"Tukilik”
(plural Tukiliit)
Objects created to have a certain meaning
it is common to see inuksuit (plural of inukshuk, "that which acts in the capacity of a human") built along the shores of rocky areas in the Arctic Circle. Many native tribes journey along the zones where land meets sea, using these stone constructions as guides to show the way to caribou hunting grounds, areas abundant with fish, or the next village.
Using stone markers to identify trails occurs around the world, from far north in the Arctic south into Argentina; from the Himalayas to the shores of the seven seas; from the deserts of Arabia to the forests of the Amazon.
The Basque called their stone monuments harri mutilak, or “stone boys.” There are the tugong bula of Borneo, the alamat of Egypt, the milladoiro of Galicia, the ahu of Hawaii, the nana’shûñpi of the Hopi, the varða of Iceland, the tsé ninájihí of the Navajo, the mojoneras of the Tarahumara, and the isivivane of the Zulu, to name a few.
In a treeless situation such as the Arctic, all you need to do is place a small stone atop a large one. To signal a left or right, add another small stone on the side of the larger one’s base. Three stacked stones mean “Important” or “Warning.”
When you see one, whether lovingly built and maintained or piled up roughly for a single use, you know what you are looking at. You know that someone has taken the time to gather rocks and assemble them into a recognizable shape that carries a specific message.
Inuit cultures recognize different types of tukiliit ("objects created to have meaning").
At the most basic level are nalunaikkutaq, or “deconfusers,” which may consist of just a single rock raised on end in order to remind someone of something.
A “pointer,” or tikkuuti, consists of a rock or several rocks aligned to indicate direction.
Inuksummarik are another form of directional marker, made of a large pyramid of boulders and intended to be visible from a distance.
The ones known as niungvaliruluit are shaped like a window and are used to create sight-lines to other tukiliit.
There are also more private inuksuit and tukiliit that contain meanings or messages meant for a tight group, such as a hunting party.