The Intuit people have long used Inukshuk structures in their daily lives. Erected from available stones, rocks or boulders at the site of creation, these formations are one-of-a-kind. As the word “Inukshuk” translates to “likeness of a person” in Intuit, what these structures share is a resemblance to a human figure. Historically, Inukshuks have been used in hunting caribou, marking trails or indicating directions and warning of danger to come. Though they can be created anywhere and have reportedly existed all over the world, an Inukshuk’s destruction is expressly prohibited by Inuit tradition.
Place one or two flat rocks on your work surface as your base, depending on the style of Inukshuk you wish to create.
Build your Inukshuk experimentally; laying one piece at a time. Balance each stone so the structure can stand on its own. Do not apply any glue. Take note of the successful arrangement.
Disassemble the structure. Rebuild one rock at a time, laying each rock in its previous orientation to achieve the same balance. Apply a generous amount of hot glue between each rock to stabilize the structure. Let the glue dry, before placing and gluing the next rock.
Apply any final touches of glue for extra support. Let glue dry completely before moving.
Items you will need
Rocks of similar sizes
1-2 rocks of equal size, flat on both sides
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Try moving a troublesome rock slightly to one side or turning it over to find the appropriate surface for balancing.
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