Saturday, July 18, 2009

PhotoHunt - rocks

The beaches around where I live tend to be more of the rocky,

or pebbly, type than the sandy type.
Not exactly great for laying out on
but great for being creative.
An INUKSHUK on the shores of Lake Ontario
An Inukshuk (plural inuksuit) is a stone cairn used as a milestone or directional marker by the Inuit of the Canadian Artic. The traditional meaning of the inukshuk is "Someone was here" or "You are on the right path."
It is a symbol with deep roots in the Inuit culture, a directional marker that signifies safety, hope and friendship. It can also be used as navigation. to mark a place of respect or memorial for a beloved person, or to indicate migration routes or places where fish or caribou can be found.
An inukshuk can be small or large, a single rock, several rocks balanced on each other, round boulders or flat. Built from whatever stones are at hand, each one is unique.
Inukshuk have become popular in Southern Canada and can now be seen in various forms outdoors in gardens and patios, and indoors in family rooms and office lobbies. It is also the emblem for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
for more PhotoHunts of rocks

26 comments:

  1. Great pics!! I had a terrible time with this theme and sort of "stretched" it.

    Sniffie and the Florida Furkids

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  2. The last photo is cool! :) Who did it?

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  3. Oh, how exciting to have such things standing around and they are of authentic origin too, not just something somebody made up. I would have one in my garden if I had a garden, although I have no Inuit roots. Do you think they would mind? It's like placing a windmill on the Arctic, with a picture of our queen on it.

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  4. Now that I don't enjoy swimming in icy cold water anymore, I enjoy the rocky beaches more... these photos are beautiful and I enjoyed learning about inuksuit. I never knew an official name for them but they are seen all along many trails in Maine and I have always thought of them as beautiful statues as well as markers

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  5. That is amazing! I enjoyed learning about the "other side" of Lake Ontario. We have visited Fort Ontario in Oswego, NY, a few times (and I've blogged about it). GREAT post!

    My Photo Hunters is up, too. I hope you have a little time to visit. :)

    Mrs. Mecomber
    http://newyorktraveler.net

    Have a good weekend!

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  6. Thanks for sharing the story and the pictures.

    Have a great weekend!

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  7. I love the inuksuit on the beach. My kids learned about them and made their own models in school.

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  8. hello. just checking out new blogs and really like yours. feel free to come check out mine.

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  9. There is something so peaceful looking about pebbles under water. Nice.

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  10. Furkidsmom: thanks.

    Meikah: There were about 7 or 8 of these lined up, made by some fanatical rock piler.

    Irene: So many people have these - you can buy them in every home decor or garden shop. You could collect some stones or rocks and create you own. They really can be of any size.

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  11. Oliag: Thanks, I've always been partial to rocky beaches. Never liked getting sand in places where sand should never be.

    Mrs Mecomber: Thanks - we are learning from each other about the indigenous peoples use of rocks.

    Snoopy: You are most welcome. Thanks for visiting.

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  12. feefifoto: Aren't they fun to create? Much more soothing than building blocks.

    Lee Beth: Well thanks, I'm glad you stopped by.

    Azahar: That is actually my favourite one.

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  13. Stones and rocks have deep energy, obviously. These are so satisfying. I could see having an INUKSHUK as a sort of altar to a momentous event (like a wedding). Maybe we should build one next month in our new patio room between the studio and the shed where Don just laid pea gravel.

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  14. Ruth: How many people will be there? Perhaps each person could be given a stone to help build several Inukshuk as a sort of community thing.

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  15. That last one sort of reminds me of "Bimbo the Birthday Clown" from "The Uncle Bobby Show" (That dates me...).

    Lots of rocks!

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  16. Nice! I LOVE rocks! I am a crazy demented rock lover. Thanks for these pics and the story of the inukshuk. I would go crazy walking on those beaches and picking up rocks to polish. Or is that illegal there?

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  17. Hi Violet

    I come across them on the river side when I am walking, at a place that has rocky retaining banks, but I think we can safely say that they are not Inuit built...

    Happy days

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  18. I don't enjoy sunbathing, so rocky beaches are perfect for me. It's one reason I love Acadia National Park so much.

    Does the placement of the stones have any meaning as to the intention of the message? Or are they random? Great photos!

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  19. Mudhooks: Really?

    bimbo, bimbo, I'm the birthday clown y'know,
    bimbo, bimbo, here on the uncle bobby show
    bimbo, bimbo, I'm about to sa-a-ay,
    to you and you, a very happy birthda-a-y!


    thanks, I'll never get that tune out now!!

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  20. Geewits: not illegal, but I don't know how colourful they would become. I have picked up big ones for my aquarium.

    Delwyn: Inuit inspired, then?

    Susan: I think they do mean something... to an Inuit. But if they are built by a Southerner... just a beautiful pile of rocks to admire.

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  21. Wonderful! There used to be these creations along the coast road from here to Kaikoura but they were eventually taken dwon as they were causing too much disruption of the traffic - narrow roads being clogged by sightseeing motorists etc.

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  22. A local blogger I know has created a 6-foot inukshuk in his home out of old stereo receivers and speakers. One of them actually works so it plays music too.

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  23. What beautiful formations. I would rather look at the rocks in the clear waters than the sand and silt at the beach. Lovely. Sorry I am late getting around. My hunt is HERE.

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  24. Amanda: imagaine that - too much of a photo op!

    XUP: glad he is not my neighbour.

    srp: the rocks will always be here.

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  25. csl: these ones were already standing there when I got to the waterfront, which was a surprise.

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