The high kick is a traditional
Inuit
Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...
event performed at the
Arctic Winter Games
The Arctic Winter Games is a biennial multi-sport and indigenous cultural event involving circumpolar peoples residing in communities or countries bordering the Arctic Ocean.
Background
The Arctic Winter Games were founded in 1969 under the lea ...
, the
World Eskimo Indian Olympics
The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics (or WEIO) is an annual multi-sport event held over a four-day period beginning the 3rd Wednesday each July, designed to preserve cultural practices and traditional (survival) skills essential to life in circumpolar ...
and other traditional events.
One foot high kick
The Inuit one-foot high kick is a traditional competition that is similar to the two foot high kick.
In this competition the competitor stands on one foot, jumps in the air and hits a ball or piece of seal such as a
ringed seal
The ringed seal (''Pusa hispida'') is an earless seal inhabiting the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. The ringed seal is a relatively small seal, rarely greater than 1.5 m in length, with a distinctive patterning of dark spots surrounded by light g ...
, which is suspended from a
gallows
A gallows (or scaffold) is a frame or elevated beam, typically wooden, from which objects can be suspended (i.e., hung) or "weighed". Gallows were thus widely used to suspend public weighing scales for large and heavy objects such as sacks ...
and then lands on the same foot.
The one foot high kick tests the strength and
agility
Agility or nimbleness is an ability to change the body's list of human positions, position quickly and requires the integration of isolated movement skills using a combination of balance (ability), balance, coordination (physiology), coordination ...
of a hunter. It was also used to signal a successful hunt in some communities.
A short film made by
Alethea Arnaquq-Baril
Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (born May 9, 1978) is an Inuk filmmaker, known for her work on Inuit life and culture. She is the owner of Unikkaat Studios, a production company in Iqaluit, which produces Inuktitut films. She was awarded the Canadian ...
for the
2010 Winter Olympics
)''
, nations = 82
, athletes = 2,626
, events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening = February 12, 2010
, closing = February 28, 2010
, opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean
, cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gretz ...
in Vancouver shows
Arctic Winter Games
The Arctic Winter Games is a biennial multi-sport and indigenous cultural event involving circumpolar peoples residing in communities or countries bordering the Arctic Ocean.
Background
The Arctic Winter Games were founded in 1969 under the lea ...
champion Johnny Issaluk performing a one foot high kick.
Two foot high kick
The two-foot high kick (''akratcheak'') is a traditional
Inuit
Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...
jumping event that occurs at many
Arctic sports competitions. In the two-foot high kick, athletes must jump using two feet, touch a hanging target with both feet, and land on both feet, maintaining balance.
[. '']World Eskimo Indian Olympics
The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics (or WEIO) is an annual multi-sport event held over a four-day period beginning the 3rd Wednesday each July, designed to preserve cultural practices and traditional (survival) skills essential to life in circumpolar ...
''. Originally accessed 2008-04-26. The event is often considered the most demanding Arctic sport.
The event has its origin in subsistence
whale hunting
Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution.
It was practiced as an organized industry a ...
: when a whale was taken, a messenger would run to the village and kick both feet in the air once within eyeshot.
[ Villagers would then know to prepare to harvest the whale.][
As of 2007, the men's record in the event was ; the women's record was .][Block, Melissa]
"Eskimo-Indian Olympics Capture Native Traditions"
''All Things Considered''. National Public Radio
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...
(July 23, 2007). Accessed 2008-04-26.
Alaskan high kick
Balance on one foot while holding the other. Kick a target straight above with the balancing foot to reach a target, then land on the balancing and kicking foot.
References
External links
*
The Games
, ''ANKN.UAF.edu''.
*
{{WEIO
Individual sports
Inuit games