The word Inuksuk means "to act similar to that of a human."  The stone figures were often used in the daily and spiritual lives of the Inuit people of the Canadian Arctic.  A man-made stone landmark made of balanced rock, the Inuksuk was often used to navigate through the harsh climate of the north and to aid Inuit hunters.

Skilled Inuit hunters erected the Inuksuk to confuse caribou into thinking that they were being chased by many hunters.  The Inuksuit were placed strategically on two sides of a valley while the hunter waited at the end with bow and spear in hand.  The success of this hunting method gave the Inuksuk a folklore status among the people of the far north.

A very important part of Inuit culture, the Inuksuk has become a part of Inuit folklore and a symbol of the proud Inuit history.  The Inuit people celebrate the Inuksuk through the handcrafted carvings that sell throughout galleries all over the world.