Almost everyone has heard of the Inuit people.
We live in Canada, Russia, Greenland, and the state of Alaska.
Many of my people are hunters, and we move around a lot.
We hunt seals, walruses, and whales.
But it is not easy to find these animals.
Sometimes it takes many hours.
Sometimes it takes many days.
During winter, we need a warm place to sleep when we go hunting.
My ancestors invented the igloo.
Igloo means house.
It is a house made of snow.
My father and I will show you how to build an igloo.
First, you need to make snow blocks.
The snow must be hard or it will be difficult to make an igloo.
Cut bigger and heavier blocks for the bottom.
Shape the snow blocks with a spade.
The tops of the blocks are cut on an angle.
This way, they form a dome when you put them on top of each other.
Arrange the blocks in a circle.
Use two blocks to make the door, and another for its roof.
Dig out the snow on the igloo's floor.
Now there will be more room inside the igloo, and it will be warmer too.
For the top, use smaller blocks.
Keep throwing snow out as you go.
Now the igloo looks like a small dome.
Go inside the igloo.
Place the last few blocks from inside.
Next, fill in all the cracks with snow.
Then, use your hand to smooth the igloo walls.
The igloo's door should be on an angle too.
It should be dug deep to keep the cold air from blowing into the igloo.
This also stops unwanted visitors like bears.
Now our igloo is finished!
My father makes a hole in the roof so we can cook.
Don't worry! The fire will not melt our igloo.
As the hot air from the fire rises, the cold air outside immediately freezes it.
The snow blocks become harder.
We use whale fat to make a small fire.
Fish is my favorite.
We sit on animal skins to eat.
It is very warm and cozy inside our igloo.
After a good night's sleep, we are ready to hunt again.
For the Inuit, making an igloo takes only a short time.
With an igloo, we can survive the cold winters.
My ancestors invented a clever and unique shelter to stay in when we are hunting.
How proud I am to be an Inuit and to sleep in an igloo, the amazing snow house!