206 Morten P. Porsild. 



parted fingers, follows on the hairy side, and there ensures that the 

 skin touches the entire blade of the knife, and yet prevents the 

 pointed corners of the blade being caught in the skin and cutting 

 holes in it. By a few peeling strokes from the edges towards the 

 centre the blubber is loosened and then lies in one lump on the skin. 

 Both skin and blubber are removed, and there is a wet spot on the 

 floor, where the skin has been, but neither blood nor grease spots. ^ 

 The woman's hands are blood-stained and greasy to the middle of 

 her forearm, but her garments and her boots are unstained. 



During this performance the Ulo has executed a series of different 

 movements and fulfilled many functions, viz. cutting movements, by 

 pulling backwards and forwards, where sometimes the middle of the 

 curve, sometimes half the edge, sometimes only the part next to 

 the point has worked; scoring movements over the bones and liga- 

 ments, which later on have to be broken or torn; the making of 

 holes in muscles or blubber in order to provide a grip for the left 

 hand; and peeling movements, where the entire edge is forced through; 

 but never rocking and forcing movements such as those made by 

 the curved knife in a European kitchen. All these movements and 

 functions depend upon the following facts: — that the handle 

 gives a firm and secure grip, even when it is besmeared 

 with blood and grease; that its length is equal to the 

 width of the hand; that the cutting edge is sharp; and 

 that its length slightly exceeds that of the handle, to 

 allow freedom for the hand and a space between the 

 handle and the cutting edge; and yet not so large a space 

 that it prevents the Ulo from being turned in a narrow 

 place, for instance in the inside of the animal. Only 

 when the blade is fixed to the handle by a single slender 

 stem, can the pliability of the wrist be fully utilized. 

 During the removal of the blubber the blade must if 

 possible lie level with the skin, therefore it is preferable 

 for the stem to be in one piece with the blade and not 

 riveted to it; in addition to this the blade must have a 

 certain width between its curve and the stem, so as 

 to produce an adequate surface for the use of the left 

 hand. 



When later on the skin is being prepared for clothing, the Ulo 

 is used to scrape off the last remnants of fat. The upper edge of 

 the skin is held with the left hand, the lower with the foot. For this 



^ If, however, the heart was damaged during the capture, all the blood 

 collects in the thoracic cavity, and then it may be rather difficult to prevent 

 some of it from trickling out upon the floor. 



