Understanding Eskimo Science :: essays research papers

In Richard Nelsons Understanding Eskimo Science a soldiery, Nelson, traveled below the Arctic Circle in the boreal forest of intimate Alaska were he lived, studied and interacted with a few native Eskimos groups during the mid-1960s. Throughout the obligate Nelson provides an abundance of interesting and relevant information nearly Eskimo survival attack about through the understanding of ones environment. Nelsons shell argument is the simple fact that these lot brook managed to survive in one the, if not the, harshest environment on the planet. There cognition is useful, well-tried and true to the groups as this truly unique understanding of there military personnel has permitted them to thrive well in these parts. Although the vegetation is rather scarce the Eskimos made due with a diet based just aboutly on hunting. But as we find out in the article Nelson describes how these people are well adapted to the art of hunting. The relationship between man and animal is de scribed to be one of intricate understanding and mention Koyukon hunters know that an animals life ebbs slowly, that it remains aware and responsive to how people treat itsbody. The Eskimo people have accumulated a massive memory based archive of scientific all(prenominal)y valid knowledge concerning the diverse workings of the landscape of Alaska. Unfortunately Nelson makes it all too plunder that this knowledge is disappearing and he fears that once gone there go away never again be such a deep plug in between man and land. On a side note, this arcticle also makes it opened that the Eskimos respect there elders and place them at the head of all that is important as there knowledge and experience is treasured. They are the teachers of there people and the identity of the Eskimo is reflected in stores of experience in the minds of elders like Igruk. Nelson is most obviously a rational man saying rational things, save as is often the case with topics concerning native people, this knowledge will probably be lost in time. This article makes one think about man as a hole. Are we truly happy in our jungles of steel? Have we not lost something of great importance, something the Eskimo people have managed to conserve through all these millennia. We have lost contact with the drift of nature. We have lost it to a point where our scientist do not cipher Eskimo science (general knowledge) as a valid enough foundation for