Garret Vreeland took note of Mark Woods‘ rock-balancing meme. As one who is captivated by Inuit sculpture, I wanted to add to the meme by examining inuksuk as archetypal rock-balancing figure.

Inuksuit are among the most important objects created by the Inuit who were the first people to inhabit portions of Alaska, Arctic Canada, and Greenland. The term Inuksuk (the singular of Inuksuit) means ‘to act in the capacity of a human.’ It is an extension of Inuk, meaning ‘a human being.’

These stone figures were placed on the temporal and spiritual landscapes. Among many practical functions, they were employed as hunting and navigation aids, coordination points, indicators, and message centers.

These primal constructions are powerfully and sometimes whimsically affecting even out of context. I can only imagine their magical resonances in the Arctic landscape.

Whether they symbolized their maker, acted in his capacity, or were the object of veneration, Inuksuit functioned as helpers and messages created by an infinite arrangement of stones. They were an intergral part of the hunters’ language and endure as indelible signatures upon the Arctic landscape.

Thinking about the inuksuk puts the rock-balancing urge upon me. You (and your children) can create your own.