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The division of labor also played a role in the marriage of a man and woman. Martial roles were characterized primarily in terms of the work spouses performed for each other and married couples had to complement each other to survive the harsh conditions in the Arctic. (Guemple 1986) Sometimes marriages were arranged at birth, seen as a necessity to ensure the survival of the family. (Exploring the Inuit 2013) Women were eligible for marriage after puberty while men had to prove their hunting abilities. No traditional ceremony was held, but gifts were exchanged: the man handed a woman her tools, including the traditional stone lamp, they handcrafted and the women gave men a set of clothing they sewed. (Guemple 1986)
Overall, the responsibilities of Inuit women were regarded equally as important as those of the men, but there was male dominance in the share of influence or power held in the communities. (Billson 2019) How do climate change and Western assimilation shift gender roles in Inuit communities?
The above-mentioned gender roles within Inuit communities have been the result of long traditions and culture. During the past decades, however, they have faced various challenges, resulting in a shift in gender roles.
One of the most prevalent factors not only shifting gender roles but threatening the existence of Inuit communities is climate change. Environmental conditions change, ranging from unpredictable weather conditions to different sea ice conditions. (Ford, et al. 2007) This makes it unsafe and harder to hunt, travel roots change and communities have to resettle somewhere else. (Dowsley 2010) Additionally, western assimilation introduces more and more modern aspects to the communities and changes their traditional ways of living and culture.
Both of these aspects result in a shift of the above-mentioned traditional gender roles and have various consequences for the Inuit.
Whole communities are forced to relocate due to harsher weather conditions and instead of tents now live in bigger villages. (Morgan 2008) Women remain in the villages while men have to travel to go hunting. Therefore it is easier for women to maintain their traditional roles within the household, tending the children or cooking, while being able to adapt to the changes within their community. Men on the other hand have a harder time hunting, sea ice loss and warmer oceans make it increasingly difficult and unsafe to hunt. They are unable to adapt to life in the villages and often feel distanced due to being away for hunting while women remain in a more stable environment. (Dowsley 2010)
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