The Inuit and their ancestors have used a variety of tools to hunt native wildlife for thousands of years. As the main form of subsistence, hunting was vital for survival season to season. This nuiq, or bird hunting spear/dart, was used to catch waterfowl during the summer months and likely dates to the seventeenth century. The barbed prongs were primarily meant to hook onto the bird’s wings and bring it in without killing it. It may also have been used in conjunction with a throwing stick in order to increase distance and speed. Tools and equipment made during this period would have been composed of stone, wood or animal materials, as is the case with this spear. The three barbed prongs are made of ivory, a common material for the tips and heads of weapons and hunting tools. The shaft is made of wood (in many cases, driftwood), a very precious commodity, given the scarcity of trees in many Arctic regions. Hunting spears have since been replaced with rifles brought in from the south.