I have always loved to try and re-use items in the garden. I had a lot of bricks that were once a path but as the garden changed the path was removed. Plus it was a pain to keep the weeds out of, as they grew between the cracks. So while stacking them to remove from the path I came up with this idea of making a brick inukshuk.
I’ve had this in my gardens for several years now and always thought it was a form of an inuksuk. In fact I have nicknamed it Inuky. But a while ago I discovered that it is an inunnguaq.
![](https://craftygardener.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/inuky.jpg)
Here is what I found out.
An inuksuk is a stone monument used by the Inuit as a marker for special places, interesting places, marking trails or location of food or people, navigation, or migration routes of the caribou.
An inunnguag is a form of inuksuk that represents a human form.
In 1999 an inuksuk was chosen as the symbol on the flag for Nunavut, the newest territory in Canada. A design of an inunnguag was chosen for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic mascot. However many people, including me, refer to the design as an inuksuk.
I love the big stone inuksuks that you see in many places now, but I love my little brick one as it is so portable. It has been in various garden locations.
The brick Inuky was set up on the deck for a couple of winters so it helped predict the weather as well as be a cheery bit of garden architecture to be viewed from the kitchen windows.
![](https://craftygardener.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/inukysnow1.jpg)
A quick look out the window and I know the snow is accumulating.
![](https://craftygardener.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/dove-inuky1a.jpg)
The dove chose to sit on the head for awhile, perhaps the sun was warming the rock up.
![](https://craftygardener.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/woolinuky02.jpg)
Have a look at this neat idea …. you can knit your own inuksuk by following this link.
Inuky has been moved to a few different places in the garden. This past year he took up residence under the honeysuckle tree along with an old wicker chair, an old wheelbarrow planter, and a flower that acts as a windmill.
![rockpersondec2712bb](https://craftygardener.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/rockpersondec2712bb.jpg)
Here he is after the snowstorm. In the summer there is a pot of flowers on the chair and coleus in the round planter. Over the winter I’ve got a birdhouse on there, for lack of a better place to put it.
And last year I also made another Inuky and have him on the path at the side of the garage.
![rockpersondec2712aa](https://craftygardener.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/rockpersondec2712aa.jpg)
He even managed to accumulate some snow on his arms, shoulders and head during the storm.
One of the other things I learned is that this word can be spelled different ways … inuksuk … inukshuk … and plural inuksuit.
![](https://craftygardener.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/garden.gif)
see more garden whimsy
![garden whimsy from craftygardener.ca](https://craftygardener.ca/wp-content/uploads/whimsygarden1.jpg)