Remember reading somewhere that Eskimo were noted for being nautally inclined to mechanical repairs (engines, cars, etc.) Anybody know anything about this? Or, even better, conjectures as to why?
Sounds dubious.
There was an old saw about Indians being good for working on skyscrapers, because they were sure footed, and that turned out to be traced to one over-repeated interview that got into a newsreel.
I did see a National Geogprahic special about Mohawks who did specialize in “high iron” working. I don’t know whether Mohawks took to that work because it was available and they got good at it or whether or not they were good at it and were recruited for it.
I would think people might think that Eskimos (or Inuits or Aleuts) might be considered good mechanics because if you live in an area with extreme climate, it’s important to know how to repair machines that can keep you alive. It’s a real pisser to have a truck break down in the middle of a snowstorm.
Yes, I have heard the “Eskimos are good mechanics” thing before (BTW, they prefer to be called Inuit or Aleut, depending on where they’re from).
The rationale seemed to be first, like Bob said, that they are so dependent on snowmobiles that they have to know everything there is to know about them.
Second, so the story goes, they tend to learn about things by using their eyes and observing patiently, rather than by hustling their way through an instruction manual. This means, supposedly, that they ultimately have a more thorough mastery of how the machine works, so they are better able to make emergency repairs where a “white man” would be stumped and stranded.
However, I have also heard this about Third World mechanics, like in India and Africa, so I don’t think it’s anything genetic, or unique to the Inuit lifestyle. It’s entirely possible that First Worlders are not as good at making emergency repairs to cars and snowmobiles simply because we don’t get as much practice at it. If something breaks, we pay someone to fix it for us. In the Third World, you don’t always have that option, so maybe people there just get more practice and get better at fixing cars with bent hairpins and chewing gum.
Slightly related, years ago in Australia it was common to sell the Aborigines autos without mentioning things like “Gasoline;” This provided the opportunity to buy the vehicle back in a few days. Once the aborigines figured that out, then of course the aussies waited till something simple broke, like a water pump. Oftentimes, they might sell and re-purchase a vehicle several times over the years, at a tidy profit. Not Very Nice ™