Qulliq
The Qulliq is a lamp made out of soapstone, shaped in a half moon, that provides light and warmth to our homes, originally made by a husband for his wife. It symbolized that the woman was the flame keeper of the home and, on a deeper spiritual level, honour women as the life-carriers.
The qulliq is a symbol of the strength, love, and gentleness of Inuit women. Inuit use the oil from blubber of seals or whales for fuel while arctic cotton is used as a wick. Once the lamp was lit, it required constant attention and trimming to ensure that the flames were the right height, that it wasn’t producing too much smoke, and that it wouldn’t go out. It was multipurpose and very important in our culture.
