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Alexander Angnaluak paddles his newly built kayak at Coppermine River while his friend Terry Milton holds on tight. - photo courtesy of Alexander Angnaluak |
Building a kayak from scratch Father and son team up to create a Greenland-style boat
Miranda Scotland
Northern News Services
Published Monday, August 19, 2013
KUGLUKTUK
For the past three weeks the Angnaluaks' front yard in Kugluktuk has been filled with the sounds of sawing, drilling and hammering as father and son crafted a Greenland-style kayak.
Alexander Angnaluak, 20, came across the instructions for the project while browsing the Internet at school in the fall.
"At first I just glanced over it and then I realized this is something I could actually do. So I decided I should try it out," he recalled.
His father, Sammy Angnaluak, encouraged him to pursue the goal by purchasing the supplies he needed and assisting with the construction.
Neither of the men had any experience building kayaks but the elder Angnaluak said he had faith in his son's abilities.
"He's really artistic and good with his hands. He just wanted to see if he could do it and I encouraged him to try," Sammy said.
The Angnaluaks got most of their materials, including two by sixes, from JMS Supplies in town.
They also picked up willow trees out by airport road. After they had what they needed, the men began preparing the gunwales, the kayak's main support.
Next they worked on the cross pieces and the ribs and secured the canvas, which Alexander covered in three coats of varnish to make the kayak waterproof.
They finished the 16-foot kayak on Aug. 12.
Alexander said he was all ready to take it out on the Coppermine River when he realized he was missing a paddle.
After fashioning one, he got a chance to try out the boat and was pleased to find it worked.
There was no leakage and it goes fairly fast on the water, said Alexander.
The project, he added, has given him more confidence in his own abilities.
"I know I can take on bigger tasks and I also feel a very strong link now toward my Inuit heritage," he said.
"As I was making it, I thought about how our elders used to make (kayaks) out of … driftwood and animal skins. I couldn't imagine having to do that. It seems like a lot of work.
"They truly knew how to survive back then."
During the process, he also learned of his culture through listening to stories from his father.
Sammy told him about how Alexander's grandfather, Frank Kellogok, would make mini-kayaks and use caribou hide for the skin.
He sold the boats to visitors as a way to make a little money.
"I thought that was pretty cool," said Alexander.
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