Narrow passageways, sometimes dug just below ground level, provide entry to the igloo. Snow blocks are used to cover the entrance way, functioning as doors. Windows can be built into the igloo using lake ice or a clear piece of gut skin from a seal. Builders leave a hole at the entrance and at the top of the igloo so that heat can escape. After construction is complete, the builders fill in any gaps with snow to keep it warm on the inside.
Temperatures inside igloos are often just above freezing, although temperatures can get as high as about 15 degrees Celsius, depending on the number of people inside and if there is a heat source, such as an oil lamp. In the past, Inuit generally kept on their warm, fur-lined clothes while inside the igloo during the day, including boots, jackets, gloves and hats.
At night, they would sleep on or wrapped in heavy furs to stay warm. At the centre of social life in the igloo was oil lamp, around which the Inuit cooked, ate, warmed up and socialized. Igloos hold cultural importance for the Inuit. Some elders teach young Inuit how to build igloos as a part of a larger lesson about living off the land. Many curricula in the North , and particularly in Nunavut , have incorporated traditional Inuit knowledge into various teachings.
In , the Nunavut government passed the Education Act , which allows for qualified Inuit elders to teach skills like igloo-building in schools. Various places in the North, such as Iqaluit and Arviat , also hold igloo-building competitions at different times of the year.
In these ways, the igloo is not a relic of the past, but an object of cultural value in the present. Canadian Polar Commission Did you know? How to Build an Igloo.
National Film Board This classic short film, How to Build an Igloo , shows how to make an igloo using only snow and a knife. Puvirnituq Snow Festival Every two years, the Inuit gather in Puvirnituq to celebrate the snow festival. An igloo is adapted to the environment due to its round shape.
No corners to catch the wind or flying debris. Some igloos, like some of the ones in Canada, are made of snow blocks and take less than 2 hours to build. Once a fire is lit inside, the innermost layer of ice melts, sealing the cracks in the ice blocks, making the house impervious to drafts. In Alaska, igloos are made of sod blocks arranged in a dome, with half of the house excavated below the ground.
How do they breathe in there? There is a smoke hole at the apex of the house to let smoke out and air in. Some linguists now believe that the word "Eskimo" means "to net snowshoes," although it's pretty much impossible to prove. So, even though many people use the terms interchangeably or think they are separate tribes, the group prefers to be referred to as Inuit. The impressive geographical reach of the Inuit makes them the most widespread aboriginal group in the world.
They are arguably also one of the toughest, having survived one of the most unpleasant climates in the world for millennia. Inuit adapted long ago to the harsh Arctic conditions. Throughout history, the Inuit relied much more heavily than the rest of the world on animals for nourishment, largely because plants just can't grow where they live. Because of their largely carnivorous diets, Inuit hunters traveled from their homes to the much colder areas near sea ice, where they could hunt seals.
The hunters stayed in their igloos for as little as few days at a time to entire winters. Many people believe incorrectly that Inuit live only in igloos. This myth couldn't be farther from the truth -- Inuit use igloos almost exclusively as hunting camps. In fact, although most Inuit live in regular old houses now, igloos are still used for the occasional hunting trip. Traditionally, Inuit do not operate in an organized society or government.
And, they've never established a widespread tribal identity. They prefer to live without class divisions. Everyone in a given settlement is equally responsible for finding food and clothing.
The family is the central focus of the community, and the senior male serves as the figurehead. Boys are raised to have an almost religious devotion to hunting, and girls have traditionally been taught to seek a talented hunter for a husband.
Today's Inuit primarily support themselves as artists, specifically as jewelers, stone carvers and painters. Inuit culture is very much alive and well.
In fact, a study by the Multiculturalism and Human Rights Program at the Department of Canadian Heritage projects that there could be as many as 68, Inuit in Canada by , an increase from 41, in [source: Census of Canada ]. Forget Chalets -- Rent an Igloo Following a long day on the ski slopes, most people like to head back to a toasty lodge, sip on some cocoa and get a good night's sleep under a down comforter.
Others are willing to forego all of those niceties if it means they will get a head start on the slopes the next morning. Igloo villages are an unconventional option for these brave souls. Iglu-Dorf is a chain of igloo villages in five locations across the Swiss Alps. Standard and "romantic" igloos are available for rental during the ski season, from the end of December to the beginning of April.
Some amenities include access to group sauna and Jacuzzi, fondue dinner, nighttime snowshoe walk and subzero sleeping equipment. A few upgrades can get you a private bathroom and sheepskin rugs. In addition to standard overnight stays, Iglu-Dorf also hosts weddings, corporate events and parties.
And if you're looking for an icy room that's really luxurious, you can always make a reservation at an ice hotel. When most people think about igloos, they picture a small, dome-shaped structure built entirely out of blocks of ice. They might imagine a small tunnel leading into the igloo. Actually, this image is surprisingly accurate. We share a pretty similar perception of igloos in large part due to the many television shows and cartoons that have featured them over the years.
The classic s cartoon "Chilly Willy," about a wily and adventurous Alaskan penguin, prominently features his igloo. Overlooking the fact that penguins live neither in igloos nor in Alaska , the classic "Chilly Willy" igloo does resemble the most basic igloos inhabited by Inuit hunters.
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