Spotlight on Indigenous and Indigenous-Focused Presses

Through the voices of Inuit elders, this book is a critical and cultural-historical engagement with the traditional concepts of maligait, piquajit, and tirigusuusiit. These three concepts refer to what had to be followed, done, or not done in Inuit culture. Although these terms are now often used as equivalents to modern Western notions of law, this work examines how Inuit and Western concepts of law derive from completely different cultural perspectives. Through the guiding concepts of maligait, piqujait, and tirigusuusiit, this book transcends discussions of law, examining how these Inuit concepts are embedded in social and cosmic relationships. This unique book examines these challenging concepts through the knowledge and stories of Inuit elders and evokes a unique experience whereby Western knowledge--embedded in the participating scholars--works to describe and understand Inuit knowledge and models of traditional law

“When I was growing up, I realized that there were some people in the community who were considered to be superior beings. It was as if we had to carry out their will; if we did not do what the white people wanted, it was bad. I wondered why it had to be that way. Why did we have to look up to the white people and do what they wanted? And this, even if what they expected from us was contrary to our beliefs and cultural values. I could not understand why that was happening, and maybe that explains why I have become somewhat of a radical, constantly trying to find ways for us Inuit to do things the way we want.” -- Louis Tapardjuk