Inuit Land Stamp Series
2024
"Inuit Land" is a postage stamp series highlighting the culture of the Northern Eskimos, the Inuit tribe, which showcases their environment, and their land.
OVERVIEW
The Iñupiat and Inuit, also referred to as the Northern Eskimos, are Indigenous groups that live in the Arctic areas of Greenland, Canada, and Alaska. Due to their adaptation to some of the world's most extreme climates, they have historically relied on fishing, caribou hunting, and hunting marine mammals like seals, whales, and walruses. Oral storytelling, group collaboration, and spiritual beliefs strongly linked to nature are all a part of their culture. Many Northern Eskimos still maintain their language, customs, and subsistence way of life despite contemporary influences.
PROCESS
Each stamp was initially designed with simplicity in mind. Each piece's illustrations lacked consistent components that wouldn’t have allowed it to be classified as a stamp series.
During this procedure, the illustrations did not provide additional information on the culture of the Northern Eskimos, including their way of life and their surroundings.
To make each stamp cohesive, features like mountains, snow, and trees had to be included somewhere and in some way. Each stamp's backdrop varies according to the time of day to depict the slow passage of time; this would then smoothly transition into the Northern Lights stamp.
Inushuk: For generations, the Inuit tribe has been creating stone markers on the Arctic landscape. They serve as a travel guide, warning of danger, assisting hunters, and marking places of reverence.
Parka: Made from animal hide and fur, the fur parka coat is worn through the cold weather. This provides the best protection and survival for the tribe.
Igloo: Although it’s not the common type of housing used by the Inuit, the igloo’s significance is superior in Arctic communities. The blocks of snow blocked cold winds while preserving body heat from the tribe.
The Northern Lights: Also known as the Aurora Borealis, the beautiful light display lights up the northern hemisphere’s night sky. The Inuit believed that souls of the dead dance in the aurora.
