| The kayak was an important part of the
hunting equipment.
Paraphrase: Andrew Oyukuluk
1993 - Arctic Bay, Baffin Island
Designed to be fast and quiet in the water, the kayak is long,
low, and narrow in shape.
The paddler would sit in the cockpit with his legs outstretched
toward the bow. His paddle was double-bladed.
Inuit men made the frame of wood and bone. They pieced the
frame together with sealskin rope and wood pegs. Prior to the introduction of
commercial wood, frames were made of driftwood collected from the beaches.
The kayak frame was covered with watertight skin. Traditionally,
the seal or caribou skin cover was scraped of all hair and sewn into place by
Inuit women. |