Have you seen stone structures that resemble humans placed in parks, yards or along a roadside?
I first spotted an inuksuk at the lake we visit in the summer. Although I didn’t understand what it was about, I was fascinated. A friend who is a teacher in Edmonton helped her students make these as ornaments.
They could be homemade Christmas gifts, whether small as ornaments, or large as lawn or yard ornaments.
An inuksuk is a powerful symbol of the Canadian Arctic. Two stone markers are called inuksuuk. Three or more are called inuksuit. Many little inuksuit are called inuksukkat. Traditionally, inuksuit have been built by the Inuit to relay a message. Some inuksuit are ancient, standing for thousands of years. According to Inuit tradition, inuksuit are sacred and should never be destroyed. Years ago, inuksuit were not frequently placed in the shape of a human figure. Today they are often built to look like stone people.
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The meaning of a specific inuksuk depends on the intent of the person who builds it. In the past, inuksuit were erected to act as signposts to those who journeyed across Canada’s north. An Inuit hunter may have built an inuksuk to tell about a good hunting or fishing place, or to mark a spot where surplus food was stored.
Arctic travellers built inuksuit to navigate a safe trail across the tundra. Some inuksuit were built to show the direction of the correct valley or pass to use.
An inuksuk might also act as a message centre, mark a good resting place, or identify an Inuit family’s homeland. It might stand as a memorial to a loved one or honour a place that had great significance to Inuit.
We have a collection of large, flat rocks at our farm, and I decided I would experiment and see what I could make. Our friend, Marilynne, lent us her book about making your own inuksuk. The book suggested when putting together an inuksuk, determine why you are building it. I decided to build two as ornaments in our rock bed. The type of stones you find will determine the type of inuksuk you build. We have both flat and chunky stones, and I wanted to start by building two human stone markers or inuksuuk.
- Choose a large flat stone that provides a smooth and firm foundation to build on.
- Carefully position two chunky leg stones. The stones must be about the same height, and the top and bottom of these stones must be quite level. Set them as far apart as the length of the next stone, which will be used for the body.
- Place a flat stone on top on the two leg stones. Move and shift it until firmly in place. If the stones are still a bit wobbly, a small stone wedge can be fitted into the space between stones.
- Place a second flat stone on top, shifting it around until it sits securely in place.
- Two smaller stones can be used for arms. Place the thicker, heavier side of each stone toward the centre, with the lighter side hanging over the edge.
- Place another smaller piece of flat stone on top of the arm stones to become the shoulder stone. The weight of this stone helps keep the arm stones in place.
- Place a round stone on top of the shoulder stone to act as the head. Usually it will sit best if the flattest side is on the bottom. If it feels a bit wobbly, try turning it to find the best side.
If each of the stones has been placed so it is balanced, this inuksuk will be sturdy.
Round stones are the most difficult to balance. Flat stones fit together more easily and form a more stable stone structure. If the inuksuk is a small ornament, try using adhesive such as grey putty caulk strips, white craft glue or caulking compound to keep it together. For larger inuksuit, use masonry caulk or concrete adhesive, both of which should stand up to the outdoor elements.
Source: Make Your Own Inuksuk, Mary Wallace, Owl Books, published by Greey de Pencier Books Inc.
Good vegetables
How do you manage to find a variety of tasty vegetarian dishes? The following two recipes came by e-mail from M.H., Saskatoon.
Anti-oxidant salad
8 cups baby spinach 2 L
2 cups sliced 500 mL
strawberries
1/2 cup slivered 125 mL
almonds
sprinkling of mozzarella cheese
Dressing:
2 tablespoons plus 2 40 mL
teaspoons extra virgin
olive oil
2 tablespoons plus 2 40 mL
teaspoons balsamic
vinegar
2 tablespoons dark 30 mL
brown sugar
2 tablespoons frozen 30 mL
raspberry concentrate,
thawed
1/2 teaspoon paprika 2 mL
1/2 teaspoon 2 mL
Worcestershire sauce
Wash, dry and divide the spinach onto four plates. Divide the other ingredients and sprinkle on top. Add dressing to taste.
Broccoli wild rice salad
1/4 cup wild rice 50 mL
1 cup water 250 mL
1/8 teaspoon salt 0.5 mL
Rinse rice, drain, then soak rice in the water for two hours. Drain, then add four cups (one L) water to rice in saucepan, bring it to a boil and cook for 50-60 minutes. This may be used immediately or kept in the fridge until ready to assemble.
1 cup broccoli 250 mL
flowerets
1/4 of a red pepper
1 stalk of celery
1/2 carrot
1 green onion
11/2 teaspoons lemon 7 mL
juice
2 teaspoons oil 10 mL
Stir-fry broccoli on medium-high until tender. Add rest of vegetables (cut in matchstick sizes) with prepared rice and cook until veggies are tender, about five minutes. Serves two. I triple this for a family dinner, and serve other side dishes.
Try the following recipes for side dishes we’ve tested and approved. These recipes are out of a Cook Right 4 Your Type cookbook that a fellow worker at BridgePoint Center for Eating Disorders uses. The spicy squares of firm tofu with the crunchy almonds and sweet slivers of dried apricots make interesting tastes and textures for the dish. Serve with brown rice.
Spicy curry marinade
2 tablespoons soy 30 mL
sauce
1 tablespoon fresh 15 mL
lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped 15 mL
fresh parsley or cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh 15 mL
chives or green onions
1 tablespoon brown 15 mL
sugar
2 teaspoons curry 10 mL
powder
1 teaspoon chili powder 5 mL
1 teaspoon sesame 5 mL
seeds
1 cake firm tofu, drained
and cut into squares
Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add tofu cubes, tossing lightly once to coat. Let marinate for one hour or longer. Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients for the stir-fry.
3 tablespoons olive oil 45 mL
1 small onion, sliced
3 carrots, sliced on an angle
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons water 30 mL
1/2 cup sliced dried 125 mL
apricots
1/3 cup sliced almonds 75 mL
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute three minutes. Add the carrots and the garlic and cook two minutes, adding water to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
Drain the tofu and the marinade and set aside. Add tofu to pan and cook until heated through. Add the apricots and almonds and cook three more minutes. Serve over rice. Serves four to six.
This orange cake recipe was from Dinsmore’s Dynamic Dishes, a local cookbook from the Dinsmore Rink Auxiliary. It was submitted to the cookbook by Louise Rolston.
Orange cake
2 cups flour 500 mL
1 teaspoon salt 5 mL
2 teaspoons baking 10 mL
soda
1 cup sugar 250 mL
2 cups drained 500 mL
orange sections
1 teaspoon vanilla 5 mL
3/4 cup liquid from 175 mL
oranges
2 eggs
Topping:
3/4 cup brown sugar 175 mL
2 tablespoons milk 30 mL
or cream
3 tablespoons butter or 45 mL
or margarine
Mix dry ingredients together and beat eggs. Mix all together and blend with beaters until oranges are well chewed. Mixture will be thin. Bake in nine x 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) greased and floured pan for 45 minutes at 350 F (180 C).
Bring topping ingredients to a boil and pour over cake when removed from oven. First prick the cake with a fork so the mixture will go through cake.
Barbara Sanderson is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
