Besides having to endure the extreme cold, Inuit had to face dangers such as polar bears. This sculpture of a polar bear balanced on one leg was sculpted by Atchealak in alabaster during a stay in Toronto, Ontario.

In the past, when the Inuit were nomadic, most carvers used materials that were readily available wherever they were living. Lighter materials such as bone, antler and ivory were used. Today the most commonly used material is stone.