talking about who invented the kayak , The Inuit and Aleut tribes, who, at the time, inhabited Arctic North America, were the first to build and use vessels we know as kayaks – roughly 5000 years ago. These boats were mainly used for hunting in coastal waters, inland lakes, and rivers of the Arctic region.
The oldest known example of a kayak was displayed in the North American department of the Ethnological Museum in Munich. Here’s one that is part of the Vatican Museums’ collection of Indigenous artifacts:
And, while we’re on the subject:
Where did the word “kayak” originate?
In Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit tribes, the word kayak – or, more precisely, “qajak” – roughly translated to “man’s boat” or “hunter’s boat.” However, the first actual use of the word “kayak” in the English language came much later, in 1757. It was probably introduced by Danish (or Dutch) whalers who may have interacted with Inuit Eskimos during their journeys.
The meaning of the word “qajak” says a lot about the role these boats had in ancient times. The kayak was made with one goal in mind – and that was basic survival.
These vessels have been around for thousands of years, and yet, the English word “kayak” is only a few centuries old.
How is that possible?
Well, it wasn’t until the mid-1800s that kayaks made their way to European countries, as a stable of explorers to the north and south poles, and turned into more than a means of hunting from the water. That’s a whole different story, though – and I’ll get to it later.
