Inuits come to the defence of the word 'Eskimo'

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Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:00a.m.

The Eskimo Pie and Eskimo lollies might not be as offensive to Inuits as a visiting Canadian tourist believes.

A New Zealander of Inuit descent says he is not offended, and neither is his family who are happy to call themselves Eskimos.

Clint Magnus wants his children to honour their heritage. His mother was a full-blooded Inuit and his grandfather was a renowned carver and an Inuit elder. He says he is proud to call himself an Eskimo, even though he has to share the name with popular New Zealand treats.

"It's definitely not offensive in any way that I can see," says Mr Magnus. "I think for someone to come over here and complain about the name of a lolly and an ice block is just being petty."

The sticky issue arose when Canadian tourist Seeka Parsons found the treats insulting to her ancestors. She wants Cadbury Pascall and Tip Top to change the name of the products.

The marshmallow Eskimos are a favourite of Mr Magnus'. The 34-year-old says apart from his family, he has never met another Inuit in New Zealand.

"If I call myself an Inuit, 50 percent of people wouldn't know what an Inuit was, and so I always say Eskimo."

Eskimo became an unfashionable term in the 1970s. It is widely believed to mean "eater of raw flesh", but studies also show it could mean "snow shoe netters."

"At the end of the day it means that we are the people that come from the ice, basically," says Mr Magnus. "That's what people relate it to."

It is not just at the supermarket where consumers may take offence. There is a chilly bin called an 'Esky', an Australian band called Eskimo Joe and in a kayak it is standard procedure to perform an 'Eskimo roll' when you capsize.

As for the Magnus children, they are happy to be Eskimos, even if a Canadian cousin says the name is mismatched.

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Comments

24 Apr 2009 10:45a.m.

Peggy wrote:

I have to wonder if the reason Mr. Magnus isn't offended is because his ancestors may not come from Canada. The article doesn't say.
I'm half-Eskimo from Alaska where the term 'Eskimo' isn't offensive at all. I know it's considered offensive in Canada and Greenland however.

23 Apr 2009 10:38a.m.

brendan wrote:

In australia we call chilly bins esky's,get it right.
Also in aussie we have chocolate flavoured lollies in
the shape of a person, brown or (chocolate) in color called chico's.I have not seen them on supermarket shelves here with the other Allen's lollies also available in oz.Are Kiwi's as sensitive as the Inuk woman in the headlines?

23 Apr 2009 10:11a.m.

Maria wrote:

ohhh brother....next thing you will hear is some white person say that "tighty whitey's" is offensive, come on lady....lighten up, all races are subjected to some kind of ridicule at some point...I am thinking that if you bought either the eskimo lollies or pie you would eat them just like the rest of us.....

23 Apr 2009 10:02a.m.

sam wrote:

My understanding has always been that Canadian Inuit *do* find the word 'Eskimo' offensive. However, those from Alaska and Greenland are less bothered by the term.

I'm not sure if that's correct and perhaps for those people closer to the other regions/borders it may blur a bit??

23 Apr 2009 08:55a.m.

rocky wrote:

Charlotte forgot another one on the list: The fact that hongi is very similar to Eskimo kiss.

23 Apr 2009 04:23a.m.

Vlatko wrote:

ENCARTA

Inuit (plural Inuit or Inuits) or Innuit (plural Innuit or Innuits)


noun

Definition:


2. language of Inuit: a language of the Inuit, forming one branch of Eskimo-Aleut. Native speakers: 60,000.
See also Inuktitut


23 Apr 2009 04:02a.m.

Vlatko wrote:

Inuit [ ínn? it, ínny? it ] (plural Inuit or Inuits) or Innuit [ ínn? it, ínny? it ] (plural Innuit or Innuits)


noun

Definition:

1. Arctic or Greenland people: a member of an aboriginal people who live in the coastal Canadian Arctic, in Alaska, and in Greenland. The Inuit are related to the Yupik of Alaska and northeastern Siberia.
2. language of Inuit: a language of the Inuit, forming one branch of Eskimo-Aleut. Native speakers: 60,000.
See also Inuktitut

P.S.
Selling new encyclopaedia Britannica. Don’t need it any more. My wife knows everything.

23 Apr 2009 02:57a.m.

Andrew wrote:

I was born Eskimo and I am proud of it.
The name Eskimo is not offensive to most Inuit
I would be disappointed if any one was trying to change
The name of Eskimo Pie because of one, I like it the way it is.
This is how we Inuit advertise ourselves to the world and it is
not offensive to us Inuit. I have had an Eskimo pie and it is one
of the best chocolate covered ice cream I ever had.

23 Apr 2009 01:11a.m.

Louisa wrote:

First I have to correct your use of grammer here, Inuits?! If you're talking about a group it's Inuit period. If you are talking about one Inuk, it's Inuk. I think it's great that Mr. Magnus is proud of his heritage, just be careful of your pronounciation.
Also, I wouldn't say that all Inuit don't mind being called an Eskimo, I know some who feel that word should be used amongst Inuit.

Do your research before you write a story

22 Apr 2009 08:56p.m.

fraser penny wrote:

send her to aussie, they have chilly bins they call esk's. she might feel more at home there because they always like to complain as well