History of the Uluaq

The uluaq was developed by the Alaskan Native people. The Uluaq was a woman's knife used to prepare and cut food for survival. "History tells us that the native Alaskan women used the ulu(aq) to cut through skin and bones of fish. Due to the resistant texture of bone, the blades are traditionally fashioned out of slate" (http://alaskagifts.articleinsider.com/18580_ulu.html). Slate was used because it was hard yet easy enough to work into a semi lunar shape. "The Alaskan ULU (OO-loo) is an extremely versatile cutting tool crafted by the Native Alaskan people over five thousand years ago. The knife was primarily used by Eskimo women for skinning and cleaning fish and has played an important role in the survival of the Arctic people. Blades were originally made of polished slate and given a bone, ivory or wood handle. The handles were often inscribed with distinctive designs or markings exclusive to the maker of the knife" (http://www.ulu.com/aboutulu.htm) A certain mixture of seal's blood, clay, and dog hair was the glue to connect the handle to the shale blade (Mason, 412).

The uluaq is still used today. "Contact with Russian (and later American) trappers, traders, and missionaries introduced the Natives to commercially produced steel knives, yet they clung to their traditional ulu(aq). They did however realize the advantages of steel and rapidly replaced the time-honored slate with the new metal suddenly available" (Adair, 18).

This uluaq is made out of a caibou antler and a steel blade.

(Picture taken by Deanna Strunk)