Sila Encyclopedia


Engraving by Captain Lyon

Ulu

An ulu is an Inuit woman's all-purpose knife. It can be used for applications as diverse as skinning and cleaning animals, cutting a child's hair, cutting food and if necessary trimming the blocks of snow and ice used to build igloo's. Ulu's have been found that date back to as early as 2500 BCE. Traditionally, the ulu would be passed down from generation to generation. It was believed that an ancestors knowledge was contained within the ulu and thus would also be passed on.

Related Items: Arctic Char . Avatak (harpoon float) . Bearded Seal . Beluga . Blubber Lamp (Qulliq) . Jigging Stick . Kavikak . Niksik . Ringed Seal . Ulu . Unaaq (harpoon) . Walrus .

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