PART II 

 SOME ETHICAL PHASES OF ESKIMO CULTURE 



BY ALBERT NICOLAY GILBERTSON, A.M., 

 Fellow in Anthropology, Clark University, Worcester, Mass. 



17. INHERITANCE 



When we consider the small amount of property which an 

 individual among the Eskimo can acquire, we realize that the 

 question of inheritance is not a very important one in their 

 economy. Another circumstance, which decreases the amount 

 of transmissible property, is the custom of destroying or plac 

 ing by the grave of a large part of the property of the de 

 ceased. Boas enumerates as objects which may be acquired 

 by inheritance, the gun, harpoon, sledge, dogs, kayak, boat, and 

 tent-poles of the man, and the lamps and pots of the woman. 

 (5:580.) 



The immediate heir is the oldest son living with the parents. 

 Nothing falls directly to the widow, except the articles she 

 brought in marriage. Adopted children are on the same foot 

 ing as blood-descendants. Thus an elder foster-son has prior 

 right over a younger son born of the marriage. If there are 

 no children in the family, a relative, such as a brother, becomes 

 the heir. (53:25; 16,1:176.) 



It should be borne in mind that, with the right of inheri 

 tance, goes the obligation of providing for the dependent sur 

 vivors. So that, as Rink says, it &quot;represents a question of 

 obligations and burdens rather than of personal gain.&quot; (53 :25.) 



For rules of inheritance apparently peculiar to Alaska, see 

 Nelson s monograph. (45.) 



18. THEFT 



From the nature of the case, private property being so lim 

 ited, crimes &quot;in violation of the rights of property can only 

 have been trifling,&quot; as Rink points out. (53:34.) Conflicting 

 reports are given as to Eskimo tendency to theft, especially 

 in dealing with strangers. 



It is the almost unanimous testimony that stealing is very 



