Inuit girls were taught at a very young age the basic skills needed to perform adult tasks. Those skills were learned by a child through the creation of her own set of dolls representing activities for every day life. Usually an older female relative helped the youngster master the skills needed to create the dolls. One could tell that a doll was deeply loved by a child if it showed signs of use or had more than one set of clothing.
The dolls were more than just toys and were considered very important in the raising of Inuit youth. They provided a means for a child to learn how to clean hides, stretch and soften leather as well as the art of sewing skins together to make clothing—critical skills needed by Inuit women to help their families survive in the cold winters
