The Interviews - Related Artwork from Cape Dorset Collection
Q. I would like to ask you about igloo building, first of
all, about
the difference in snow texture and what each snow condition is good for?
A. When I am out on a trail and wish to make an overnight igloo I first
look around to check the snow conditions so that I can find a location that
would make a good igloo. When there is not much choice of snow you would
go to another place where you can make a snow enclosure without being too
fastidious. However, in the early spring, about this time, I would personally
choose the right texture of snow before making an igloo.
In looking for snow for you to make an igloo you would look for snow that
is more PUKAJAAK (Snow that has fallen later, after the first of the autumn.
This snow is crispy and will not hold together), but not completely a PUKAJAAK,
this snow material would be my choice to make an igloo with. When it is
PUKAJAAK it is also not good. It is cold and when you make the enclosure.
The crisp (snow) will tend to fall and you cannot heat this type of snow
material.
There are two types of PUKAJAAK, there is the material that is air tight
and the other which is almost crispy. The latter is my choice of snow for
igloo material. The snow that is air tight can also be used to make an igloo
with, but it is heavier than the other, even if the blocks are the same
sizes. You will find that when you are in the igloo it is too air tight
so you tend to use up all the oxygen. It can be used if there is no other
snow material available, but if there is a choice you would not want to
use that material. This is if you are only planning to use the igloo for
only an overnight. I have never built an igloo that would be used as a home.
Q. When you are looking for snow how do you go about it?
A. You use the harpoon rod, as long as the diameter is not too great and
the shaft is smooth. If you really want to find a good snow quality, you
first would melt snow in your mouth and apply a small lump of wet snow to
the top of the rod so that it is thicker than the rest of the rod. Then
you would start to probe the snow with the rod.
Unlike probing with the harpoon when you are looking for seal breathing
holes, you test the layer of the snow with this harpoon. If you probe it
and you feel that the harpoon passes quickly close to the surface, as through
something that you feel is soft, that means that the snow bank is not suitable
to make blocks with. As you go to another area and probe and you find that
the snow is consistent all the way down. That is a good snow material. If
there is resistance and you pass that layer and go deeper it is looser snow
which means that when you are cutting blocks, the blocks will separate where
the harder and softer snow meet.
When I first learned how to make an igloo, I use to cut snow blocks from
hard snow, possibly because I did not want to break the snow block. As it
turned out even if the snow was softer, as long as you maintain care in
cutting out the block, it will not get broken. When there is no NAJUKKAQ
in cutting out the bottom of the block you will discover that it appears
to be harder if the snow is consistent. The only downfall of this is the
fact that it is more tiring and would appear to take more time to construct
your igloo.
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