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Salt Water Inuit and Big Skin Boats

Salt water Inuit made boats using the skin of bearded seals [utjuit]. The men made the frame for the boat from wood. The women sewed the skins to make the hull. They used sewing thread made from braided caribou tendon. This made a very strong thread, so strong that it could hold together the big skin boat.

Artist: Daniel Inukpuk The big boats were made with the skins of the bearded seal. When preparing a skin to make the boat, the skin was split into layers. The Inuit call this ikiarsijuq.

The big skin boats were called umiatuinnaaluit. They were big so that they could be used to travel safely on the ocean. They were also used on big rivers. They were used for long distance travel.

Dogs pulled the big skin boats. It took many dogs to pull one boat. Avatait [floats] were attached to the dogs’ ropes to prevent them from sinking or becoming knotted, tangled, and caught on rocks.

Excerpt from: Unikkaangualaurtaa (Let's Tell a Story)