The land

Lexicon

akpak: murre

atigik: parka

amaruq: wolf

amautik: woman’s coat, equipped with a pouch on the back for carrying a baby.

annuraat: skin clothing (caribou, seal, dog, etc.) or from eiderdown.

igimak: the head of a harpoon, the part that sticks into the animal. Used for hunting walrus, beluga and bearded seal, winter and summer.

kakivak: fish spear (a sort of large harpoon) with a central point flanked by two arched pieces of ivory with barbed tips. Once the fish was speared, the arched pieces prevented it from slipping off.

kamiik: skin boots

illuq: igloo

iqaluk: fish

katajjaq, katajjait: throat songs, executed by two singers, usually women.

natsiq: ringed seal

nuiq: a type of carefully crafted trident for hunting birds on the water.

Paleo-Inuit: Inuit of the prehistoric period.

panak: snow knife for making igloos.

qaaq: warm mattress made of caribou skin.

qajaq: the kayak was used in summer to travel anywhere on the water. A single man could manoeuvre it.

qamutiik: sled pulled by a dogteam, it could transport very heavy loads.

qarmaq: a semi-subterranean house used as shelter in spring and fall

qipiik: blanket made of caribou skin.

qulliq: a stone lamp that used fat from seals and other marine mammals as fuel. Used for making hot drinks, drying clothes and heating the igloo.

tuktuq: caribou

tupiq: skin tent

ujjuq: bearded seal

ulu(k): woman’s knife, shaped like a half-moon

umiaq: large boat made of seal or walrus skins, usually operated by women. Used to transport dogs, tents and equipment when moving camp. It was also used for hunting.

unaaq: harpoon used for seal hunting, summer and winter.

uppiq: snowy owl

uviluq: mussel