Traditional Inupiat Buildings

The Inupiat built winter homes from driftwood and tundra brush and covered them with sod or peat to insulate from the harsh arctic winters. A small fire or oil lamp was kept burning inside to provide heat. On top of the house a small skylight covered with sealskin was used for light and ventilation.

Caches were used to store meat and keep it out of the reach of polar bears, so obviously, real caches must be much taller than this one. This cache is also used to store an access ladder and a kayak. You know, I think the presence of this cache could be misleading. I'm not sure Inupiats actually used them since a polar bear could easily topple one over. No, it just doesn't make sense. As I write this, I'm really feeling like a dunce for taking the picture in the first place. Please forgive me.

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