Inuit Nunangat guest artist Natashia Allakariallak’s illustration for this Native American History Month Doodle honors the kayak! Thousands of years ago, these tiny, slender boats were developed for transportation, fishing, and hunting. Since then, kayaking has grown to be a very well-liked pastime and competitive sport.
These paddle-powered boats have been a blessing to Native American populations in polar climates. To aid in navigating chilly seas, Northern cultures such as the Inuit, Aleut, Inupiat, and Yup’ik initially created kayaks out of driftwood, animal bones, and skins. In even the most dangerous waters, these boats gave hunters the stealth and movement they needed to successfully capture fish, seals, whales, and other prey.
It makes sense that the Inuit name kayak means “hunter’s boat.” One of the 14 dialects of the Inuit-Yupik-Unangan language family is the source of the word’s etymological form, qajaq. Each hunter made their own qajaq by hand, taking into consideration their own weight and size, and they viewed it as an extension of themselves rather than merely a tool.
Since then, kayaking has developed into a sport and leisure activity that is open to anyone who enjoys being on the water. Kayaking has been popular all throughout the world, from peaceful trips over quiet lakes to competitions over dangerous white seas. This improvement in sports is due to the Northern tribes.
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