Jean Briggs

Jean Briggs has worked with the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic and has described how, within these communities, growing up is largely seen as a process of acquiring thought, reason and understanding (known in Inuit as ihuma). | Because they can't be reasoned with, and don't understand, parents treat them with a great deal of tolerance and leniency. | Young children don't possess these qualities and are easily angered, cry frequently and are incapable of understanding the external difficulties facing the community, such as shortages of food. | It's only when they are older and begin to acquire thought that parents attempt to teach them or discipline them.