Canada's Inuit have many talents, but one of the most impressive is their mechanical ability. With or without training, they have a reputation as the world's best natural mechanics.
According to one story, white men first learned of the Inuit's mechanical ability when a team of U.S. Army engineers, working on the Distant Early Warning Line of radar stations, abandoned two outboard motors that were broken and not worth the cost of repair. Within a few weeks, the Americans found that local hunters were using the motors, with replacement parts made of whalebone.
My personal experience dates back to 1969, when I had the first snowmobile in the north with a reverse gear. I know it was the first because it was a preproduction model that Outboard Marine had sent up for me to photograph. It broke down near the village of Fort McPherson, in the Northwest Territories. This was an Indian village, but there was one Inuk in town, named Simon, who worked as caretaker at the local school. People suggested that I see him.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.