Arctic Hunt


Artic Hunt Board Game

This game purchased by the Museum in 1973 has been manufactured in the North West Territories since the mid 1960s for sale in tourist shops which sell Inuit art and artifacts. It is a version of the standard European row game known as Three Man Morris and in North America known as Tic-Tac-Toe.

As the photo illustrates, the equipment comes in a colorful box 4.3cm long x 9.5cm wide x 10.2cm high, featuring two Inuits dressed in winter parkas, playing the game in the snow! Printing on the box is in both the English and French languages.

The board (19.5cm long x 20.5cm wide) is a brownish leather with rounded corners. Nine squares are stenciled on the surface in black. Each square features a stylized design of an animal reminiscent of various Inuit stone cuts. Printed around one edge of the board is the manufacturer's name and copyright date. A leather thong (49cm long x 1cm wide) is included in the box, to be used tie the board together when it is rolled up. Six pieces of antler horn are included for use as playing pieces. Each is 3.5cm in diameter x .6cm thick. On three pieces, animal designs are stenciled in black, and on the other three, similar designs are stenciled in red. A sheet of instructions in both English and French is included in the box.

Players each place one of the pieces anywhere on the board, alternating their actions. The winner is the one who first gets their three pieces in a vertical, diagonal, or horizontal row.


Last update June 20, 2010