http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/harpoon-gun-eskimo-native-culture-5888-pictures.htm
On board a whaling boat in the Chukchi Sea in Alaska, an Eskimo man prepares is harpoon gun in preparation for the whaling expedition. Native Eskimos consider whaling as part of their native culture and many of these boats are sent to sea every year.

As you can see over time, Natives have learned to adapt to more convienient ways of hunting the large whales. When metals were introduced, Native people took advantage of the recource because it held a better edge for cutting and carving wood. The same concept is used here with the harpoon gun. Some use the harpoon gun to help the harpooning process go a little smoother. Some continue to use the traditional harpoons.