I is for IGLOO

The Inuit people or Eskimos lived in igloos. They say that a skilled Inuit could construct one in about an hour, always building from the inside out, using the snow from the inside of the circle which would become his home, to make blocks that he then built in a spiral formation into the dome shaped structure that we know as the igloo. Eventually, having finished his construction, he would use his knife, often made from the bone of an animal he had killed, to cut a doorway to the outside and often would add a tunnel that helped to reduce the effect of the cold, harsh wind around his home. The Eskimo knew that only snow that had been exposed to the wind would be best for making the blocks, since it helped to make the crystals more compacted and thus better interlocked and occasionally, he also included a block completely made from clear ice so as to act as a sort of frosted window and allow light into his new home. For the whole of the winter then, this would be the temporary home for him and his family and at night they would light the interior with a Kudluk, a lamp that burned on seal oil. And while its heat would slightly melt the inside wall, this had the effect of causing an ice sheet to build up when it froze again and therefore help to strengthen the whole structure. Indeed the igloo was a strong building and, if properly made, could support the weight of a person standing on top of the dome.

I have to say that my immediate thoughts were not anything to do with its strength nor the method of construction but to know if it actually did the job of making a warm, comfortable home and I must concede that initially I had my doubts. However, to my surprise, I discover that even when the outside temperature falls forty degrees below freezing point, inside the igloo can be up to ten or fifteen degrees above zero, with the only source of warmth coming from body heat. So there is no doubt that the home was functional in the winter months. Of course it was important that even the children learned how to build igloos because they were also at risk of being caught in a snowstorm and would need to know basic survival. By the time, winter had passed, their temporary home was discarded and these nomadic people then erected their second non-permanent dwelling, this time a tent made from the animal skins they had collected during their hunting. And of course this was perfect for the summer months, being less well insulated and easily repositioned as they moved from place to place. But sooner or later they would be back to setting up home inside their ice caves again and nestling down for another winter.

I'm constantly fascinated by the ingenuity of man living on the edge of civilisation who has found so many ways to survive by using the natural resources around him and finding contentment in his achievement and his way of life. From the peoples of the Sahara, to the tribes of the Amazon rainforest, the mountain people of the Andes, the indigenous communities of the African continent, the hunter gatherer populations and the thousands of other cultures that still live a relatively primitive existence alongside the material wealth and apparent sophistication of the developed world. Where home is a tent, a cave, an igloo, a mud hut, a tree house, a shanty town, a tin hut, a sewer, an underground passage, a hole in the ground or even a cardboard box. How much importance we place on our homes, how much we are willing to pay for a good view, extra luxury, a nice area, a bigger house and yet how temporary our homes really are. As I walk the half mile or so from home to the nearby church, I can pass four sites where house stood and families lived. Now, for three of them, the only evidence is the odd block or brick buried in the soil where they once stood.

I remember many Sunday afternoons, lying on the couch and listening to Jim Reeves sing 'This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through' How true those words as they echo in my head once again. Jesus says 'Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.' As I think once again of the Inuit people and their temporary ice homes, ready to move on and leave them behind, I wonder is there a message in there for all of us who are believers, about being willing to leave all behind to follow the Master? And isn't that the cold, hard fact about being a disciple?