Traditionally, Inuit do not call each other by their given names. Instead, a system of kinship and family terms is used, known as tuq?urausiit. Calling friends, family, and community members by kinship terms is a way to show respect and foster closeness within families. Children were named after their elders and ancestors, ensuring a long and healthy life.
As more and more Inuit refer to each other by their English first names, rather than their traditional kinship terms, the tradition of tuq?urausiit is slowly disappearing. This book presents interviews with Inuit elders from Baffin Region, Nunavut, about how names were chosen, the importance of using kinship terms, and how the practice of tuq?urausiit has changed over the years. Inuit Kinship and Naming Customs in Baffin Region helps to preserve the knowledge of this tradition for younger generations, both Inuit and non-Inuit.
