Cara Loverock
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, January 9, 2008

YELLOWKNIFE - The art of igloo building has been mastered by Cathy Allooloo and her family.

The large, 102 block snow structure sitting across from the family home took them three days to build.

"I've been building (igloos) for a number of years and I'm always learning new things," said Allooloo.

Cathy Allooloo sits in the doorway of her family's igloo. It took three days and 102 blocks to build. - Cara Loverock/ NNSL photo

She said her daughter wanted to build a really large igloo this year. Allooloo decided to take on the challenge with help from husband Titus, daughter Tiffany, son Devon and sons-in-law Brad Koswan and Kenny Mackay. She said there was also help here and there from neighbours who wanted to lend a hand.

Outside the igloo is a sign for the 'Narwhal B+B (bed and breakfast).' Inside it is quite cosy, with musk-ox and caribou furs lining the floor inside. Visitors to the igloo have left graffiti on the walls, carving their initials into the many blocks of snow.

Allooloo said the family slept in the igloo recently and really enjoyed the experience.

"Everybody lasted the night. We didn't even have the stove on," said Allooloo.

Allooloo and her husband run Narwhal Adventure Training and Tours and last year ran an igloo building workshop for students at William McDonald school. She said the art of igloo-building is a unique skill and is becoming less common.

"It has to spiral," said Allooloo.

"(The blocks) have to fit so that they fall in towards each other."

She said a saw and snow knife are used to cut the blocks for building.

It is also important to have good ventilation and tightly packed snow for building the shelter.

Asked if next winter she would try for an even larger igloo, Allooloo said the building is a lot of hard work but with help she would try.

"Now that my kids are getting more proficient ... yeah, I'd try for a bigger one," said Allooloo.