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Long before brick or wood houses with indoor heatbecame commonplace, people had to be
creative when building homes to protect them from nature's elements. Wealthy Europeans
embraced the concept of a nearly indestructible castlebuilt from stone. Native Americans inwarmer climates favored the tepee, or tipi, made entirely of animal hides or bark.
nfortunately, for the inhabitants of Earth'smore frigid regions, such as the !anadian tundra,neither of these were good options. "uilding materials were pretty much none#istent, making it
difficult to craft even the most rudimentary home. $hese people used the only abundant materialto form a modest roof over their heads% snow. $hus, the igloo, the &nuit word for snow house,
was born. $he &nuit, better known to many as Eskimos, invented the igloo centuries ago. $he
igloo was a means for hunters to survive brutal winters in a vast area spanning more than (,)**miles, including eastern +iberia, reenland,Alaskaand parts of !anada.
Norbert -osingNational eographicetty &magesAn igloo in the frigid wilderness is illuminated by a fire.
/ou might be wondering how a house made of snow could possibly shield &nuit hunters fromfrigid temperatures. After all, snow is pretty cold 00 and aren't igloos meant to counteract the
cold1 /ou may also be wondering why the &nuit would sub2ect themselves to these icy conditions
in the first place. "ut there's a reason why they made their homes in these areas.
&n this article, you'll learn how igloos are built and how the properties of snow helped the
ingenious &nuit create a low0cost, low0effort shelter. We'll also discuss the truth about some
common igloo0related myths, as well as the basics of how to build your own igloo.
"undle up and brace yourself because igloos aren't 2ust pictures3ue mounds of snow dotting thefro4en landscape 00 there's a whole lot to them. We'll start by learning about the &nuit, inventors
of the igloo.
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Properties of Igloos
When most people think about igloos, they picture a small, dome0shaped structure built entirelyout of blocks of ice. $hey might imagine a small tunnel leading into the igloo. Actually, this
image is surprisingly accurate.
Norbert -osingNational eographicetty &mages
An igloo builder wedges the last block into the top
of his abode.
We share a pretty similar perception of igloos in large part due to the many televisionshows and
cartoons that have featured them over the years. $he classic 56)*s cartoon !hilly Willy, abouta wily and adventurous Alaskan penguin, prominently features his igloo. 7verlooking the fact
that penguins live neither in igloos nor in Alaska, the classic !hilly Willy igloo does resemble
the most basic igloos inhabited by &nuit hunters.
8owever, igloos can vary widely from the popular image. &n fact, an igloo can range from assmall as a one0person hunting shelter to large, ceremonial structures 2oined to smaller igloos. $he
innovative architect can also create igloo villages by building attaching corridors and walls. $his
effectively turns a single0family dwelling into a multiroom compound capable of housing 9*people.
+maller igloos are typically used by &nuit for fishing and hunting trips, as we've discussed. $he
larger, more permanent structures were created to form villages for longer0term, although still
temporary, needs. +ome of the largest villages boasted halls for special occasions such as dancesand feasts. :ost igloos are self0sustaining due to the strength of ice. "ut when spring hits, the
sunand warmer temperatures turn igloos to slush. &t's best to steer clear of defrosting igloos toavoid being caught in a cave0in.
Snow: the Miracle InsulatorSnow is a relatively easy material to work with for the experiencedigloo-maker. It is packed tightly by the freezing winds common tothe areas inhabited by Inuit. Snow is easy to cut and surprisinglysturdy and snow blocks are also pretty lightweight. Still snow is
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pretty cold so many people are skeptical of the igloo!s ability tokeep its occupants from freezing to death. "he truth is inhabitantsmight not be able to lounge around in their underwear but theycan exist comfortably inside an igloo and a subzero sleeping bagcan take the edge off.
$he igloo has stood the test of time as a living establishment. +ome e#perts say that a well0
constructed igloo, coupled with a very small oillamp and plain old body heat, can warm an igloo
up to ;* degrees above the outside temperature. 8ypothetically, if it is 0;*
has the potential to warm up to *
$he walls block the wind, which is often so bitter that it can make free4ing temperatures
feel many degrees colder.
+now and ice work as insulators to trap body heat inside the igloo. $hus, the occupants of
an igloo double as a furnace of sorts.
&nsulation capabilities actually increase a few days after construction. "ody heat and sun
e#posure cause the inside of the igloo to melt ever so slightly. When the igloo isunoccupied during hunting e#peditions, the melted snow free4es over, turning into ice.
+everal days of gradual thawing and refree4ing turns the entire structure to solid ice,
making it not only superstrong, but also warmer than ever.
=enneth arrettNational eographicetty &mages
A good igloo requires plenty of hard-packed snow. This fresh blanketing of snow is ideal for igloo
construction,
no reindeer required.
&t should be noted that the right type of snow is necessary to build an igloo. $he soft, powdery
stuff that falls in most backyards is not hard or packed tightly enough to build a reliable igloo.
"ut if you're lucky enough to find the right kind of snow, you can try your hand at making yourown igloo. Learn how on the ne#t page.
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ow to !uild an IglooAlthough some &nuit still use igloos for temporary shelter, they are far less common than they
were 2ust a few decades ago. 8owever, many skiers and outdoor enthusiasts construct them to
avoid the elements during camping and ski trips. $he &nuit designed the igloo to be warm, sturdyand easy to construct. All it takes is a few simple tools, an abundance of snow and a little
patience. $he e#perienced igloo builder can put one together in as little as one hour. Novice igloo
builders can e#pect it to take an average of three to si# hours.
!onstructing an igloo usually re3uires at least two people. >lease note that this is a very basicdescription of how an igloo can be constructed and shouldn't take the place of instruction from
an e#perienced builder. ?on't head to the top of a mountain with nothing but a printout of these
instructions@
-ecommended tools%
+now sawor large knife
+now shovel or snow spade
A couple pairs of waterproof gloves
5. ind an area with a lot of dry, hard0packed snow. se the snow saw or knife to cut largeblocks 00 the harder the snow is, the more solid the snow blocks will be. /our snow
blocks should be about ( feet long, 5) inches high and B inches deep, according to $he!omplete Wilderness $raining uide.
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9. +mooth the edges of the blocks. >lace them in a circle, working your way up. "locks
should decrease in si4e as you work upwards. sing your shovel or saw, cut a hole underthe wall to create the igloo's entrance.
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(. 7verlap the blocks and shape them to lean inward, creating the dome. $he blocks should
support each other in order to prevent the dome from collapsing. &f necessary, use a stickor other support in the interior to support the blocks at the top until the dome is finished.
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;. 7nce all the blocks e#cept the last one have been placed, find a block that is slightly too
large for the last opening on top. >lace it on top of the igloo and wiggle it into place,shaping as needed. &t should be shaped to fit e#actly in the opening.
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). +hovel loose snow onto the igloo. >ack it into all of the crevices. +mooth the inside of the
igloo by hand and shovel out any e#tra snow.
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C. inish the entrance by digging a hole in the shape of the desired entrance Dsome igloo
aficionados prefer L0shaped entrances because they keep the wind out better. $hen coverthe hole with snow blocks.
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F. /ou must cut ventilation holes in the walls and roof to prevent suffocation. Air holes also
prevent body heat from causing dangerous levels of carbon dio#ide.
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&f you want to upgrade your igloo, consider adding these amenities%
A small sto"e% /es, you can cook inside an igloo. E#cessive use of a stove can build up
carbon mono#ideto dangerous levels, but your air holes should guard against that.
E#tra head room% +ome igloo builders recommend digging the floor down a little to
allow for more space.
A sleeping platform% /ou can loft your bed with some e#tra blocks of snow. +ince warm
air rises, you'll en2oy a little e#tra heat that way.
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The Inuit
>eople often confuse the &nuit with the Eskimos,believing them to be separate aboriginal, ornative, tribes. Actually, the two groups are the same. $he word &nuit means the people.
Eskimo is believed to mean eaters of raw meat Gsource% niversity of WaterlooH. Eskimo isconsidered a derogatory term because the name was bestowed upon them by non0&nuits. +ome
linguists now believe that the word Eskimo means to net snowshoes, although it's pretty
much impossible to prove. +o, even though many people use the terms interchangeably or thinkthey are separate tribes, the group prefers to be referred to as &nuit.
Norbert -osingNational eographicetty &mages
Two Inuit Indians in $una"ut Territory, %anada, build
an igloo.
$he impressive geographical reach of the &nuit makes them the most widespread aboriginal
group in the world. $hey are arguably also one of the toughest, having survived one of the mostunpleasant climates in the world for millennia. &nuit adapted long ago to the harsh Arctic
conditions. $hroughout history, the &nuit relied much more heavily than the rest of the world on
animals for nourishment, largely because plants 2ust can't grow where they live. "ecause of their
largely carnivorous diets, &nuit hunters traveled from their homes to the much colder areas nearsea ice, where they could hunt seals. $he hunters stayed in their igloos for as little as few days at
a time to entire winters. :any people believe incorrectly that &nuit live only in igloos. $his myth
couldn't be farther from the truth 00 &nuit use igloos almost e#clusively as hunting camps. &n fact,although most &nuit live in regular old houses now, igloos are still used for the occasional
hunting trip.
$raditionally, &nuit do not operate in an organi4ed society orgovernment. And, they've never
established a widespread tribal identity. $hey prefer to live without class divisions. Everyone in agiven settlement is e3ually responsible for findingfoodand clothing. $he family is the central
focus of the community, and the senior male serves as the figurehead. "oysare raised to have an
almost religious devotion to hunting, and girlshave traditionally been taught to seek a talentedhunter for a husband.
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!hris AndersonAuroraetty &mages
&ikeli, an Inuit hunter, hunts for polar bears with his dogsled team in northern 'reenland.
$oday's &nuit primarily support themselves as artists, specifically as 2ewelers, stone carvers andpainters. &nuit cultureis very much alive and well. &n fact, a study by the :ulticulturalism and8uman -ights >rogram at the ?epartment of !anadian 8eritage pro2ects that there could be as
many as CB,;** &nuit in !anada by 9*5F, an increase from ;5,*B* in 566C Gsource%566C !ensus
of !anadaH.
#orget $halets -- %ent an Igloo#ollowing a long day on the ski slopes most people like to headback to a toasty lodge sip on some cocoa and get a good night!ssleep under a down comforter. &thers are willing to forego all ofthose niceties if it means they will get a head start on the slopesthe next morning. Igloo villagesare an unconventional option for
these brave souls.
Iglu-'orf is a chain of igloo villages in five locations across theSwiss (lps. Standard and )romantic) igloos are available for rentalduring the ski season from the end of 'ecember to the beginningof (pril. Some amenities include access to group sauna and*acuzzi fondue dinner nighttime snowshoe walk and subzerosleeping e+uipment. ( few upgrades can get you a privatebathroom and sheepskin rugs. In addition to standard overnightstays Iglu-'orf also hosts weddings corporate events andparties. (nd if you!re looking for an icy room that!s really luxuriousyou can always make a reservation at an ice hotel.
&n the ne#t section, we'll debunk some igloo myths and learn what they're really like.
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