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