Sod Houses

Northwest Territories


Toward the northern end of Tuk are examples of the traditional Inuvialuit igluryuaq (sod houses), made from driftwood and covered with sod. With a tunnel-like entrance, floors embedded into the permafrost, a cross-shaped interior and a hearth, these kept their dwellers warm even in winter. The Inuvialuit move into Western-style houses in the 1900s coincided with the missionaries' arrival.


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