* This belongs
to the collection of David & Helga Zimmerly.
Copper Eskimo Kayak
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, NMM
IV-D-1057 (see
Lines drawing in
PDF)
Kannoyuak's kayak on sled, Kogluktualuk (Tree River), Coronation Gulf, 16 Oct. 1915, No. 38944. Courtesy of Canadian Museum of Civilization.
Length - 23' 3.2"
Beam - 15.6"
Depth to Sheer - 8.1"
Weight - 44.0 lbs.
Loaded kayak stable to 1 degree
This long, thin kayak was used by the Copper Inuit for hunting caribou
in lakes and rivers. At 23' long and 15.6" wide it is a very crank craft. Few examples of
this rather crudely built kayak exist. The finest example is this one, collected by Diamond Jenness in 1913-18. There is
a puzzling contrast between the lack of fine finish detail on the Copper Inuit kayak and the extremely fine work done
by the same group in splicing arrows and fashioning other hunting equipment.
Jenness reports a unique method of fishing using this kayak. The paddler
holds
the fishing line in his mouth, line trailing in the water. He paddles
round and
round until he nabs a fish and then makes all speed for shore. He dares not pull
in the line while afloat for fear of capsize.
Kannoyuak's kayak on sled, Kogluktualuk (Tree River), Coronation Gulf, 16 Oct. 1915, No. 38944. Courtesy of Canadian Museum of Civilization.
