A beautiful and practical guide for bringing the magic of the inuksuk into your own home
Following the acclaimed and award-winning The Inuksuk Book, Make Your Own Inuksuk teaches readers how to build their very own inuksuk. Suitable for all ages, this full color book is an engaging overview of inuksuit (the plural form of inuksuk) -- what they are, why they were important in the past and how they continue to have both practical and spiritual significance in our lives today.
An inuksuk is a traditional stone structure that resembles a tower, an archway or a person; it can be a variety of shapes and sizes. Powerful symbols of the Arctic, inuksuit were built by the Inuit to act as a method of communication. Inuksuit served as navigational signs guiding hunters to safe travel routes, pointed the way to good hunting and fishing grounds, directed travellers on long journeys or marked a good resting place. Today, inuksuit can also act as messages of friendship and joy, symbolize personal strength and respect to departed loved ones and show appreciation to the land.
Make Your Own Inuksuk offers clear, step-by-step instructions and practical advice on selecting and preparing stones to build a wide variety of wonderfully appealing inuksuit. It also helps readers choose a location that reflects their inuksuit's meaning, whether in a garden, at the cottage or at home.
Inuksuit are becoming increasingly popular and visible across North America. Timely and beautiful, Make Your Own Inuksuk will appeal to a wide range of markets. For children eager to discover more about the unique culture of the Inuit people, this book provides a very special introduction into many areas of their lives, from hunting to honoring their forefathers. For families looking for meaningful and interactive projects with their children, for gardeners, nature lovers and retirees, Make Your Own Inuksuk is an ideal way to bring serenity and personal expression into our lives.
Mary Wallace has spent almost 20 years teaching arts and crafts. Her earlier book The Inuksuk Book (now in its fourth printing) won the prestigious National Outdoor Book Award. Mary is also the author of the award-winning I Can Make series of books, which has won honors from the Parents' Choice foundation. Mary Wallace currently teaches art and lives in St. Thomas, Ontario.
