Kakivak Explained

A kakivak is a leister used by Inuit for spear fishing and fishing at short range. It is comparable to a harpoon or a trident in function and shape. The kakivak is notable for its tip's design, which has three prongs, the outer which have their own teeth which point at the centre prong.[1] The teeth are to hold the meat on to the main blade to stop it from falling.[2]

Usage of the kakivak was apparently not restricted to Inuit, as copies were also utilized by Norse settlers.[3]

Construction

The kakivak is made of ivory, bone, or antler for the spear, and driftwood, sticks, or rock for the handle.[4] [5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: fish-spear . 16 October 2021 .
  2. Web site: The tools of our survival . www.avataq.qc.ca/ . Avataq Cultural Institute . 22 September 2021.
  3. Web site: William W. Fitzhugh . Cultures, Borders, and Basques: Archaeological Surveys on Quebec's Lower North Shore . 6. Smithstonian Institute Repository . 1 January 2023.
  4. Web site: Season 1. www.aptn.ca . Aboriginal Peoples Television Network . 22 September 2021.
  5. Book: Rowley . Graham . Cold Comfort: My Love Affair With The Arctic . 2007 . McGill–Queen's University Press . Montreal . 9780773530058 . 134, 300 . Second .

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