol of identity for Inuit women across the Arctic, it has received little attention by Western scientists and academics. Following the twists and turns of both de-colonizing and engendering the ulu encourages a comprehension of the profoundly symbolic meaning of the ulu with respect to Inuit women's identity. The collecting phase of the Smithsonian in Alaska and the classifying impulse of archaeological reports are examined for their underlying rules of practice, conventions of representation and dynamics of scientific authority. Then in reaction to this 'objectification' of the ulu, the knife is taken back in a multitude of actions and expressions which seek to reclaim the ulu and restore its significance as a cultural item Introduction -- Strong women -- Speaking out -- A real Alaskan? -- Approach -- Foucault adding to the archives -- (Re)appropriation -- Collecting -- Thoughts in things -- Early Arctic ethnography -- Woman, the civilizer -- Classifying -- Man, the hunter -- Origins and distribution -- Typology -- Function -- Replicative analysis -- Taking back the knife: expressions of strength -- Healing ceremony -- Barrow -- Pilgrim Hot Springs -- Nushagak Bay -- Kuskokwim River -- Washington, D.C. - Kodiak - Homer -- Cutting a path to the future - logos -- Symbols of strength -- Sewing it all together -- Conclusion -- Literature cited.