The Interviews - Related Artwork from Cape Dorset Collection
Q. Do the Inuit have different ways of building an igloo?
A. Yes, these are different ways of building igloos. The people from the MITTIMATALIK and Arctic Bay area, including the people from KANGIRTUUGAAPIK, had a different way. I do not know how the people from QIKIQTARJUAQ through to IQALUIT make their igloos, but, from the time of our childhood we used to see how the people from MITTIMATALIK and Arctic Bay built their igloos. They have a different way of making their igloos compared to ours. I know though that they know how to make our style of making an igloo, and we too can work in their style of making igloos, but we prefer to make our own style.
When we look towards our KIVALLIQ, their style of making an igloo is comparable to that of ours, that is, the style of cutting snow blocks by QULLUAGAQ. Indeed, it appears as if they cut their blocks all by QULLUAGAQ.
QULLUAGAIT is the style of cutting snow blocks, while the other style is MAKPATAQ.
MAKPATAQ is when one cuts blocks of snow that they will have to pry out the blocks that are vertical. This style is not the choice we would use in this area since it takes too long to cut the blocks. In addition, one has to take (the blocks) outside the frame of an igloo. The people from our KIVALLIQ can build their igloo from snow taken entirely from inside the frame of an igloo, which we too were able to do. With the completed igloo there will be no ground left where the snow blocks have been taken.
Q. How can one get enough snow from inside the frame of an igloo to complete an enclosure?
A. One has to be very careful that each of the snow blocks are put into use. One has to try to minimize the damage to the snow blocks. As soon as there are a few damaged ones it is for certain that there will not be enough snow to complete an enclosure from within the frame. If the snow is right, there is absolute certainty that you will be able to complete an enclosure from snow taken within the frame.
Q. How is a snow block taken with minimal damage?
A. The two parallel cuts into the snow must be wide enough so that the snow block can be taken out easily without jamming when they take it out. The bottom of the block must also be well cut. Only then can one assure himself that there will be no damage to the snow block during the construction of the igloo.
If the snow is right and available, you could do anything you want to do with the snow. We also use to be told that if we were to make an overnight shelter all you had to do was make the walls and without making a complete enclosure in a dome shape, you could just cover the top across without the dome shape. When they are made in this way it is easier to keep the shelter warm.
Q. What are the terms used when one is making an igloo?
A. The foreside of the igloo is called UATTA and back is KILU, and of course the sides are SANIRAQ. When the snow block is placed to start the igloo, they usually start it from the UATTA. If the area where the igloo is being built is slanted, as inside of a hill, they would have to put blocks on the lower end, and once that is done you should start where it starts to slant, so in this manner one can complete an igloo in a short time.
Q. How do you go about building an igloo during a blizzard?
A. It is possible to build an igloo even when there is a blizzard, once you have completed the AVALLUTAA (the first placement of snow blocks for the base), and with the second layer placed, you will find yourself in a wind break so the blizzard is no longer an obstacle. When you first start to put in the base you will find it difficult but after you had put it in the second layer you will be in a wind break, so it is no longer difficult as you will be getting your blocks from inside the structure.
Q. Once you have made the enclosure you are still far from finished?
A. That is right, you still have not completed your igloo. There were different ways of making igloos. There were some that needed filling of the holes along the seams of the blocks, and there were some that did not need to be filled as much. One would have to fill in all the holes along the seams of the blocks. When filling in the holes, they would have to be filled all the way. When the holes are filled only on the exterior, it would not take long for the filling to melt resulting in a hole in the wall. So it is important that when you fill in the holes that you do so right through the block not only on the outside section.
Q. Is the construction of an igloo different if you plan to spend only a night, and one that you plan to live in for some time?
A. Yes, it is different. For the igloos that you plan to spend only a night you can make it any way you feel like it, you can make it in an oval shape or you can make it round.
If an igloo is going to be used for a prolonged period of time one must make the igloo as round as possible and the blocks must be placed properly. When the igloo has been completed it must have TAJJUTAQ. TAJJUTAQ is a low wall of snow blocks built around the outside wall of an igloo used for long term habitation. The blocks are separated from the igloo wall forming an air space which is then carefully filled with loose snow.
Once that is completed you will find the interior of the igloo a little darker on account of the double wall and the snow insulation, but the interior gets much warmer.
Q. What other terms do you have for building an igloo, for instance there is IKIURAIJUQ, cutting blocks, what are the other terminology that you would use?
A. The one that is putting up the blocks is TUTTITTIJUQ (one who is putting up blocks). The seams of blocks when they are in place is called TUTTINNIQ so the one that is putting the blocks if therefore TUTTITTIJUQ. When the base is placed it is called AVALUNINGA.
Before the igloo starts to be built, sometimes they will make a round mark on the ground so that they can follow it as they are putting the base blocks, sometimes they will not bother with it.
Click the Inuk Icon to link to another interview
