Trade and Intercourse 55 



Little need be added to Mr. Stefansson's descriptions of the manner in 

 which strangers are welcomed.' The shouting of taima as a sign of peaceable 

 intentions seems to be a Hudson bay usage not employed by the Copper Eskimos 

 among themselves, although they are doubtless fully aware of its meaning.^ 

 The ordinary method of signifying peace is to hold up the arms so that the 

 strangers may see you are carrying no weapons. A party of Noahognik Eskimos, 

 coming down to the coast in the early fall of 1914, found us established at 

 Bernard harbour. They approached our tents to within about 200 yards, and, 

 standing in line on the crest of the ridge, alternately raised their open hands 

 above their heads, and, stooping, lowered them again towards the ground, 

 thus signifying that they had lain their weapons on the ground and held nothing 

 in their hands. We laid our rifles on the ground (we had been hunting seals), 

 'returning their gestures, and twice again they repeated their signs as we 

 approached. 



In November of the same year I engaged a Noahognik native named 

 Aksiatak to guide me to the Puivlik settlement across the strait. Skirting 

 along the coast of Victoria island we fell in with four Eskimos, all coming from 

 different directions. Aksiatak ran ahead at top speed, flinging up his arms 

 to indicate peace; the four Eskimos likewise started to run, converging towards 

 their settlement. Soon my companion was hidden from view behind a ridge, 

 and when I came up with him about a mile farther on he and the strangers were 

 together. The four natives gave the peace signal as I approached and arranged 

 themselves in line, the tallest man on the right. He told me his name, I told 

 him mine, and the process was repeated all along the line. Then we started 

 out -again towards their settlement. As we drew near, Aksiatak ran ahead 

 with a local native on each side of him, shouting "White man, white man," 

 while the other two ranged themselves on either side of me and told me to run 

 also. Men and women and children immediately began to pour out of the 

 huts and rush to meet us. All the men and some of the women introduced 

 themselves one after another, pres-sing round me in an excited throng; then 

 an elderly native led me into his hut. 



The presence of women in the party is a sure sign that no hostility need 

 be apprehended. The custom of carrying a knife when going to meet strangers 

 has often been noticed.^ It is done even when the visitor knows there is nothing 

 to fear. As a Coronation gulf native expressed it, "We carry knives in our 

 hands when we go out to welcome strangers, just as the Netsilingmiut greet 

 them with a buffet n the face. They have one custom, we have another." 

 The visitor is always expected to confirm the good relations by presenting his 

 hosts with some of the food he has brought, and they in turn send him dainty 

 portions of whatever they happen to have on hand. A dance is given to wel- 

 come him during which he is especially marked out for honour by some leading 

 man in the community. The compliment is returned on the following day 

 when the visitor and his people give a dance in return. Trading may occur 

 at any time after the visitors have settled down in the camp and eaten some food. 



'My Life with the Eskimo, p. 172, ItiO et seg.; Anthrop. Papers, A.M.N.H., Vol. XIV, pt. JI, pp. 

 235, 301. Cf. Parry, Vol. II, pp. 165-6. 

 >See Hearne, p. 379; Douglas, p. 204. 

 iSee Back, p. 381; and Stefansson, Anthrop. Papers, A.M.N.H., Vol. XIV, pt. I., p. 264. 



