Who are the inuits? The Inuit people are indigenous to the Arctic regions of Canada, Greenland, and Alaska, historically known as the "Eskimo" people, though this term is now considered outdated and sometimes offensive. The Inuit are renowned for their remarkable adaptability to extreme cold and their sophisticated skills in hunting, fishing, and navigation. Their ethnic history is deeply intertwined with the harsh Arctic environment, which has shaped their cultural practices, social organization, and subsistence strategies. Traditionally, the Inuit lived in igloos and used a variety of tools and technologies adapted to icy conditions, such as kayaks and dog sleds.
The Inuit are divided into several distinct tribes or groups, including the Kalaallit of Greenland, the Inupiat of Alaska, and the Inuit of Canada. Each group has its own variations in language, culture, and social structure. Linguistically, the Inuit are part of the Eskimo-Aleut language family. Their closest linguistic relatives are the Aleut people, who inhabit the Aleutian Islands and parts of Alaska. Genetically, the Inuit are most closely related to other Arctic populations, including the Chukchi and the Koryaks of northeastern Siberia, reflecting a shared ancestry that dates back thousands of years.
With PCA based ethnicity calculators that are available online, inuits consistently show affinities to populations of Eastern Siberia and East Asia. This shows in their phenotype as well, as the Inuits resemble Siberians phenotypically. The inuits have a higher rate type 2 diabetes which might be caused by a genetic adaptation to a low sugar diet.