Eskimo kissing

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A couple doing a nose rub

An Eskimo kiss, nose kiss, or nose rub, is the act of pressing the tip of one's nose against another's nose, usually interpreted as a friendly greeting gesture in various cultures. An actual "eskimo kiss" is called a "kunik" and it is the action of rubbing one's nose against another's cheek.

Etymology[]

When early explorers of the Arctic first witnessed Inuit nose rubbing as a greeting behavior, they dubbed it Eskimo kissing. This was used as an intimate greeting by the Inuit who, when they meet outside, often have little except their nose and eyes exposed. Many Inuit people prefer for this gesture to be referred to as kunik, as Eskimo is widely considered a derogatory term.[1][2]

Representation in different cultures[]

Inuit[]

Kunik

Among the Inuit, kunik is a form of expressing affection,[3] usually between family members and loved ones, that involves pressing the nose and upper lip against the skin (commonly of the cheeks or forehead) and breathing in, causing the loved one's skin or hair to be suctioned against the nose and upper lip.[4] A common misconception is that the practice arose so that Inuit could kiss without their mouths freezing together. Rather, it is a non-erotic but intimate greeting used by people who, when they meet outside, often have little except their nose and eyes exposed.

The greeting was described in reports of a group of Alaska Native people touring the United States with entrepreneur Miner W. Bruce in the 1890s: "Mr. Bruce yesterday instructed Kerlungner and Wearner that in this country they should not rub noses, and to close the lesson the two young women kissed each other in the new style for a beginning, both seeming to fear that they looked silly as they did it."[5]

Other cultures[]

Other peoples use similar greeting practices, notably the Māori of New Zealand and Hawaiians, who practice the hongi and honi greetings, respectively. Mongolian nomads of the Gobi Desert have a similar practice, as do certain Southeast Asian cultures, such as Bengalis, Cambodians, Laotians, Thai, Vietnamese, Timor, Sabu, Sumba[6] and Ibans. Nose kissing is also employed as a traditional greeting by Arab tribesmen when greeting members of the same tribe. It is also popular in Arabian tribes in southern part of Iran like Bushehr Province.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Hersher, Rebecca (24 April 2016). "Why You Probably Shouldn't Say 'Eskimo'". NPR. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  2. ^ Kaplan, Lawrence. "Inuit or Eskimo: Which name to use?". www.uaf.edu. Alaska Native Language Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  3. ^ Elder, Jeff (2005-02-16). "An 'Eskimo kiss' is a kunik, and maybe not what you think". South Coast Today. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  4. ^ "Eskimo Kisses, Arm Hair, Moon Flags & Spike Lee vs. Stan Lee vs. Bruce Lee". Esquire Magazine. 2007-05-09. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  5. ^ "All Eager to See the Eskimo". The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. September 21, 1895. p. 7. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  6. ^ "Sumba: Keeping a vow -- blessings, curse and sweet potatoes". 2006-02-05. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2013-09-13., The Jakarta Post
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