An ulu (Inuktitut syllabics: ᐅᓗ, plural: uluit) is an Inuit woman's all-purpose knife. It is utilized in applications as diverse as skinning and cleaning animals, cutting a child's hair, cutting food and, if necessary, trimming blocks of snow and ice used to build igloos.
Traditionally the ulu was made with a caribou antler handle and slate cutting surface, due to the lack of metal in the Arctic. The handle could also be carved from bone, and wood was sometimes used when it was available. In certain areas, such as Ulukhaktok Northwest Territories, copper was used for the cutting surface.
The size of the ulu would tend to reflect its usage. An ulu with a 5 cm (2 in) blade would be used as part of a sewing kit to cut sinew. An ulu with a 15 cm (6 in) blade would be used for general purposes. Occasionally, ulus can be found with blades as large as 30 cm (12 in).
