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Arctic People

Living in the Arctic I nuit are divided into many different tribes with names such as Saami, Chukchi, and Yup’ik. Between Alaska and Greenland there are about 70,000 Inuit. In Russia there are about 300,000. Surviving the Cold In the Arctic, there is no wood to build homes or light fires, and no wool to make clothes. To survive, the Inuit had to find ways to keep warm. Inuit dressed in the fur and skins of the animals around them, such as the Arctic foxes, caribou, polar bears, and seals. These kept them warm and dry. The warmest trousers were made from polar bear skins. Women often wore kamiks , which are long boots that reach the top of the leg. Kamiks were usually made from seal skin, which is waterproof. Warm Homes Some Inuit made snow houses. We call them igloos but to an Inuk an igloo is any type of house. Igloos are made by cutting blocks of snow and piling them up into a domed shelter. A small tunnel is the way in, with a snow block for a door. Over the tunnel a block of transparent ice was set in the wall as a window.

I n the 1500s Inuit women dressed like this. Her clothes are made from the skins of various animals. They are loose but very warm. The boots are made from seal skin. The hood of the parka is large enough to carry her baby who is wrapped in moss for extra warmth.

I gloos are quick to build when traveling in winter. They are warmer than tents and much stronger against winter storms.

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