To the Inuit People, the polar bear or Nanuk as he was known to them, was the most feared and respected of all the land and sea animals.The bear was also the most powerful of the Spirit Animals. The power of the shaman was often represented by this animal spirit. Inuit hunters made use of the bear for food and clothing. The bear would provide much needed food in winter and its skin would yield warm fur for clothing ie pants, mitts, etc. With the arrival of the Viking Norse in the far north the pursuit of the bear was intensified. To the Norse the polar bear was known as the Water bear. They hunted adults and captured cubs for export to wealthy clients in Europe and beyond.
