The Inupiat, like other Arctic peoples, are primarily hunter-gatherers. Only men are hunters among the Inupiat. What they hunt depends on where they are. The Nunamiut, who live inland, hunt caribou, grizzly bear, moose and bighorn sheep, while the Tareumiut, the coastal peoples, hunt walrus, seal, whale and, in rare cases , the polar bear. however, both groups rely on geese, ducks, rabbits and berries. Traditionally, hunters traveled by dog ​​sled or canoe from place to place and used spears, harpoons and bows as weapons. Hunting is the most important duty of every Inupiat man due to the scarcity of all other resources. It is the most reliable way to sustain oneself in the environment in which the Inupiat live and so a hunter must be skilled and lucky or his family will starve. Although families generally operate independently of each other, communal hunting is common with groups of banded families. together to bring in game and maximize hunting success. When this happens, the bounty is distributed among the members of the hunt based on a set of predetermined rules agreed upon before the hunt. When the group returns, each member redistributes the game among the members of their family. Sharing between family lines is also encouraged within Inupiat culture. When times are good and food supplies are full, there is little need for sharing between families. However, due to the nature of hunting, families never know when there might be a shortage. This type of sharing follows the general reciprocity model in which a family gave to its neighbors in the hope of receiving a similar amount at a later date, and thus people could count on their neighbors to help them in times of temporary food shortage . A few minutes...... middle of paper ......iaq.html#dist>.Stern, Pamela R. Historical Dictionary of the Inuit. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 2004. Print. « Subsistence hunting activities and the Inupiat Eskimos | Cultural survival.” Subsistence hunting activities and the Inupiat Eskimos | Cultural survival. Internet. April 28, 2014. “Subsistence in Alaska, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.” » Subsistence in Alaska, Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Internet. April 28, 2014. Condon, Richard (1987). Inuit Youth and Change in the Canadian Arctic New Brunswick, NJ, Rutgers University Press. Billson, Janet Mancini and Kyra Mancini. 2007. “Inuit Women: Their Powerful Spirits in a Century of Change.” Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc...